Inductees

Whenever Cindy Shook drives by the Branson RecPlex – a 40-acre sports complex on the city’s north side – she cannot help but beam.

It’s here were hundreds of youth baseball and softball teams from all across the country play in tournaments, and where locals use the basketball gyms and more.

“It fills me with a sense of pride and gratification in seeing the facility utilized so well by our Branson-area citizens and visitors,” Shook said. “I love that our community has such as nice facility to hold large community events, such as Back-to-School Bash, Easter egg hunts and other seasonal events, and large tournaments.”

Shook became the driving force behind the RecPlex nearly 20 years ago, and it’s the signature of her many projects as the longtime director of Branson Parks & Recreation. In fact, her leadership is why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proudly inducted Shook with the Class of 2022.

In essence, since becoming the director in 2001, Shook has made a lasting impact by developing Branson into a youth sports tournament destination.

She was promoted to the executive’s role after a decade of rising through the ranks with the City of Branson. In the early 2000s, she headed the planning and development of the RecPlex, which opened in 2005 with a number of venues: a recreation center, aquatic center, soccer fields, baseball/softball complex, walking paths and playground areas.

Since then, the RecPlex has hosted 565 tournaments, including 58 national or World Series events. Nearly 730,000 athletes have participated, with an economic impact to the City of Branson of nearly $167 million.

“I am so grateful to have expanded the number of fields and gyms to allow our leagues to continue to flourish and be a destination for our neighboring towns to participate,” Shook said. “I have really loved developing the PeeWee and youth sports leagues. I could have never imagined that the tournament market would be so successful and that we would host up to five World Series events each summer. That is such a great testament to Branson and how much families enjoy traveling to our area to complete in events.”

Sports has long had a special place in her heart.

Shook grew up playing golf in Springfield, mostly at Twin Oaks Country Club. She later helped Parkview High School reach three consecutive state meets, with the 1982 team winning it all. She then played four years at Missouri State University, and planned to major in business.

“My junior year in college, on a van ride to a golf tournament, I decided on a major of recreation,” Shook said. “I quickly discovered that it was the right decision and career for me.”

In 1991, Shook joined the City of Branson as Community Center Director, overseeing senior activities, as well as youth and adult leagues.

“Organizing and managing all the leagues deepened my love for sports and allowed me to grow the leagues, where eventually, more facilities would be needed,” Shook said.

In the late 1990s, anticipating the construction of Branson Landing, Parks & Rec was to lose several facilities, including Mang Field and the municipal swimming pool.

The idea of the RecPlex soon developed as Shook spoke with community leaders, and the city began budgeting $1 million a year from 2002 to 2006 as part of recreation center sinking fund. Bonds covered the rest of the project.

With it, the Parks Department moved away from renting local high school gyms for its youth and adult basketball and volleyball leagues.

However, the RecPlex is only part of Shook’s story.

You see, under her leadership, Branson Parks & Rec has added an inclusive playground, a dog park, walking and hiking trails, as well as and the expansion of archery and kids cycling. Efforts are under way for mountain bike trails, too.

Perhaps it’s no wonder that Shook was honored with the 2016 Community Spirit Award from the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the 2021 Missouri Municipal League Innovation Award.

“My father was a key mentor in my life, starting with introducing me to the game of golf and being my No. 1 golfing partner for most of my life,” Shook said. “Later on, as my career developed, both my parents served as sources of support and cheerleaders for me. My dad owned his own business, the Barnes Feed Store, for over 50 years. He instilled values in me such as hard work, work ethic and dedication that served me well in my career.”