Ultimately, Gary Goff’s time in Lake Charles will be judged by wins and losses.

It’s the nature of the business he chose when he went into coaching football for a living.

That can be unfortunate for success should not always be measured 10 yards at a time.

Leaving an impact on a community is by far more important than winning football games. Just don’t tell a starved-for-victory fan base that is desperate for a return to the glory days of McNeese State football.

On Tuesday, Goff, in his first year as the Cowboys head coach, took time out of his rebuilding the program to help lift the spirits of some of Southwest Louisiana’s special-needs kids.

Goff, his coaches and players, along with the university’s cheerleaders and Cowgirl Kickers, hosted a one-day camp for those children between the ages of 8-18.

It was called Victory Day and proved to be a winner for both the 50-plus kids who attended and the McNeese football program. The youngsters got to be a part of the Cowboys for a day but their memories will last a lifetime, from picking out jerseys to scoring touchdowns.

Their smiles provided the day’s winning results.

Each of the campers got a Cowboys player to be their partner. It proved to be an experience the college kids will remember as well.

“It was awesome,” said quarterback Walker Wood. “Getting to welcome them in the huddle with all the guys and asking them if they’re ready to score a touchdown. Seeing the joy on their faces when they score was special.

“It was probably more fun for us. It’s easy to take for granted for some of the things we get to do being college football players and to be able to use our platform to do something like this is an amazing opportunity.”

Giving back to the community and helping others is perhaps the biggest lesson Goff’s football team will learn this season. It is also a change for the McNeese program.

This is in line with the changing image of an athletic department, which continues to go through a metamorphosis in that and other areas.

That’s not to say all programs have been distant from the community. McNeese’s baseball and softball teams have had close ties to the area for several years, but the rest have been more miss than hit.

Through recent years that has led to a distancing between Southwest Louisiana and McNeese athletics. Victory Day took a giant step into the direction of mending those fences.

Practices were not as open and fans not always as welcome.

The two-hour or so camp did more for the image of McNeese State football than any one winning season could bring. Remember, the event came less than a year after three Cowboys were arrested after one was shot. The trio were kicked off the team after alleged involvement in a robbery.

That’s moving from public relations nightmare to a dream image in fewer than 12 months.

This is the latest in Goff’s attempt to overhaul a program that has lost its direction. It is also something he has done before in his career.

“It’s a good way when halfway through camp to pause and understand that helping somebody is most important than us feeling sorry for ourselves and being tired or taking this game we all love for granted,” Goff said.

In the end there is no way to change that victories and defeats will decide the success or failure to Cowboys fans.

But for one hot day in August, Goff’s team came up winners for life to a group of kids and their parents. It’s a victory that will last longer for those folks than any the Cowboys will post on a given Saturday night.

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Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese State athletics for the American Press. Email him at jimgazzolo@yahoo.com