Gregg Simmons, Centenary College, Men's Cross Country

GREGG SIMMONS OF CENTENARY COLLEGE, a a freshman from Stonewall, La., has been selected the SCAC Character & Community Male Student-Athlete-of-the-Week for the week ending Sunday, October 13.

Simmons, a first-year runner on the Gents’ cross country team, most recently posted the team’s second-best finish at the Centenary College Invitational, running a time of 38:08 on the 8K course which will host the SCAC championship event next month.

Off the course, Simmons really shines as he has taken a leadership role in many church and community projects and activities.

He works with Kidstuf!, which is a family-blended worship service, where he is the assistant producer of a short skit that reiterates the virtue of the month in a way that children (age kindergarten to fifth grade) can better understand it. Simmons also plays the character Marshall – one of the skit’s main characters.

In Sunday school, he teaches fourth and fifth graders bible lessons each week, and also leads various activities that go along with that week’s story. He also helps produce a Wednesday evening kid’s program called Ignite!

Simmons has also done work with first through fifth grade kids that helps developmental skills and teaches various life lessons. He has also worked with older kids (sixth through 12th graders) – assisting with leadership and spiritual development by using games in an action-packed and fun-filled weeklong camp.

Simmons has also been active with the 4H Club and the FFA Livestock show where he has led workshops on sportsmanship and animal husbandry as well as workshops on proper nutrition, showmanship, and animal selection for fourth through 12th grade students. He gave a motivational speech to 1,600 people at the Louisiana State FFA Convention and Expo.

Additionally, Simmons has worked with Habitat for Humanity, where he assisted in building a house for a homeless family. His work for the homeless extends to Hub, which is an organization that helps to feed the homeless of downtown Shreveport a hearty meal and encourages volunteers to spend the evening at the shelter.