When Coben Parker was in college at Mississippi State University, he originally thought he was going to find a career in high school coaching upon graduation and work his way up to the role of athletic director.
That was the dream.
While going to school he landed a part-time maintenance job at Starkville Parks and Recreation, mostly cutting the grass and doing turf upkeep, which then gave way to an internship there. When he graduated in August with a bachelor’s degree in sports administration and a minor in business administration, instead of chasing down a role in high school sports, Parker leapt on the offer to work there full-time as an athletic and tournament coordinator – something that has turned into a venture he has come to love.
“I knew what to expect for the most part coming into the job once I got hired, but I have enjoyed it,” said Parker, a 22-year-old native of Calhoun City. “I have enjoyed it more than I thought I would to be honest. … Athletics was pretty much my main focus the whole time I was in high school, and I just kind of stuck with it. It was something I was always interested in.”
Growing up, Parker played football, basketball and baseball, and now he’s helping set up those very same moments he enjoyed as a kid. At Starkville Parks and Recreation, he collaborates with tournament directors of youth softball and baseball to make sure tournaments and games at Cornerstone Park run smoothly. For those two sports, tournament organizers handle scheduling and signups before sending that information over to Parker, who then finds the needed employees to staff the event and make sure all the fields are ready for play.
But in recreational sports at the Starkville Sportsplex, Parker leads the charge in all of the basketball, flag football and soccer activities. He does all the scheduling, planning and signup along with making sure all courts and fields of play are prepared for games.
Some days bring long hours of talking to many different people and rigorous planning, but it’s all worth it when he sees the smiles and the excitement from the players and their families at games and tournaments he helps bring to life.
“The best part of the job to me is providing the younger athletes the opportunities that maybe some people like myself didn’t have coming from a smaller town,” he explained. “Some of the events that go on in Starkville, without seeing it, I would have never even believed it was happening. So just being able to provide them with an opportunity to go out there and have fun, it’s pretty rewarding when you get to see it.
“I think Starkville is one of the better places I could have started out at for sure,” Parker added. “They do spend a lot of time on making that as good as they can in the community.”
As the weather gets colder, travel softball and baseball has moved over and recreational games, tournaments and leagues are now heating up. Parker said it’s mostly college-aged people signing up for the recreational leagues, but there are games for people of any age. He also mentioned he is looking into starting a pickleball league due to the popularity in the sport.
“Just kind of staying up to the times with different sports and different activities,” he said.
When he’s not working, Parker likes to spend time golfing and playing basketball. He’s a fan of the NBA as well and enjoys watching Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors play. He also makes sure to play with his dog, a German Shepherd mix named Toby.
Working on the parks and recreation side of sports is not what he intended growing up, but it’s path Parker is glad he’s on. He doesn’t see himself deviating anytime soon.
“I really have enjoyed the parks and recreation side (of athletics), and as of now (it’s) something I would like to stick with and work my way up,” he said.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
