I recently came across a good story that should inspire us all. As Missouri Western State University SAAC president, one of the most common complaints/concerns that I hear from our student-athletes is the need to increase attendance at our athletics events. If we wish for this to happen, it starts with each one of us on a personal level. Take a second to read this story and realize what it might take. It is a pretty simple task once you realize it.

'A fan for life'

One Saturday in March, while at Missouri Western State's first annual "Experience Western Fair," a mother and her son stood in line to take part in the athletics department's "Little Griff Fun Zone" and get their picture taken with the Griffon (our mascot). While waiting to take part in the festivities, the mother engaged in a conversation with a college representative.

The conversation quickly turned into the mother expressing her gratitude for this event. The college official thanked her for attending and inquired as to how she heard about it. The mother said that she and her son had seen it advertised around town. Once her son heard about an event with student-athletes making an appearance and volunteering their time to hang out with kids on a Saturday, there was no way of keeping him from attending.

The college official was curious about why the boy was so set on being a part of this event. The mother replied that her son was overtaken by the "star power" of college athletes, even on the Division II level. After this particular instance, the boy was simply hooked on Griffon athletics.

This past summer, the boy attended coach Tom Smith's basketball camp at the school. The players who helped conduct the camp made the extra effort to develop a relationship with the boy and learn his name. The mother said her son was far from a standout athlete, but it made no difference to these college athletes.

The story doesn't end there, however. These players went beyond what was expected of them while grocery shopping on Saturday afternoon at a local store. The mother and son passed by the players in an aisle. The boy did not say anything to the players, but he obviously recognized who they were. The mother said the boy was star-struck, as if he had just walked by Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson, but he did not say a word out of nervousness.

Not a moment after passing the mother and son in the aisle, one of the players turned around and said, "Didn't you go to our basketball camp?"

The boy immediately smiled and confirmed the players' suspicion. The answer quickly spawned high-fives all around for the players and the boy.

The mother then went on to tell the college official that something so simple as taking a minute to acknowledge a young and impressionable boy created a fan for life.

The mother and son had never been to a Western athletics event before the basketball camp. After the encounter in the grocery store, the boy and his mother did not miss a single home men's basketball game last season.

The college official said that the mother had a slight tear in her eye when she told of the excitement and passion that the players had instilled in her son for basketball and Missouri Western. He now claims that he wants to attend Western when he gets older, and the mother expressed that she could not be more proud of his intentions.

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I hope this story inspires all of us the same way that it did me. Such a simple gesture created such a great outcome. I encourage student-athletes to consider this the next time they meet a young and impressionable fan. Maybe we all should take an extra second to make a difference and establish a loyal fan base for all of our institutions. It begins simply with making the extra effort, and it is not always as impossible or difficult as we sometimes feel it can be.

A special thanks to those student-athletes who take actions similar to those in this story -- you know who you are. I assure you that people are noticing. Keep up the good work.

Dustin Holcumbrink is president of the Missouri Western State University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and a member of the school's golf team. He will graduate May 14 with a degree in sports marketing and management.