Golden Sands has a dog named Mr. Wilson, who is listed on the official directory as a staff member. Meet the viral dogs at Arkansas Tech University.
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas Tech University has hired Jordon Jones as Golden Suns softball head coach in 2022, and she brings a four-legged staff member with her. But Wilson, the team's emotional support coach, wasn't officially on the roster until this season.
“There was a directory photo,” Jones said. “I thought it would be a useful addition to my recruiting process.”
Mr. Jones added Mr. Wilson to his staff to alleviate the stress they experience on a daily basis as student-athletes with packed schedules.
“The coach will say, 'If you don't have class, Mr. Wilson is here, come get some love from him, and I'm ready,'” said Kaylin Aguirre, an outfielder at Arkansas Tech University. he said.
About a month ago, a photo of Wilson on the Arkansas Tech website gained attention online, and ESPN posted the puppy on its social media accounts. The players received many texts and messages about their teammates' newfound fame.
The Golden Suns are thankful for the emotional support coaches who give them an extra push.
“If you're having a bad day and you're like, 'Oh, Mr. Wilson, let's go play fetch!'” Coach Aguirre said. “He'll throw the tennis ball around for a while until he gets tired, and then he'll go for a hug.”
“I don't know if people who don't participate in college athletics understand the time, the intensity, the focus behind it,” Jones said. “Having him around and being able to open things up for the girls allows me to stop thinking about school for a second and just smile and give my dog some love. Yeah, I think that's really important. .”
This Friday, you can watch the Golden Suns begin their weekend series at home against Northwestern Oklahoma at 2 p.m.
