Wake Forest Athletics
Player Spotlight: James MacPherson
9/13/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 13, 2002
As a leader of the Wake Forest Football team, senior quarterback James MacPherson has helped Demon Deacon football rise to new heights. Last season, MacPherson led the Deacs to a 4-1 road record, including memorable come-from-behind wins at North Carolina and Virginia. Having completed only two seasons as quarterback, MacPherson already ranks 11th on Wake??s career passing leaders chart (2,879) and fifth in career passing percentage (.543).
MacPherson??s ability to lead his teammates on the playing field are obvious, but not so much is his ability to lead in the community. He spends time off the football field volunteering for organizations and service groups in and around the Wake Forest community. Throughout the past four years, MacPherson has continuously been involved with various community programs, including Athletes Care Team (ACT), Santa??s Helper, and the Wake Forest Catholic Community (WFCC).
??I got involved with community service when I was a freshman through the Wake Forest Catholic Community. Community service activities were things that I wanted to get involved with when I came to Wake. Especially being so far from home I really wanted to get involved more with the Catholic Church. I was very welcomed into the Catholic Community by Father Jude D??Angelo and the other students here on campus, and community service activities were a part of what the Catholic Community does.??
With ACT, MacPherson has organized activities for student-athletes, spoken to local school children about having goals in life, participated in activities with local school children that come on campus and visited children at Brenner Hospital. ??The Athletes Care Team is a lot of fun because you get to work a lot with kids. It is very easy to talk to kids because when you are a college athlete, they look up to you and listen to you,?? said MacPherson.
MacPherson is a board member for Santa??s Helper, a non-profit organization that raises money to buy, wrap and deliver gifts to local underprivileged kids at Christmas. Last Christmas, MacPherson recruited student-athletes to help wrap and deliver presents to almost 900 children in 172 families in the Winston-Salem community. ??Santa??s Helper, led by Robert Egleston, is a volunteer group that athletes get involved with to help Santa deliver presents to families at Christmas,?? stated MacPherson. ??It is an amazing experience and an event that athletes, who have done it, look forward to doing every December.?? ??My involvement with the Wake Forest Catholic Community is a great opportunity to get together in fellowship, and I wish I was able to do more with the community but can??t as much during the season,?? said MacPherson.
Choosing a program that MacPherson is most fond of is difficult, especially because each one is rewarding in its own way. MacPherson thoroughly enjoys all the organizations he is involved with and makes the most out of volunteering his time.
His endeavors have not gone unrecognized, as MacPherson is a 2002 American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team nominee. The award honors football student-athletes who are actively involved and committed to working with a charitable organization, service group or community service and maintain good grades. Candidates also had to display sincere concern and reliability, while also having made a favorable impression on the organizations with which they were involved.
MacPherson was chosen to represent Wake for the award by the media relations staff and CHAMPS/Life Skills Coordinator, Julie Griffin.
??In my experience as CHAMPS coordinator at Wake Forest, I have been delighted to learn one fact about our student-athletes. Most of them are happy to volunteer in the community if you ask them and if they have the time. What makes James special is that he seeks out the opportunities to serve and does not wait for the opportunities to come to him,?? said Griffin. ??James has proved to be reliable, quietly enthusiastic, committed, a leader by example and dedicated on all of the activities that I have been involved with him.??
As the end of his college career approaches, MacPherson will leave his mark in the football record books, as well as a lasting impression on many youth throughout the area. After he graduates from Wake Forest, MacPherson plans to continue giving back to the community.
??I will definitely be involved in some sort of community service program when I get out of college,?? said MacPherson. ??I feel enormously grateful to have been given so much and I feel that it is a responsibility, as well, to share those blessings.??
