Mustangs fueled by community engagement

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- The Mustangs have a history of winning, but before players can be champions on the field, they have to be champions off the field.

For owner Ky Turner, finding players to carry the mustangs brand with integrity is just as important as the skills they bring to the diamond.

Record-breaking attendance numbers don’t happen by accident. It starts with getting out into the city. The nine-time mink league champions understand that as well as anyone and it’s something the feel is their duty.

“We understand the platform that sports provides us and we want to use that for good,” Turner said.

The Mustangs logo has become symbolic of entertainment but also community engagement. It’s a requirement for those who want to be a part of what owner Ky Turner calls “a story.”

"How can we find a new way to reach someone, whether they're a Mustangs fan or not, and just be a role model and help them be a better person?” Turner said.

One of the team's biggest passions is literacy and making sure kids in the community understand the importance of reading. Carol Burns, of St. Joseph Reads, teamed up with the Mustangs this past summer, when St. Joseph Reads was in its first year as a program. Burns figured, who better to partner with, than the team that rewards kids for reading.

“I knew that the Mustangs had several  events at their games in which they honored kids, good readers. So I knew that Ky Turner had an interest in literacy. So it was kind of a natural partnership. It really gave the kids kind of some encouragement about their reading,” Burns said.

Their ability to reach the community goes back to the days of their previous owner Dan Gerson, who passed away suddenly back in 2023.

For Turner, who took the reins from Gerson as owner of the team and also worked under Gerson prior to taking over, carrying the baton was seamless.

“Dan was a guiding influence on the customer, the guest service, the customer,” Turner said. “He would always say, we're going to do what's best for our guests, what's best for Mustang fans, what's best for the people here.”

The Mustangs will start their 2025 season at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, against NEMO Craze.