"Eagles Take Flight!"

“Eagles take Flight!�

Grand Rapids Christian Student-Athlete Graduates competing in the classroom, the sports arena and the world outside

Introduction As Director of Sports Performance for Grand Rapids Christian High School the past 10 years, I’ve been blessed with the unique privilege of working with some outstanding student-athletes. They come from many different backgrounds and areas all over west Michigan, coming together to spend time as classmates and teammates here at Grand Rapids Christian High School.

Many of our student-athletes move on to that “next level” of sports: collegiate athletics. This is a commitment that they make to extend their playing career into the college realm, where other factors come into play. There is a difference between the care free high school sports days, and the competitive hothouse arena of college athletics where they are now moving on to compete against adults, in an adult world.

In the Spring of 2018 I had an epiphany. I began thinking about the various student-athletes who came through GR Christian and went on to compete in the college ranks. I wondered about the difference between their experience at the high school level and the collegiate level, both in sports and in the classroom.

I was curious to see how well they believe that GRC prepared them for life in the outside world, in the collegiate class room, as well as the competitive arena. I wondered how they felt other influences over the years played into who they became as college student-athletes. So, I crafted out a plan to bring this work to light.

This is an incomplete work.​ It’s incomplete because it only features a fraction of the student-athletes from Grand Rapids Christian who have moved on the be college student-athletes. This work would be volume upon volume if we featured every Grand Rapids Christian student-athlete, so I selected many student-athletes in this work based upon my relationship with them. From days spent in the weight room, in Eagle Stadium or rainy days at Gainey. From the numerous conversations I’ve had with them on topics from everything from school to family to social life. Conversations about their view of the outside world around them, and their vision for life beyond GRC into the larger world.

The conversations didn’t stop there; many of the student-athletes would move on to become collegiate level student-athletes, and would return to train during summers and holidays in the Quest weight room. Again, we would have great conversations about where they were in life, their sport, school life, and so much more. It would carry on as I would check in with several via text messaging during their college years; I saw their growth, struggle and mostly their human potential as they navigated the outside world around them.

This work is their individual stories in one collective voice. I tried as much as possible not to edit their voices.

Some answered question with long detailed answers, while some offered quick one line responses. Neither was wrong, because it was their voice. I wanted the reader to view it from their perspective. Any mistakes in this work are mine.

I am proud of the Eagles featured here and the many, many others not featured here who have also taken flight. They have taken wisdom and knowledge from Grand Rapids Christian to plot a course for their future beyond our walls. And they are flying high. REAL HIGH. -Daimond Dixon, May 2019

Monreau DeVos WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY - SOCCER The Demon Deacon. When she was in high school playing, I felt that she had that rare quality that really good players possess: the ability to make others around them play better. When she was on the field she heightened the level of competitiveness of everyone around her. I think she has that same effect off of the field as well. You can’t teach it; some people just have it. It’s part of who they are. And Ms. DeVos for sure carries with her that ability to bring out the best in others.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) Honestly - the love of the game, my teammates, my coaches.

At what age did you start playing sports?

3

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My mom was naturally gifted, but never had time for it. My dad played baseball and football in high school, and then went on to play quarterback for Purdue.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

110%. At some points I probably felt like I had too much support even! But I am forever grateful for the sacrifices they made to support my soccer career. They constantly encouraged me and made me believe in myself.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school Much more competitive. The spectrum of skill and talent becomes so close that every day is an equal fight for a starting position, let alone a win.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

In High school there were so many distractions or different things going on. I almost always was playing more than one sport in a given season, but when I got to college soccer was my job. Everything I did revolved around whether or not it would help me succeed in my career. It was intense, emotional, hard, but so so worth it. Looking back now, I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

No

If YES, how different?

Both of my coaches were fairly awkward. But despite that, you knew they truly loved each and every one of their players. They were quiet, but that was because they entrusted us to be leaders and believed that we would work hard to figure things out.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

You learn to ask for help. It's never a weakness to ask your teachers for extra support, reach out to tutors, go in and talk to your coaches if something isn't working. They are all there to help you succeed, don't be afraid to use them as resources.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.”Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes and no. My social life was probably much different than other people would even consider being "social", but I had my fix by making deep friendships with teammates. Whether that be going out for dinner, or drinking wine and watching a movie, I realized that my way to regroup and let off steam was that way.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

Easier than I anticipated, but still... huge learning curve. It was nice being on campus a month early to adjust to just the intensity of soccer before school was thrown in as well.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Telling myself that I deserved a spot just as much as the full-ride person did.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc My most memorable moment was making the NCAA tournament my senior year. We were all sitting around the TV and though we knew we had a very high chance, hearing our name called instantly brought tears to my eyes. It was 3 years of hard work that led us there, and I was so proud of my class and our leadership to get us back into the tournament.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Honestly - playing! I was a preferred walk-on and yet I was a 4 year starter. I still can hardly believe it sometimes.

Did you bond well with your college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes. The team was one big family. Not only did we all practically live together, but we did everything together.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Major: Communication, Minor: Entrepreneurship. Nope!

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes. Especially in my writing abilities.

How was your academic transition to college?

Freshman year was rough. I was always pretty easy at skating by with little to no extra effort, but it was a rough wakeup experience that first year.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My parents. My dad especially was living vicariously through me, which added lots of pressure, but also was right by my side with every up and down. Encouraging me to push through.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Work your butt off. I can promise the reward is greater than the sacrifice. If it's really what you want to do, you can do it.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Not necessarily. It's the same game that I loved when I was 3, except this time everyone around forces you to constantly improve. But that just makes it all the more fun!

COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS When did you graduate?

December 2017

What is your degree in?

Communication and Entrepreneurship

What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

Co-ed rec leagues are probably the extent of my future career.

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

Oh gosh, everything. Teamwork, time-management, vision, organizational skills, competitiveness.. the list goes on. Like in the book Outliers - we all have 10,000+ hours probably of our specific sport, but we also have 10,000+ hours of all the things listed above.

What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

If there was a way to have told myself to live more in the moment, to never wish it away, to understand how amazing and big of an accomplishment it was while I was still in the midst of it, I wish I could have done that.

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

100%. It made me who I am today.

Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

Yes. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Jessica Brasser CALVIN COLLEGE - SOFTBALL Brasser seems so easy going off of the diamond, then brings such intensity on it. She was never really talkative during training sessions in high school, but always worked her tail off. So gracious and kind, she is the player that every coach wants on their roster, no matter the sport. And she COMPETES.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) Putting on my cleats in the spring was as much of a habit to me as breathing. Playing softball gave me a platform to scream at the top of my lungs cheering for a teammate, or cultivate my leadership skills, or challenge myself in ways you can’t replicate off the field.

At what age did you start playing sports?

I was on my first t-ball team in preschool but by then I was turning double plays in the back yard with my dad.

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Everyone. Dad played D-1 baseball, Mom is in the Eagles Hall of Fame for basketball.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

I can count on one hand the amount of games my mom has missed. That relentless support, through rain, snow, or 110 degree Missouri heat is a huge part of my softball memories.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

I have been blessed with very talented teams that compete at a high level. College brought a new level of intensity as we played more games and had a dedicated spring break trip every year. But the drive for success and winning games was the culture of both college and high school teams.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

Because Calvin is so academically challenging, the people who try out for the softball team (and make the team) want to be there and have a desire to prioritize their time and sacrifice other parts of their social life to be on the team. We practiced longer and harder than in high school.

But we still played at Gainey so not much different regarding fields.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

No

If YES, how different?

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

It took a lot of time and effort to prioritize and plan my day to fit everything in. In the first year of my master’s program, I had to be intentional with communicating with my coaches and professors and supervisors and make sure I was timely with both missed schoolwork and missed practice times.

When I would miss team lifting I would go by myself after night class or before a client at 8am, and bus rides were mostly spent writing papers and catching up academically. It was hard but worth it.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes. First of all, my teammates were also my best friends. The amount of support and encouragement they provided for me was incredible. But I was able to branch out and find other social circles, sometimes still with athletes but other times people in my classes and that I met on campus.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

I thought it was going to be easy but I was in for a huge reality check. I was prepared well physically from high school sports, but was in for a huge mental game learning curve.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) game, etc) *​ I remember my first at bat against a collegiate pitcher....didn’t go so well. I needed to make adjustments quickly because the opponents were doing the same. The game is always changing each inning and each pitch, so keeping up with that was hard as a freshman, but I was able to master this flexibility as I got older.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc My senior year of college, we had a very, very young team, but we were breaking records and doing things we had never done before. I remember finding out that we made it to the NCAA tournament.

The sense of accomplishment was overwhelming. We had experienced so much growth in the past four years and it was a testament to the hard work that we put in and the years before us did as well.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

The student-athlete community at Calvin is something I was utterly surprised by. There’s a sense of belonging, a sense of being bigger than yourself, and I loved it.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

My college teams were built on best friends. The spring break trips were highlights of my life and I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything. We had each other’s back.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Speech-Language Pathology. I think softball and speech therapy indirectly influenced each other as I was always trying to challenge myself, be a leader, and serve others.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes. There was definitely a learning curve but I had a great baseline from GRC. How was your academic transition to college?

I think Christian High instilled in me high expectations for myself. So as the academic rigor increased, the more I had to work. The transition was hard, but manageable.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My parents. Best coaches and supporters I could imagine.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

If you’re going to do it, do it well. Don’t cut corners, give it all you got. It’s not easy. If you commit to it, finish what you started, whether that’s homework or running a sprint or a mile or a whole season, finish what you started.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I have more respect for how complex the game is and how to keep both wins and losses in perspective.

COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS

When did you graduate?

2018

What is your degree in?

BA in Speech Pathology and Audiology What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

I hope to play in a slow pitch league and have already coached 9 year olds and loved it What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

Nothing. The highs and the lows taught me everything.

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

Yes. I would not be here today without my coaches, teammates, and supporters.

Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

Without a doubt, yes.

Mackenzie Moorhead UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY - TENNIS I always firmly believed that Moorhead had the competitive drive of TEN people, all wrapped up into her personality. She approaches practices and training for tennis like it was an actual match. She is the type of personality that you know will find a way to be successful, whether she has to run around or through an obstacle . If you have a problem that needs to be solved, CALL HER. She will get the job done!

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) The main reasons I play tennis are my love for the game and the competitive aspect.

At what age did you start playing sports?

Around 8/9 Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes, my dad.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

It’s been great, both my parents always try coming to as many matches as possible. They also always help me analyze myself after matches which is such a big aspect of improving.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

A lot more competitive.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive.

How is college experience different than high school?

A lot more training when it comes to conditioning and weight room.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Other: In some aspects yes and some no

If YES, how different?

My college coach talks a lot more about mental game and works us harder. But that’s to be expected, high school sports are not taken seriously by every kid so this question is hard to answer.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Don’t procrastinate is pretty much the answer.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes, you meet people in classes or at events so it’s not all about your sport all the time.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

Pretty easy because it’s all about working hard and having drive.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) I would say spending more time taking care of my body.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc My teammates accepting me even though I walked on later in the season

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Nothing

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Everyone is super supportive of each other and we all push each other What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Business Management and no.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

To an extent

How was your academic transition to college?

Pretty Smooth

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My Parents

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

To start training like you would in college and mentally prepare for training, practice, school, and social life. It’s a lot to juggle Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Not really but it is nice to see that there are a lot more passionate players than I thought.

Dylynn Otte SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY EDWARDSVILLE - VOLLEYBALL Volleyball didn't seem to be just a sport to Dylynn; it was like her refuse. Everyone I believe has their “happy place,” and that court was hers. She finds peace within the lines of that court, where her personality comes out at each explosive jump towards the net. For sure, she brings the “wow” factor to volleyball. And to her life.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) It fuels my fire to better myself everyday, inside and outside of my sport, and allows me to share my love and passion by inspiring those younger than me.

At what age did you start playing sports?

Three years old.

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes, all of us.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

They challenged me, held me accountable, and pushed me everyday. And most importantly, they never let me forget that God deserves all the glory, and He has given me these gifts.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

College is definitely more competitive. The stakes are higher. The atmosphere is more intense. And everyone came from being the best or top in their state, and is fighting for playing time.

How Competitive are you I’m SUPER Competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

For me, volleyball is my job in college. I show up everyday ready to get to work in my "office.” I have a bigger purpose in college athletics.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

College coaching is more strategic based. Not as much skill based. We already have learned most skills, and need to improve our IQ and strategy aspect of the game - that's where college coaches come in.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

STUDENT athlete. Whether that means taking my studies on the road when we travel, or spending hours in the library between classes and practices, I make time. It's not easy, but, you learn how to get into a rhythm and it eventually works out when you put your mind to it.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Being a Division I student athlete provides a certain level of establishment for my adult social identity.

It allows me to prove I mean business, and I know what commitment, hard work, and dedication looks like for any job at hand.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

The game is faster, and more developed in college. It was not easy, but my high school definitely prepared me for the transition.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) The game is faster, and more developed in college. It was not easy, but my high school definitely prepared me for the transition.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Playing in the OVC conference championship match.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

How much more time college sports demand of you then compared to club and high school sports.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Every team has their ups and downs, and little issues, but no matter what, my team is my family! We have each others back, and have a love that's committed and supportive to leaving a legacy for our program.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Public Health Education; Sport Psychology. My sport definitely influenced this choice. I want to help others and use my sport experience in doing so.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Most definitely, yes! My academic transition has been quite easy. Especially my first two years.

How was your academic transition to college?

Challenging but not impossible. I was prepared for the transition.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

Rick Otte, my dad.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Remember why you play! Don't make excuses, MAKE time to do the little things. Do extra reps on your own, focus on nutrition, and be willing to make changes in your game that might seem uncomfortable at the moment, but will challenge you to be b Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I have always loved my sport and have seen it for what it is: an opportunity to grow and respect the game each day. And an opportunity to play with the gifts God has given me.

Haley Muller HOPE COLLEGE - VOLLEYBALL Haley is a worker. Bona fide 100% worker. She understood that to be a college athlete, work would be the key, both in the classroom and in volleyball. So she bonded herself to the discipline of working and competing as a college-student athlete never wavering off course. It got hard. It got complicated.

But she would not quit. Success was gained through toil and commitment, and she always did it with a smile.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play because I can. I have a twelve year old brother with Down Syndrome and I watch him struggle with tasks that we consider to be basic and easy every day. I am fully capable of excelling at sports and I don't want to waste the talents that God gave me. I play because I have an entire family who drops whatever they are doing to support me.

At what age did you start playing sports?

Birth? I think my dad handed me at basketball the minute I was born.

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Both of my parents played in college. My sister plays collegiate basketball. Both of my brothers play multiple sports.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Both of my parents (Tim and Charlette) are basketball coaches and basketball runs through my veins.

However, when I decided to focus on volleyball in college, they didn't even think twice about it. They NEVER missed a game (no matter the location), they were always my biggest encouragers, and I would find them in the kitchen watching film or studying terminology late at night when they thought I was in bed so that they could learn more about my sport. My siblings are the same way...they still wear all of their Hope College volleyball gear around town, especially because we live in an area dominated by Calvin College alumni.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

More competitive

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER Competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

In high school, you can focus on several different sports and play travel. In college, you focus (usually) on one sport and you play that sport year round. There is your normal season, spring season, and off season, where you are still lifting and trying to get as much time in the gym as possible. More is expected of you in college and you need to be more dedicated if you want to excel.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes If YES, how different?

My college coach, Becky Schmidt, was incredibly competitive and bled Hope volleyball. She was never afraid to be on my case or get in my face and she had the highest expectations of me because she knew that's what I expect of myself. She also was never afraid to challenge me. You have more weight on your shoulders in college sports because you have chosen to focus on this sport. Your coach isn't afraid to place significant weight on your shoulders. Coach Schmidt expected the most of me, but more importantly, she was my biggest fan and the first person to cheer me on.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

It is important to schedule your classes in the mornings and do your best to not schedule classes on Fridays because of travel. School counselors are very understanding of athletes and the tight schedules that we operate on. It is also important to plan ahead. Being able to complete schoolwork ahead of time prevents you from scrambling on the bus ride home or the morning before to complete assignments or projects. Introducing yourself and establishing relationships with your professors helps so that they are aware of your responsibilities as an athlete and you are able to set up separate deadlines with them in order to complete classwork and tests with a busy travel schedule.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain I made sure that I didn't live with people who were on my team until my senior year. This helps so you are able to step out of "sports world" after practice and hang out with people who are involved in other things. My friends were involved in other campus activities and I was able to participate in those events with them. I found it helpful not to rest on the phrase "I'm on the volleyball team." Instead, establish an identity as a student, a friend, a Christian, etc.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

I found it to be very smooth because of my mindset. If you walk onto campus thinking "this will be no big deal,”you are kidding yourself. You have to expect the classes to be harder, the sports to be more competitive, and the balance to be trickier. But you also have to remind yourself that you ARE capable and there's a reason you were given this opportunity!

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) I transferred to the rival school my sophomore year after a rough freshman year. It was hard to leave my teammates, my coaches, and my friends, but they had really poor reactions to my decision to transfer. Not feeling supported was incredibly hard for me but I feel that it made me a stronger person for the real world.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Winning the MIAA championship against Calvin (my former school) on their home court in front of a really tough home crowd. I'm not an emotional person, but I got extremely choked up. The feelings I experienced after winning that game in front of my family, boyfriend, and friends was something I won't ever experience again.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

It requires significantly more physically than anything you can prepare for. I lifted for four months straight in the summer (May-August) with a professional lifting coach and while it made me super strong, nothing prepares you for 3-a-day preseason practices.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes. I was surrounded by girls who shared my same mindset and appreciated my competitive edge. I am not a happy go lucky cheerleader type player, I am extremely focused, tough, and competitive.

Having my personality embraced was ??

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

I was a communication major and a business minor. It was not influenced by my sports because my professors pushed me to be a student AND an athlete and not to be defined by my athletics, an incredibly important lesson for all college athletes to learn.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Somewhat. I dual enrolled my senior year at Grand Rapids Community College and that is was best prepared me. I would encourage all athletes to do this because the courses are free and you get college credit. I graduated an entire semester early thanks to this benefit.

How was your academic transition to college?

Very smooth. Again, it's all about your mindset.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My parents. They were both college/high school coaches during my athletic career, my dad works full time, and my mom raises the kids, including a son with a disability. The fact that they never missed a game, organized every team meal, provided anything that anyone ever needed, and still kept our life at home functioning all while coaching high school and college athletics blows my mind.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

You never know what's going to happen tomorrow. You might tear your ACL, get a concussion, break your ankle. You need to choose your school based on the school, if you couldn't play the sport. Sports end, you need to get more out of college than playing sports for four years. You need to go to a school that's going to push you into the future and prepare you as a professional as well.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

No...I have always seen it the same and that is why I still love it.

COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS

When did you graduate?

December 2017 (a semester early) What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

I will coach high school (and probably college one day) volleyball. I am currently reffing AAU volleyball and coaching on the individual level.

What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

Nothing. Despite an interesting transfer experience, the things that I learned that shaped me into the person that I am today are priceless. I would encourage all college athletes to take advantage of not only each day they are able to play, but also the unique opportunity they have to be both a student and an athlete.

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

Of course. Playing a sport at the level at the collegiate level requires a level of physical and mental strength that nothing else does. You learn more things about yourself in sports that you can't learn in any other activity, etc.

Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

DUH!

Ashley Riemersma CALVIN COLLEGE - SOFTBALL Ashley came back to Grand Rapids Christian to intern for me her senior year in college, and her drive hadn't changed from high school. She loved the grind of competing in everything she did, and was almost annoyed at the idea of those who felt they could take shortcuts to success. She believes in grinding it out in competition and life, and has the belief that she can do anything. I think that she is right .

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I loved competing and always wanted to improve in any way I could.

At what age did you start playing sports?

6

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Sisters.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Extremely supportive. They rarely ever missed a game.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

More competitive.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER Competitive.

How is college experience different than high school?

You practice a lot more, you have to work harder to earn your spot, and the time you have left to play is very valuable.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

They expect a lot more out of you. You have to play well all the time, otherwise you are sat quickly.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

You have to block off time whenever you can. Whether it’s in between classes or you have to stay up late studying.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes. You have your team as your family, but you also have your friends from your dorm or house and in classes.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was pretty easy!

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Speed of the game.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Getting first team all conference.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

I changed positions junior year of college. I grew up always playing short stop but then switched to 3rd.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

We were a family. We bonded very well. We did everything together from eating, to studying, to playing intramurals together.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise science. Yes very influenced by playing sports my entire life.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes very well.

How was your academic transition to college?

It wasn’t very hard. I had to learn how to study more efficiently though.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My dad.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Do not ever take your sport for granted. Appreciate, love, and give it your all every single day. Once your done, you never get those years back. Take the extra time to practice and learn and be the best you can be.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I took it way more seriously.

COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS

When did you graduate?

2016

What is your degree in?

Kinesiology.

What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

Slow pitch softball. Maybe one day be a coach.

What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

I’d go back and try to stay longer to take extra practice hitting and going through defensive drills. I’d also have taken working out in the off season more seriously.

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

Yes I do.

Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

EXTREMELY GLAD!

Matthew Hall HILLSDALE COLLEGE - FOOTBALL Matthew Hall operates like a FORCE. Whatever the task in front of him, he takes it on and uses his sheer will to complete it. It’s never been enough just to DO the job; he wants to dominate it. Football.

The classroom. Personal goals. He just wants to dominate whatever is in front of him Then he moves on to the next thing. It’s pretty impressive actually.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I loved being a football player for two main reasons: the brotherhood of my teammates and the physical nature of the game.

At what age did you start playing sports?

First year of full contact football at 8 years old. Other sports before that Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes. Everyone.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My parents have been incredibly supportive throughout my whole career. They pretty much didn't miss a single game out of my fifteen seasons of playing football. My dad coached me all through youth leagues and eventually got brought on to coach my position group in high school as well.

Getting to play for my Dad and winning the State Championship will always be one of the most special times in my life.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

College is definitely a step up in terms of competition. Everyone is there to play and it is a constant battle to earn or keep a starting spot.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive.

How is college experience different than high school?

Everything in college sports is just a step up. There is more preparation and work involved outside of school and the competition is much higher so no games are easy wins.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

My head coach in college was a very even keeled guy. Don't think Don has ever been described as such lol At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Both have to be a priority. There are times where you have to sacrifice leisure time in order to get your work done.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain I've never been accused of being a social butterfly. I pretty much just hung out with the other football guys.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

The speed was a step up but mentally I was ahead of the game for most freshmen.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Going through a position change my sophomore year.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Getting an interception at defensive line in a win against Michigan Tech.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

No real surprises. I pretty much knew what I was getting into.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes, very well. The character of men in our locker room was exceptional. We had what I felt like was a unique brotherhood especially at the college level.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Financial Management. No

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes

How was your academic transition to college?

It was fairly smooth. The classes were tough as a freshman but there were tools in place to help you succeed.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My dad

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Write down your goals and put them in a place you'll see them every day. Then don't let anyone out work you.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Not really, it’s the same sport, just another step above in competition and COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS

When did you graduate?

December 2017

What is your degree in?

Financial Management

What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

I'm pretty sure I'll be a coach at some point in my life What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

I'm satisfied with my experience. I had a good athletic career, great education, and made lifelong friends.

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

Yes

Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

Yes

Lucas Fotis TAYLOR UNIVERSITY - FOOTBALL Fotis came to GRC his 11th grade year and waited. Waited for his turn to QB his senior year. His waiting paid off, but came with a price: it was tough, both mentally and physically. Unfazed, he moved to the college ranks at Taylor and started to work and wait again for his shot. He had to pay his dues, but he got his shot. And because he paid those dues, and will carry those lessons with him beyond football, I guarantee he will be successful in whatever he does. Guarantee it.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I couldn’t imagine my life without a competitive environment to drive me.

At what age did you start playing sports?

Since I could walk

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My parents would drive me to and from practices whenever it was indeed. They would provide me with whatever I needed to the best of their ability.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

A lot more competitive.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER Competitive.

How is college experience different than high school?

Coaches expect you to know what you are doing, all the training and baby steps are gone, and if you can’t hang they don’t care.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

They are extremely laid back, to the point where I wish they would get on us a little bit more.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

That’s my whole life. I go to class, go to practice and workouts, and then do homework. There’s not any time for anything else.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Absolutely, being in college requires you to be completely independent and find you find out just how hard you have to grind to make it through.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

As far as training and conditioning it wasn’t horrible, the speed of the game is a little bit quicker but it was definitely a lot easier than I thought.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Speed of the game and intelligence of my opponents.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Throwing my first touchdown.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

The amount of time that is required in the film room and in meetings.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes, we are like family, when you don’t have your family with you, you find it in your teammates.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Double major in Accounting and Finance. Business will put me in a competitive environment just like my sport does.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes

How was your academic transition to college?

It was good, definitely a lot more homework, but that was expected. Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My dad

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Every single thing you do right now matters, whether it is making it to workouts and meetings on time, or learning how to dig just a little deeper during workouts, practice, or a game, it ALL matters.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Yes

Sam McLean MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY - VOLLEYBALL Sam is a person who knows what she wants. She puts the goal in her sights, makes the decision to attain it, then goes after it. She is practical in that sense: does what needs to be done to get where she wants to go, while working so hard to get there. While grinding it out on the court at MSU, she has kept another eye on the coming future and medical school. Sam stays focused working hard in the NOW, while setting up a base for the future. Outstanding.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play volleyball because I love that it is such a team-oriented sport.

During every play and every point you have to rely on your teammates.

At what age did you start playing sports?

9 years old

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes - my parents both played high school sports, my sister plays tennis and my youngest sister plays volleyball How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My family support has been absolutely unbelievable. From the recruiting process in high school, to making the transition to collegiate sports, I could not have done this without my family. I am so happy that I can count on my parents being there for every game and to give me a hug afterwards no matter the outcome. If I need someone to vent to about volleyball, I always know I can call them up right away. It has helped me tremendously knowing that I have an incredible support system that always has my back.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

College sports are more competitive.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

In college, your sport is like your job. It takes up a lot of time, commitment, and energy. It’s extremely worth it, but it’s definitely a lot busier than high school sports. There is no “offseason.” When we aren’t in season, we are still practicing and training everyday to get ready for the next season.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

No

If YES, how different?

Both my college coach and high school coach have very high standards in their gyms, and they both want their players to be the best they can be. They both do an awesome job at seeing how much potential you have as a player and pushing you to get to that place. I am very lucky with the high school and college coaches that I’ve had.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

It’s challenging at first to find a balance between sports and school, but once you have a routine, it’s not that bad. It’s important to be really disciplined and to plan ahead. I carve out times in my schedule that I need to study and do homework and I actually study and do homework during those times. I don’t sit on my phone or watch Netflix, I know I have to get things done. That’s where being disciplined is really important.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes, I was able to find things that I loved outside of volleyball, and this is very important!! I found a lot of really good friends outside of my sport that I like to spend a lot of time with. They help to get my mind off volleyball because it’s hard to think about your sport 24/7. I also found a major that I love, so I’ve been able to find another thing I am passionate about besides volleyball.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

There was definitely a lot for me to learn, but I felt prepared in certain aspects. The speed of the game was a lot faster and that took some getting used to. I had to learn a lot more details about certain skills, but it wasn’t too hard to catch on. I definitely felt prepared with all of the weight lifting and conditioning, I was fortunate enough to train with awesome people before college.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) I would say the speed of the game.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Going to the Elite 8 in the NCAA tournament my sophomore year and also beating the #1 and #5 ranked teams our first BIG 10 weekend my sophomore year.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

I didn't realize how much I would learn about myself. Being constantly under pressure and asked to perform well everyday can really teach you a lot about yourself and how you deal with tough situations.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes. I’ve been blessed with some awesome teammates. The girls on my team were so accepting and helpful as a freshman coming in and I’ve been close with all my teammates for the 2 years I’ve been in college.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Pre-med (kinesiology)

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes, it did prepare me. I developed strong study habits in high school that have really helped me in college.

How was your academic transition to college?

I had to learn how much I needed to study from high school to college, but other than that, the transition was very smooth.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My Dad - he was always my encourager and biggest support. Even when I didn’t want to hear it, he always had words of wisdom for me. He helped me so much during the recruiting process, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

My advice is to trust the process and to not sweat the small stuff. There is a lot of things to learn about yourself and your sport when you first get into college and it’s all a process. You aren’t going to be perfect at everything right away, and that’s okay. Just work to get a little bit better everyday and everything will all fall into place.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Yes definitely. I’ve learned so much more about volleyball since I’ve been in college. I’m definitely a smarter player than I used to be.

Tyler Lamica ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY - FOOTBALL I always thought Tyler was “the good guy.” He plays defense on the football field flying around at 100 miles per hour causing impacts, but his personality is so smooth and nice. He is the good guy. But he still flies around at 100 miles per hour off the field too, driven to accomplish the goals in his life that will put him in the best situation for success for the future.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) College education and love for competition

At what age did you start playing sports?

As young as I can remember

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Three college football players (2 older brothers and myself)

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My father has been a great mentor through teaching multiple sport fundamentals and techniques to never missing a high school game.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

More competitive

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

More of a job than anything else

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

More of a public figure and director and less of a personal relationship

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

During the season, homework is secondary. During the off season, there is plenty of time for school work.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.� Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes and no. Football takes up most of your life as a college athlete so other experiences and identities are hard found however football opens doors to other opportunities.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was not a huge difference coming from the competitiveness of GRCHS

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) New teammates and different coaching schemes

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Running into the Fargo Dome at NDSU, former 5x D1 national champions.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

The similarity between football players

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

I was much closer with HS teammates

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Criminal Justice, not influenced by football.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

All the way

How was your academic transition to college?

Better grades in college than in high school

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My Father and two older brothers

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Work hard in class and make the right decisions off the field.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

No

Maria VanderLei CALVIN COLLEGE - SOCCER Maria is a corvette. She buzzes around the soccer field at a high energy pace that would make you go dizzy. The entire time she looks intense and focused. So basically, she is a very intense corvette. But her intensity is tempered by her kindness as a person: super kind and compassionate, the kind of person who would do anything for you. So that intense Corvette that buzzes around the field is playing for her teammates, because she wants to win for them. Look out: the corvette is on the move!

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) It brings so much joy and so many good people into my life.

It’s always been something I can do when I’m feeling stressed. I can feel like I’m ??

At what age did you start playing sports?

I was very little (maybe like 4)

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My older brother

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Nobody played before me but they weren’t opposed and supported me. They spent countless hours in the car driving me to games all over. They’ve come or watched on tv almost every game.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Way more competitive

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

It’s a lot more serious/competitive, and take a lot more time.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

She’s very serious but can also have a good time. She’s does drills that really challenge you as a player no matter how good you are.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Discipline. You need to be able to plan and think ahead of the time you have to be able to really focus and get stuff done.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain It was a lot harder because so much of my time was spent playing soccer in the very beginning of the year, but having suitemates really helped and I became very good friends with them.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

There was a learning curve but I didn’t struggle too much. It’s a much faster paced game, but eventually, you kind of naturally transition to the different style.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Learning the speed and style of game that would be most effective for my size and style of play. Having to blend those together to be successful.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Starting in the Calvin v. Hope soccer game because I’ve dreamt of playing for Calvin and representing my college against Hope since I was a very little girl. It felt so surreal.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

How much of a natural transition it was. Yes, there were times that I was frustrated and struggled, but not nearly as much as I thought I would.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes, I love my team and the girls on it. We are able to have so much fun, but also remain serious, focused and challenge each other at the same time.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Kinesiology with a pre physical therapy emphasis. Yes, I’ve gone through physical therapy a few times and I love being around athletes/sports.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes, it helped a lot. There was a transition, but I think that GRC helps you make that transition much smaller.

How was your academic transition to college?

In certain classes, it was much harder than in other classes. It really depends on what you are taking.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My parents. They didn’t ever play soccer and none of my siblings played beyond rec leagues, so they knew nothing about it, but they told me they would help and support me with whatever I wanted to play.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Expect change and a transition but don’t be terrified or dreading it. It can be a super fun and exciting time where you can see yourself being challenged, but also growing as a player. Really make sure you want to continue playing and you love the sport because it is a very big commitment.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Yes, I appreciate and love the sport even more now than before because I’m realizing that it’s the last few years I’m going to be playing very competitively.

Myah Diekema SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY EDWARDSVILLE - SOCCER Myah glares. It’s a momentary look she gives while she is processing. I noticed it in training sessions as I explained a conditioning drill. I knew that she was processing how she was going to execute it; how she was going to beat it. The athletes who process the best are the ones who find those ways to win and be successful. That’s what Myah does: she finds a way to be successful on and off the field.

She finds a way. And everytime she finds a way, she adds that to her repertoire of success and moves on. She finds her way through injury, setbacks and doing the hard stuff that needs to be done. She will glare first; then she will get down to business and find a way. And it’s awesome to witness.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play because this sport has gotten me through the worst times in my life, and it has been the highlights of the best parts of my life. I play because it makes me feel powerful, strong, capable and confident. I play because it's what makes sense to me. I play because it makes me happy. I play because I truly love it.

At what age did you start playing sports?

4 years old Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My mom played a lot of sports in high school and ran track in college; my dad played soccer and basketball in high school and continued to play basketball in college; my brother plays soccer in college, and my sister is planning on playing soccer in college as well.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My family has been everything throughout my development as a player over the (many) years. I can't even imagine the number of miles my parents have driven just to bring me to practices and games the past 15 years of my life. I go to school about 6 hours away from home, yet my mom managed to come watch more games then she missed. That kind of unfailing support helped, and helps, me to keep going when I doubt myself. My family believes in me, they always have and always will, and that is something I hope I always recognize.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

The competition levels in college is significantly higher than what I was faced with in high school. You are expected to bring 110% of yourself and your competitiveness to every workout, training, scrimmage, and game. In my experience, high school sports were a lot more laid back.

How Competitive are you?

I’m VERY competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

In college I've been able to broaden my horizons a lot more than in high school; I was able to get out of the "West Michigan Bubble,” per se, and experience a new sense of independence. Soccer-wise, I get to play with people that I had never met previously to coming here which is really exciting

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes If YES, how different?

In my opinion, no two coaches are alike. Because of that, you can't expect to come onto a new team and adjust to the new coach right away. You have to give yourself time to learn how they do things - how they lead, how they process, how they delegate, and how they interact with their players.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

My coaches and advisors try to make things as doable as possible during season, but it is definitely hard. When traveling for away games, we leave on Thursdays which means we miss all of our Friday classes. This requires a lot of interaction with professors - we give them a travel letter at the beginning of each semester that details the exact dates and times we will be gone for games, and most of the time they are extremely accommodating

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Because I spend the majority of my time around my teammates, most of the close friends I've made are on the soccer team as well. Almost all of the real friendships I've made here are people that play on a sports team, but that was pretty much what I expected coming into it. A couple of my teammates and I are moving into a house off-campus this year which I think will really help me to develop my "adult social identity.”

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It wasn't as hard for me as I came in thinking it would be. I think club sports prepared me for the intensity that my college season brought, and it really became one of my favorite parts of the year. The time commitment is a huge adjustment, but I loved/love every second of it.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) The most difficult change for me was probably adjusting to the speed of play along with the size and speed of players. It was hard to go from being the oldest and strongest in high school, to being the youngest and most inexperienced on the team and field.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc I switched positions halfway through the year, and it took me a little while to get adjusted. One game I got to start in my position, and it all clicked for me. It was one of the best feelings ever - all of my hard work on and off the field had paid off and it showed.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college? n.a Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

I bonded really well with my college team. They made sure all of us freshmen felt comfortable and included last year, and this year we're closer than ever. We all hang out a lot and have never had any significant fights or drama. The coaches and the upperclassmen would always say, "If you can't do it for yourself, do it for your sisters" before big games; that encapsulates the spirit of my team and why I love it so much.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

I am a Business major specializing in Human Resource Management, and my minors are Urban Studies and Forensic Science. It wasn't really influence by my sport at all, I just thought about what I might want to do when I graduate.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

GRC did prepare me well for college academics. Naturally some classes are harder than any I took in high school, but the work ethic I acquired at GRC has stayed with me and benefits me greatly.

How was your academic transition to college?

It was pretty smooth - GRC prepped me really well for school at the college level.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My parents were definitely my biggest influencers throughout my career in soccer. They sacrificed a lot to make sure I could play at the club I wanted and travel where my teams required. I wanted to succeed for them; I wanted to show them that all of their sacrifice was worth it.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Know how big of an opportunity playing in college is. it's an opportunity that is hard to earn and easy to take for granted, but so so rewarding. It takes a lot of work, but something to be proud of. Appreciate it and relish every moment.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I appreciate it more. I put in so much work every day, both mentally and physically, and seeing that pay off when games come around is something that I never truly understood until I played in college.

Alex Bos CALVIN COLLEGE - BASKETBALL Alex is a worker. Worker, worker, worker. He is always has been that way, the total worker. He was talented, but I think his work ethic stood out to me the most. And he didn’t exactly adore the early 6:00am workouts, the endless sprints, the taxing weight training sessions. But he loved the results. He was the epitome of what loving the end result so much, that the work becomes irrelevant. For Alex, the end result matters, but the process by which you get there is all about the work. That’s the thing that makes him special: he feels blessed with athletic talent, but knows that it’s his work that will enhance the blessing. So he works, works, works. And it pays off.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) Passion, love, excitement, all of it. I love the sense of competition and having a goal of getting better at something every single day. It also helps me to develop a routine and give my life more purpose and passion than if I did not play.

At what age did you start playing sports?

I first started playing organized sports at the age of 8.

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My sister played college volleyball at Calvin College, my little sister plays volleyball in high school, and my mother played at Hope College.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My father was my coach in youth football up until the 8th grade, and both mother and father attended every game they could from the time I started playing. My sisters have also been frequent at games along with grandparents, cousins, etc. It would be tough to ask to have a better support system around me looking back on it.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

I found them to be relatively similar. Regardless of the level you play at, it is up to you to make the culture of lifting, games, practice, and program as a whole as competitive as possible. Teammates are definitely more dedicated at the college level, but personally I've always looked to make my experience in sports as competitive as possible because that brings out the best in myself and everyone else.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive.

How is college experience different than high school?

The team chemistry in college is harder to accomplish than high school. Generally speaking, your high school teammates are friends you've grown up with since middle school or elementary school. In college, for the most part, everyone is meeting and playing with each other for the first time. Teams are obviously more talented in college, but getting everyone on the same page and finding everyone's individual role in college is a bigger challenge

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

My high school coach was someone who would not hold back in terms of letting you know when you screwed up. He did not sugar coat anything and was the most straight forward person I've ever met but brought the best out of me and taught me how to handle adversity and how to be a leader. He was a very intense individual who is the most competitive person I know to this day. On the flip side, my college coach is a bit more laid back.

Still a very competitive and dedicated coach, but a little bit more reserved. With my college coach, it is more up to the players to find out what he wants from us as a team and as players. This is partly because we are more mature as college athletes and can figure out a lot more things on our own. There is a greater sense of silent trust between my college coach and myself.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

There has to be a lot more sacrifice in college. You have to be willing to spend a lot of long nights studying in the library rather than hanging out in the dorms or your house. The key to it all is enough sleep and eating properly, making sure to give yourself energy for the day which is easier said than done. As a college athlete you really have to decide what is important and what is not. Your long term goals have to be much more important than what your immediate wants are.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Definitely. While I have made some of my best friends through my sport in college, I found it imperative to find a social life beyond basketball. Having a social life outside of basketball and having a friend group to go to that isn't so basketball oriented and focused is important. Just like school, athletes sometimes need a break from their sport. Surrounding yourself with people outside of your sport helps to lower the level of stress that your sport can bring into your life. Taking a break from school and basketball to have a "normal" college kid life with a social group is something that is very beneficial.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

For me it was not very difficult. The high school programs at GRC are top notch and demand the best out of you. Just like GRCHS academics prepares you well for college academics, GRCHS athletics does a great job for preparing you for college athletics. They equip you with the tools to make the transition from high school sports to college sports relatively smooth.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) I would say new teammates. I grew up playing youth leagues through high school sports with the same core group of guys. Coming into college and having all new faces and not knowing their tendencies, likes/dislikes, personalities, and overall culture of the program took a little bit of adjusting to in the first few months of my college career.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc My freshman year we beat Hope College twice in the span of about 10 days at their home court, and the second time we won was for the conference championship to get into March Madness for Division III. Having the opportunity to play in the Calvin vs Hope rivalry, especially as a freshman, is something I will never forget.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

It was not a complete surprise, but there is a greater sense of selflessness in college sports. In high school, a lot of guys are trying to perform not only for their team, but in order to be able to play in college as well. In college, especially D3, that's all there is. No one is going to the NBA from D3, and it is all about the team in D3.

There are guys who do not see much playing time but are just happy to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Once we are done in college there is nothing else besides YMCA men's leagues, so everyone is much more accepting of their role because we just want our team to succeed.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

My freshman year we were all very close, and sophomore year we were not as tight knitted. As a leader this year, team bonding is going to be a big emphasis. I really believe that off court chemistry directly relates to on court chemistry. Being able to stick together off the court will translate to having each other's backs on the court as well as developing a greater sense of trust within the team.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

I am an accounting major. Not necessarily, I had some older teammates who were in the same major that I looked up to as an under-classman, and that had some influence on it but not a great amount.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

I think GRCHS does a great job preparing you for college academics. The teachers at GRC are very knowledgeable about what you will face in a college classroom and do their best to orient high school classes to accurately represent college courses. This is evident in GRCHS switching to block schedules, which forces students to balance out their priorities in a similar way that must be done in college.

How was your academic transition to college?

I have always taken academics as seriously as sports, because without academics the athletics cannot happen for me. Building solid relationships with professors and showing them that you do in fact care about your grades can get you a long way in college.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

It was probably a mixture of my father and Coach Fellows. My father instilled in me more of the level headed, calm and collective sense during tough moments in a team setting. Coach Fellows taught me that being a leader is not easy by any means. Decisions you have to make as a leader will never be able to please everyone, but you still have to make the decision. He also taught me that when things start going south, you have to "turn your brain off" and play the game the same way regardless if you are up 50 points or down 50 points. He also made me mentally tougher.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

The best piece of advice I could give to a college athlete is that you truly have to like the school you play at.

Sitting back and asking yourself "Would I ever go to school here if it wasn't for basketball/football/soccer/volleyball?" Once your practice or game is over, are you going to enjoy going to class, hanging out with your friends, enjoy the community you're in, etc.? Sports takes up a lot of time in college, but there are so many other aspects to a college experience that have to be enjoyed when choosing to play at the college level. If you do not like the other aspects of your college, that will seep into your sport and your sport slowly will be less enjoyable as well.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Definitely. It is still fun to play every time I step on the court, but I feel a greater sense of responsibility to my teammates, coaches, and Calvin community to give my best effort. Calvin has such a rich history of basketball in the Grand Rapids area, and not giving my best effort day in and day out would be a shame and not doing right by the school. My teammates are working just as hard, coaches are investing tons of their time, and fellow classmates come to support. They deserve the same amount of dedication in return.

Robert L Cuba OLIVET COLLEGE - FOOTBALL Cuba has a motor that runs at about 1000 RPMs a minute. Never. Slows. Down. Football is played in 6 second increments, and for those increments, he is on fire. When the play is over he recovers, and settles down. Once play starts again, he is off on a frantic furious pace. Outside of the competitive arena he has that smile and a well mannered , friendly demeanor that puts people at ease. He would listen during conversation being interested at what was being said by the person, not just waiting his turn to speak. When he spoke it was from the heart. When it was time to play he’d crank it up and start going: in 6 second increments. Never. Slows. Down.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play football because of the passion I have for the work that needs to be done before game day.

At what age did you start playing sports?

Nine

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Mostly all my family.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Super supportive, will make sure they critique my game even before I get a chance to watch film. They are at every game no matter what the conditions may bring.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

More competitive, you can’t just go into college sports with that mindset of showing up on game day. Because now what if not everything goes correctly as planned. Are you prepared enough to compete or will you be sitting on the sideline/bench watching someone else. Take that spot you are supposed to be in.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

You are on your own, this go around. I mean you have school tutors, teachers having student meetings. The whole thing but that still doesn’t really cut it. You have to be able to step out of your own shell. Learn how to adapt to things you didn’t really pay attention to in high school.

Getting the whole function of learning to move around without asking the parents. How do I do this, or even working with that stuff. It’s a big learning experience on and off the field.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

No

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

They were pretty much the same person, playing for Coach Fellows, you get the whole thing. It’s not sugar coated and yet he still makes sure you are doing the right things.

Playing for Coach Pifer, and Coach Moose those two coaches held me to a higher standard then I held myself. I learned a lot from all of them and helped me grow into the man I am today.

My defensive coordinator coach Maloney, he was like my dad on campus. Could always come to him no matter what it was, would always make sure I was doing good.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) It was a curve at first being a big time freshman recruit trying to stand out against All American teammates which were a bunch of older guys.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Winning back to back MIAA conference titles along with being selected first-team MIAA. Just knowing all the hard work I put into that sport, and the sacrifice I made to get to the top.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

The traveling was killer, just going to different places out of state, never really traveled so that was big surprise for me.

Did you bond well with your college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes big time, it was more of a brotherhood, because the guys that would graduate got to leave and live their lives.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Criminal justice law enforcement/corrections major. Not really, just helped keep me in shape because of all the training we had to do for law enforcement side of school.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes it did, gave me all the tools beforehand so I wasn’t walking into college like a typical freshman. Just gave me that extra edge of confidence.

How was your academic transition to college?

Great I was able to experience multiple job internships, and reach out to multiple departments. Learned a lot about the criminal justice system that helped me gain a better understanding on life.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My grandfather

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Be humble and be humbled, Learn to adapt and take in as much info you can get from the older teammates. Never hold back from speaking up, be on time, sit in the front. Stand out when it is time to stand out.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Same mindset just different approach to it this go around. I believe it was before having fun being around my friends, the fans and family.

Now it was more of trying to be the best player on the field. Letting teams know I was out there for a reason.

COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS When did you graduate?

May 2018

What is your degree in?

Criminal Justice Law Enforcement/ Corrections

What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

I will continue to play until God tells me I need to go elsewhere with my talents. Hopefully coaching in the near future.

What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

Nothing I cherished every minute of it with everyone I meet getting to where I am now.

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

Yes it did, it humbled me in times, and uplifted me in others.

Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

Yes beyond glad, because it’s not a simple task to wake up early hours before everyone else. Practice, eat, make sure you are ready for hours of class time. Be ready for a follow up practice and learning time. Study time, social life, as well balance healthy eating along the way. It’s a job and with a job you have to do it right if you want the best results.

Noah Nedd CALVIN COLLEGE - LACROSSE Noah could play any sport. I really do think that he could observe any sport, what the intricasies, see how the game from a players perspective, then be able to play it. And play it WELL. I saw hime play multiple postions on the football field over a four year period, then slide into a 4-year lacross career at the colliegiate level. The ultimate sports chameleon. A fast, explosive hard working chameleon.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) Be a better person, make better people and enjoy the hell out of it when doing so.

At what age did you start playing sports?

Five

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My dad was a huge soccer fan growing up in the Caribbean but he fell in love with basketball when he came to the U.S. y mother has been playing tennis since she was an athlete at Grand Rapids Christian

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My parents and siblings have always made sure to support me in athletics. I never had to look up in the stands during a football game since I already knew they were there. They as well have demonstrated tremendous patience when I decided to make lacrosse the sport I would continue at the collegiate level. A sport that neither of my parents had ever played or had much experience with. When I fell in love with the game however in high school they were ready to learn.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

I think it’s more competitive in some ways more than others. High school competition felt like a point of pride.

Being an athlete consumes a lot of your character and in turn brings a lot of enjoyment. When you’re that young the game is really just the game. It’s fulfilling and fun to compete but when the clock hits 0 you pack it up and go home.

The college competition however doesn’t just take place on the field. It’s a persisting endeavor to be better in all faculties long after the clock hits 0. When you’re gifted with the time to study what you want, work when you want, be who you want you’ll find how being an athlete can impact your decisions. No one is going to make you do the little things right like getting to class early, cleaning the locker room or just being a decent person on campus. Being an athlete is something that has to become a daily competition. After all the greatest opponent you’ll ever face is yourself

How Competitive are you?

I've got an average amount of Competitiveness in me

How is college experience different than high school?

Where do I begin with this one? I guess the biggest is the freedom.

There’s definitely a lot less for the student athlete but still when you have time to yourself it’s really time to yourself so fill it with worthwhile things.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

A lot more meeting and focus on the team as a collaborative of talented individuals. The minute details are more heavily focused on

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Set ahead the time you need to accomplish tasks. Having a complete tangible plan will save you tons of stress.

If you’re not that great at planning ahead like I am then do whatever needs to be done immediately!

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.”Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain It can tough trying to find a social identity outside of sports. I’d say it’s even tougher to balance a social life with sports.

I know a lot of young athletes fear they are missing out on a lot of college because of the time their sport demands. I’d argue you’re not missing out on anything. The sport you get to compete in is the result of your choice to play. A choice not everyone gets! Understand that you won’t be able to participate as much socially as regular students, but that’s because you’re not them. You’re blessed with other things, so when you do get the time to socialize enjoy it.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

Big time learning curve guy over here. There’s plenty of new stuff to pick up. I do feel that my training in high school has prepared me better than most. Still though there’s a lot that comes at you fast. This happens with everyone but being receptive will get you through it

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Learning the “college” game was the toughest part for me. Balancing school, social life and sports is a tough juggling act.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Some of my favorite moments with the team have to be traveling. I know that’s not a big one for many other athletes but I greatly appreciate those moments The time after the road game where everyone can tell their truth as to what they saw it on the field, I wouldn’t trade that for anything

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

How much coaches and trainers want you to practice with your free time alone

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Our teams have always bonded very well. We try and treat each year as a new family. What happened last season has died and something new will replaced it this year. Fortunately like in any family you can decide your values. So take what you want from your past family and grow it, and cut out anything that hurts your family

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

My major is Sociology and I don’t really think athletics had much impact on that decision. I’ve know I wanted to study the field of sociology since I was still early in high school

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

I feel that Christian prepared me better than most of my classmates. That being said I’d like to still stress how important it was for me to be receptive and malleable when entering college

How was your academic transition to college?

Like any high schooler going to college the academic transition is tough. Tougher than any other academic challenge I’ve had. I know if I were in high school and reading this I’d be pretty scared. Now I take comfort knowing that It should be a tough transition. As a senior now I look back at how unsure and unprepared I was, but that’s fine because I made changes. I found out what works and what doesn’t and now I’m entering my 4th and final year feeling more confident than I have entering any school year

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My father. I watch him a lot. How he speaks to others, where his mind goes when trouble arises. He has this demeanor to him that makes people open up and engage.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Constantly evaluate yourself and your actions. A lot of people have the talent or the hard nose but what will get you through everything is your reason why

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I see lacrosse much more as a system than as a game. A collection of multiple pieces working in pattern

Taelynn Otte LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY - HOCKEY Tae train off the ice like a total technician. Always looking for ways to make her weakness stronger, never satified with where she was, but aimimng higher. Tae would literally ask me, “What is the hardest exercise to work_________?” She didnt like taking the easy route, because she believe harder was better. She wasnt just built for adversity, she used it to propell her towards her goals. She takes that same passion and applies them to the classroom where she teachers now. Adversity? NO problem for Tae. She uses it as fuel to feed her inner drive.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play because God gave me the talent and drive to play. I am able to push myself and my teammates to the next level.

At what age did you start playing sports?

3 years old.

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes both my parents and my siblings played sports.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

I could not have reached the level of play that I did if it wasn’t for my family. My dad would never say no when I asked to stay late for practice or show up early he was always there pushing me to be the best I could be.

While I was going through my 5 knee surgeries my family was right by my side helping me keep my dream of playing d1 hockey alive.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

College sports are 100x more competitive. It’s like a full time job. ( the best job you could ask for) How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

Playing on a college team is like having a second family. Your teammates are your home away from home. You work out together, live together, go to class together and travel together!

You create bonds that go deeper than just teammates.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

My coach when I was in high school was very supportive and positive. My college coach didn’t take time to get to know us as people. It’s way more of a business.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

If you can’t keep your grades up you can’t play. So you need to put 110% effort into both of them.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes, all the sports teams at my university were very close. We supported each other’s sporting events and hung out all the time.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It went pretty smooth. The game is a lot faster and playing against the big schools like Wisconsin and Minnesota seemed daunting. But after the first couple games they were just competition.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) The biggest challenge was the puck movement. There was no more skating up and down the ice. Everything was quick hard passes to get the puck from one end to the other.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc My first ever game against Wisconsin

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes! My teammates were everything! I had such a great group of friends that had each others back.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Elementary and special education. I wanted to be able to teach during the day and coach at night.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

I felt very prepared coming from Christian high.

How was your academic transition to college?

Very smooth

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

One of my coaches named Coach Joe. He believed in me and helped me get to the next level.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Take it all in because when you’re done all you want to do is go back.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I have always and continue to see it as a gift.

COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS When did you graduate?

2016

What is your degree in?

Elementary and special education

What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

I am playing recreationally for fun and coaching camps and a team.

What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

I would slow down and enjoy it more.

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

100% Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

I couldn’t be more happy! I am so grateful I was able to play in college.

Matthew Ellis OLIVET COLLEGE - FOOTBALL Matthew is so soft spoken and well manored, that when he is weaving down the football field at a million miles an hour, you’d swear it was a totally different person. He transferred from East Grand Rapids and quickly found friendship in teammates and immersed himself into the GR Christain Community. But that’s Matt for you: he adapts to his surroundings and makes the best of any situation. He is the ultimate teammate who endears himself to others around him. Playing at a million miles per hour, Matt is the player you want in your corner when you back is against the wall, and the frined you want when you are in need.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play football because of the excitement that you get when you are on the field with all eyes on you. That you get to have people around you from various backgrounds trying to accomplish one goal.

At what age did you start playing sports?

12

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes everyone is

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now? they have been very supportive

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

A lot more competitive

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school? it’s a lot more organized and goal oriented

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

YES

If YES, how different?

They are very intense, and scream just a little more

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Not sleeping

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.�Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain yes, it was easier when you’re on a team because you hang out with them all the time and stay by each other

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..." it was a huge learning curve

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) speed of the game, new teammates

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc the first touchdown I got in college

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college? there wasn't anything really surprising

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

I bonded with them greatly, they were very nice!

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Exercise science, and no

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics? yes! very good study habits

How was your academic transition to college? very good!!

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college? my biggest influencer was my baby brother

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Do not Sleep!

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level? not really

NAME: Alex Korhorn SAGINAW VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY/GANNON UNIVERSITY - FOOTBALL Alex and I have probably spent more time communitcation via text about thing not related to football, and more about the philosophical side of life. He is the thinking mans athlete. Big and pyshcail, but super cerebral, because he wants to know the ‘why’ behind things. And asking the question forces him to relentlessly chase the answer. But thats how he is wired: aksing the question outloud, while pursuing the answer for the sake of knowing the why. The perfect thinking mans athlete.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I’ve continued to play sports in college because I have a competitive nature but mainly because I wanted a better life for myself and my future family and this was the best path to take. A college degree just for playing a game is absolutely life changing.

At what age did you start playing sports?

Kindergarten probably

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Both my dad and mom. Dad focused on basketball and mom on softball.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

They’ve honestly probably cared more than I have. It’s easy to lose passion and even though I don’t love the game as much as I once did, they still love to watch me play the game just as much - if not more.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

It varies on a lot of different things. Coach Fellows and Coach Dixon are about as competitive as any man can be. My college coaches always TALKED about being competitive but they never lived it out in their actions or philosophies like my GRC coaches.

How Competitive are you?

I’m competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

It truly is a business. In high school you are doing it for your community, school, fun, each other, the love of the game. In college it’s your job. The community and your fellow classmates don’t necessarily care as much about your program. Your coach will treat you less like a son and more like an employee.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

Coach Fellows had a passion for us as players. He cared about us and I never saw that from my college coach. Don also instilled a mindset into us of being open minded to change and always looking for different ways to improve, as well as allowing our input to help shape the program. My college coach was old school and believed that a head coach should make every decision. He was too focused on the politics of keeping his job and recruiting players to help him keep his job that he neglected a lot of the needs of the players that he did have.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

I had both an academic and football scholarship worth the same amount of money. My schoolwork had to be just as important as my football, but the difference is that if you mess up with your schoolwork it will affect more of your life than underperforming on the field. The real balance is on the stuff that isn’t sports or school. The social life will most likely be limited to your teammates and classmates. You won’t get to go to Thirsty Thursday. You may not be able to have a job, or like me you do have a job and then you don’t have any social life. Everybody has a unique balance, you just have to figure out what yours is, grind like nobody’s business, and then relax and rest when you have the opportunity.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.”Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Sort of. You’ll find yourself spending a lot of time with your teammates because you can relate to the same struggles and you’re on a similar schedule. I lived with football players for 4 years but those guys become like siblings and you end up bickering so I moved in with a couple of basketball players. Similar mindsets, but not driving each other crazy 24/7.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was not easy. I redshirted as a true freshman and then suffered a serious season ending injury in camp of my sophomore season. I had several conversations with Dixon about how I didn’t want to be a quitter but I wasn’t enjoying myself and I wasn’t happy. My parents supported me in whichever direction I chose. I chose to continue with college and playing my sport but I had to readjust the things I had become accustomed to in high school and start to put the focus on myself and my personal goals.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Fighting against the politics. I didn’t want to buy into playing the mental game with my coaches because I knew I was the most talented person at my position from my own knowledge and my teammates telling me and I wanted that to get me on the field. I had to learn that life sometimes requires you to fake it til you make it.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc We were an underachieving team in 2016 and had been hearing rumors of our coach being fired soon. As players we knew we had the talent but being miscoached and having the wrong guys in the game we went from what should have been probably an undefeated team to below .500. We had GVSU come to our house in the second to last game of the season ranked in the top 3 Nationally and we took them to double overtime off of nothing but our love for each other and a need to show the world what we were capable of.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

That it is a business. It’s just like the NBA/NFL. Coaches will say whatever they need to do to get guys to sign on the dotted line. I’m a graduate transfer right now so I had to go through the recruiting process twice. There’s no loyalty in this. If they’re not trying to replace you, it’s just a matter of time or money.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

We were very close knit, however my college team was about 140 kids every year, about 1.5 times bigger than our team at GRC. Everyone has their own motivation and personality and you will clash heads with one another but we were inseparable because we knew our coaches didn’t have our back so we had to have each other’s back.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

I graduated with a BA in Geography and a minor in Agricultural Studies with a certification in Geospatial Techniques. I started off as a nursing major but the field was much too difficult for me to balance with my other priorities. I’m not dumb and I’m not smart, but nursing is a full blown commitment and wasn’t possible at all for me.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

100% yes. I tell everybody I think high school was harder than college. All you have to do in college is try and pretend that you care and your professors will look more favorably upon you because 75% of their students couldn’t care less.

How was your academic transition to college?

Started okay, took too many credits kind of early on and struggled to balance it. However, I figured it out and excelled.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

Probably Coach Fellows. He straightened me out several times and would not allow me to make excuses for my actions while attempting to teach me how to be a good man and strong athlete.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

It will be one of the hardest things you will do. If you’re not mentally tough and you don’t love the sport you will be done quickly. Even if you do love the sport it’s a lot of work. I was miserable for a long time until I focused on the end goal which was a college degree. The sheer fact of it is that half of the incoming freshman will quit every year and by your senior year half of the remaining freshman you came in with will be gone.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Yes. I don’t love it anymore. I don’t watch football games for fun or diagnose film in the offseason. I found a passion for other sports and other hobbies but I learned to accept my role in football as earning a college degree through basically beating people up in a legal way. It was a coping mechanism leading to a brighter future.

COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS When did you graduate?

December of 17.

What is your degree in? graduated with a BA in Geography and a minor in Agricultural Studies with a certification in Geospatial Techniques.

What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

I’m still finishing my last year but I’ve taken a lot of traits into jobs I’ve had in college. Grit and toughness are huge but honestly just showing up everyday and on time is the biggest thing. A surprising amount of people don’t care enough to just do that.

What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

I would’ve looked at schools who were recruiting me a little harder. I feel like I was tricked by my coaches and that if I would have been a little more inquisitive/critical I could’ve figured that out.

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

Absolutely, however in some aspects I regressed. I would say there was an overall increase but you need to be cognizant of the changes you will go through in general during your college years

Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

I’m glad that I’m going to be earn both a bachelors and a masters degree for the price of 1 year of school at Calvin or Hope. I’m thankful as well of the great friends I developed. However with the physical ailments it’s hard to say as of now

NAME: Zachary Crouch CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY - FOOTBALL Watching Zach grow from high school athlete to high school coach has been a treat. Zach says what he means, always has, even if it’s unpopular. But that’s what makes him so special, it’s his ability to chaleenge the status quo and do things on his terms. NOT in an anti-team way, but in a way he thinks will best serve the team. ANd he continues to do this as he works hard to serve the world arund him through coaching.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I love to compete and win but, more importantly, I love to work in a team to achieve a common goal.

At what age did you start playing sports?

5

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

No

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

I never would have been able to achieve my dreams without my family. Their support has been invaluable.

From just a little kid they drove and paid for me to play multiple sports all over the country. I am very thankful for them and blessed to be able to have the opportunities they provided me.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

College football is extremely competitive and not at all like high school. You could be a starter and have one bad practice leading up to a game and get benched. In season, you put in about 35 hours of work just doing the things you have to do. Not to mention all the classes and homework throughout the week. But, if you don’t put in extra time on your own doing drills or watching film it is hard to get ahead and earn a playing position.

You can’t ever feel sorry for yourself and when it feels like you have done enough, do more.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive.

How is college experience different than high school?

College is the most fun time of your life. You meet so many new people and have experiences that pave the way for your life. It can be very difficult coming from a Christian school all your life to a public university. You will be challenged, but, keep your faith and good people around you and you will have nothing to fear. Find people who are like minded and that dream even bigger than yourself. There will be highs and there will be lows but just remember that you have people back home who love and support you, no matter how far away.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

I’ve been cussed out and yelled at so many time and with such ferocity I truly believe nothing can faze me. A little different than being coached at a Christian high school. They don’t care if you have hurt feelings and if they do get hurt they prefer that you just quit because there is no room for hurt feelings in D1 sports.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

This is the most difficult part. You are required to maintain a certain GPA in college otherwise you can’t play. Trust me, I’ve seen a lot of kids kicked of the team or suspended because of grades. The most important thing is organization. Stay on top of everything and get things done as soon as possible. I know this is a very redundant statement at this point because everyone says it but do NOT procrastinate. You are setting yourself up for failure if you do. As long as you stay on top of your work and turn things in on time you will be fine.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.”Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Despite your schooling and the grind of your sport there is still lots of time for your social life. You will become closest with you teammates because you spend all of your time with them. Some of my best friends to date are guys that came in with me when I first got to CMU. It takes a few years, and maybe a few mistakes, but you will find your social identity. And if you do make a mistake use it as a learning tool and don’t make it again.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It is a big difference because everything is faster and tougher than high school and not to mention everyone is much stronger. It didn’t take me too long to get used to it though because of the work ethic instilled in my from playing at GRCHS.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) The hardest thing for me was trying to learn the playbook, learn what was happening in my classes and still trying to go out and have fun. Like I said before though, stay organized and everything will fall in place.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc In 2016 we went to play Oklahoma State when they were ranked 23rd in the country. They were bigger, faster, and their sports program had about 20x the money we had. That didn’t matter to us. We went in there and out played them in all aspects of the game and we came out on top. It was the loudest stadium I’ve ever played in and I will never forget the absolute silence after we beat them.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

I think the biggest surprise was how big the playbook was, took years to fully understand everything.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

I think it is pretty easy to bond with your team because you play together have classes together go to tutoring appointments and go out together. Obviously you won’t be good friends with all of them, but most of them.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Entrepreneurship

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes, I didn’t find college too difficult because of how well high school prepared me.

How was your academic transition to college?

I honestly did better in college than high school. That was probably due to my maturity level and also having coaches yell at me if I didn’t do well.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

It would have to be coach Fellows. He opened my eyes to how football is supposed to be played and the work ethic you need in order to be successful at the high school level but also beyond that.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Keep your head down and work as hard as you can. Learn from the older guys and don’t make the same mistake twice. Don’t go in there thinking you are the best player there and already know everything because you will be humbled very quickly.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

No. I have always loved football and my viewpoint on it has never changed. It is the greatest sport out there.

COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS When did you graduate?

December of 2017

What is your degree in?

Major: Entrepreneurship Minor: Outdoor and Environmental Education

What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

I would like to coach high school down the road.

What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

Absolutely nothing Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

College football shaped the way that I am today 100%

Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

Wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Jack Bates Wheaton College - Football Jack was born part Navy Seal and part Samurai Warrior. I truly believe that. He has that hard core personality that looks to go around or through an obstacle. With Jack, it’s all about executing the task at hand--the mission--and seeing that a successful outcome is the result. On the field he is the same way. Aggressive, dominating and unrelenting. Never gives up without a fight. And he plays like it.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play football for the brotherhood and the lessons learned through the trials of each season. It’s a special sport that provides more difficulty and strenuous situations that strengthens you for future trials:

At what age did you start playing sports?

I started playing competitive sports around 2nd grade.

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Both my parents ran track and my mother played basketball as well.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

They have done everything they can to be at every game and scrimmage for all the sports I grew up playing and continue playing. Without their support and sacrifice I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

It’s very competitive playing college sports. Everyone there is there to play football and are good at it so it makes you work a lot harder in the gym and on the field.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER Competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

Everyone around you is driven and desires to get better and play football. Also, nothing compares to Friday night lights.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

They don’t get in your face as often. You are expected to do the right thing and not mess around.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

It’s difficult, but doable. I have a wife, football, Army ROTC and school to balance so just school and sports seems kind of easy now, but making priorities is key and helps you accomplish all of the work that needs to get done.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.”Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain I think so. It takes effort, which is hard to do when you have so many other priorities, but in a way playing football and being in the Army make you sacrifice a lot of that social life. Which I don’t mind, but it isn’t for everybody.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It wasn’t too bad. I broke my foot and had surgery within the first week of camp my freshman year so it was challenging in a different way.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Mine was the change of position. I had played linebacker from 6th to 12th grade so switching to defensive end and learning a whole new position and different techniques was the most difficult for me.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Playing down in Texas against Mary Hardin Baylor in the playoffs was my most memorable. It was a beautiful stadium and a very cool environment to play in.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

That the coaches weren’t there just to win, yes that was a huge part of playing a competitive sport, but the coaches at Wheaton are there to create men of God and future leaders in their families, churches and communities.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes I did very well. Everyone has the same common goal of being good Christian men and to win on the football field. We push each other to be better in all aspects of life and hold each other accountable to those values.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

My major is Applied Health Science with a focus in Pre-dental as well as Military Science through the Army ROTC program.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes very much so. Christian High did an amazing job of prepping me to succeed throughout my college academic career.

How was your academic transition to college?

It was difficult at first but once you set priorities and discipline yourself to time manage properly it is really easy.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

Youth through high school it was my parents. They drove me to be better in everything I did and prepared me to succeed in both sports and life in general. Now, in college, my wife is my biggest influencer. She gives me a reason to work hard in school and sports. And gives me a perspective on life that I wouldn’t have if we weren’t married.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Discipline yourself to do the right thing. It will keep you out of trouble and help you succeed in your sport and in life. Also, set priorities and stick to them. Execute those priorities and gets things (like school work) done on time and efficiently. It will save you a lot of stress and time in the long run which will help you focus on other things like your social life (or your wife if you’re married).

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

It was difficult at first but once you set priorities and discipline yourself to time manage properly it is really easy.

Hayley Reitsma CALVIN COLLEGE - SOFTBALL

Hayley was wired towards perfection. Not in the traditional sense though. I think she was all about “perfect effort”. Hard working and tenacious, for her, the effort transcends everything. She values hard work and effort because she believes joy comes from the work. So when it’s time to work, she looses herself in it, one hard working moment at a time. Chasing her kind of perfection.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) For the sense of accomplishment on the personal and team levels, for the chance to compete, to represent Hope Softball and Hope Athletics, to see hard work pay off

At what age did you start playing sports?

4 Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes--dad and older brother were college athletes

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Parents and Grandpa Springer made it a top priority to come to every game they possibly could; I'm super grateful for their emotional and financial support throughout the years

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

More competitive, higher expectations in every way and higher stakes

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

Commitment--the amount of time and personal responsibility in and out of season you have to take for your strength & conditioning, skill work, attendance to workouts/open gym times/practices, relationships with coaching staff and teammates, and then your academic and campus/community obligations beyond that. Whatever you were doing in high school, you need to find a way to level up.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

Next-level passion, very invested in the team's success and personal relationships with her players, extremely intense and had a set of expectations that wouldn't be compromised

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

To paraphrase Kirk Cousins, do what you need to do, not what you want to do. Sometimes those overlap, sometimes they don't, but being able to have the mental fortitude to work through objectives in order of priority was very important. I was really blessed with friends, teammates, lab partners, etc. who held me accountable to this principle! I always had a plan of what I needed to accomplish, from broad semester-long and month-to-month goals down to a more detailed weekly planner and a list of tasks/activities to complete each day. The 2 big keys for me were organization and passion: organization to lay out everything I needed to get done and passion to get through them with energy and focus (being around people with similar passions was huge too, it's contagious). Sports should be fun, the chance to practice and/or work out by yourself or with teammates was consistently the highlight of the day and can be seen as a great break from the grind of classes, meetings, and homework/studying.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.� Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes! Being part of the athletic community was awesome; I made some great friends by going to other teams' competitions and meeting athletes on different teams through meetings, committees, an athletics-focused mission trip, and other activities. Serving on Student Congress, Mortar Board, and the pre-health club (as well as on and off-campus jobs) also allowed me to start developing an identity as a leader and future health care provider.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

Upperclassman teammates helped me out a lot. Their wisdom and encouragement were so helpful. Buying into the program, the workouts, and the off-season work helped me transition smoothly.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Improving my communication. I had to think quicker, make decisions and relay them to teammates--way smarter and faster than I had in high school or travel ball. Then off the field, you spend a lot more time with teammates and have more complex situations to deal with than in high school, so especially as a captain my junior and senior years I had to learn to communicate better in both good times and conflict scenarios.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Walkoff homerun in a full count against St. Mary's my senior season

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

How much I'd grow to love my sport and my teammates (we truly loved each other like family), and how much it hurts when it's done

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

YES! My lifting partners and "softball sisters" (at Hope you have one teammate you're paired with as a sister each season) as well as the teammates I lived with during my junior and senior years have become some of my best friends. I grew very close with the 5 other girls in my class, and I know I can rely on any member of the coaching staff for anything from life advice to a letter of recommendation to job opportunities to prayer support to a dinner at our favorite restaurant. It's a support network like none other, and I've made so many fun memories with teammates that are 3 years older than me down to teammates 3 years younger than me.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Biology. Pre-physical therapy. Physical therapy was definitely influenced by wanting to continue being around athletes.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

GRCHS did a great job preparing me for college academics; I felt like I could step into classes confidently.

How was your academic transition to college?

Not super tough, I had great profs who were very understanding about in-season scheduling, my older brother gave me good advice about how to structure my homework/studying time, and I had great lab partners along the way.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

Michelle Brander Metiva, Elite travel ball trainer/coach

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Develop Confidence--the game will have extreme highs and lows in college, but you can control your mental approach to it: "You can't outperform or underperform your self-image for long" --Jason Selk. Stay Humble--there's always more to learn from the coaches as well as teammates both older and younger than you, always ways to improve and find new edges each season bc your opponents will be working on ways to beat what they saw in you last season--beat the scouting report by always sharpening strengths, identifying and eliminating weaknesses. Enjoy the opportunity--everyone says it goes fast but it really does, so don't let any injury or discomfort or barrier prevent you from going at the dream 100%.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I've always been proud to be a softball athlete, but that just increased so much being part of the Hope College Softball team. I see more opportunities for influence, competitive grit, and love of the game.Â

COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS When did you graduate?

May 2018

What is your degree in?

BA Biology

What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

I'm currently giving private lessons and looking into opportunities to assistant coach during my gap year as I'm applying to physical therapy programs.

What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

It was awesome; I don't have regrets.

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

Absolutely, it was a huge part of my personal development throughout college in how I see myself and how I see others; I was able to build a lot of positivity and momentum in 4 years.

Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

YES!

Tommy Doles NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY - FOOTBALL I consider Tommy is throwback football player. Super talented, but with a hard nosed old school approach to his craft on the gridiron. Gets the job done on the field above and beyond. Off the field his respectful congenial persona is down to earth and mellow, where others gravitate to his electric personality. This is what makes his flight so unique: he flies above the fray without thinking that he is above others, believing service is his call. Service to his teammates, family, and fellow man. Tommy is the wow factor for sure

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I love to compete, be a part of a team, and glorify God with the gifts he’s given me!

At what age did you start playing sports?

4 Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Not at a high level, but they were both active How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My parents encouraged me to try different things, play my best, and have a great attitude at all times. They provided opportunities for me to play and always supported me, it has meant the world.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Even more competitive

How Competitive are you?

I’m VERY Competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

There is a bigger time commitment and your investment in your sport is non negotiable if you want to succeed.

There are also even more resources (depending on your sport) to help you develop as an athlete.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

No

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Time management is key, and you need to be willing to cut certain things out (tv, video games, partying), but it’s a good trade in my opinion.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes, I have been very active in my local church (Evanston Bible Fellowship) and campus ministry (AIA). Here I have grown so much in my faith and maturity as a man. I’ve also taken advantage of professional development opportunities and explored career interests.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was difficult even though I was well prepared by GRC! There is a lot of growth that needs to happen, but if you stick with it and don’t quit it is worth it.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) The speed was so much faster, and we had to think a lot on the fly. It also changes everything when every guy you go against was all state in high school, there are no easy plays.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Beating Michigan State in triple overtime at Ryan Field last season.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Building community and deep relationships takes time, and you shouldn’t expect that to happen overnight.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes, I’ve grown so close to my teammates (especially those in my class) over the years. We have a strong bond and play for each other.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Political Science, my masters degree will be in management. No it wasn’t.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes, we had great teachers and learned at a high level. More importantly we learned through a Christian worldview, so that in a secular environment I could still think critically about how my faith intersects with the things I’m learning.

How was your academic transition to college?

It was difficult at first but with time and hard work I have been able to thrive. Finding an academic passion is exciting and I was fortunate to find that within political science.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My dad, I’ve always looked up to him and his character. He has been (with my mom) my biggest supporter.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Your academics and social decisions matter. Think about your long term goals before you make decisions every day. I’ve seen a lot of people squander opportunities and it’s sad.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I’d say I just have more perspective now, but it’s still the same game I fell in love with a while back. I’ve seen the ways it’s connects and inspires people.

COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS When did you graduate?

2018

What is your degree in?

Political Science

What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

Hoping to play professionally and in the future coach on the side.

What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

No regrets, just some lessons learned! Probably would have tried to get more sleep freshman year.

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person?

Yes Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

Without a doubt

Lauren May THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - CLUB SOCCER Lauren was really competitive with a highly driven personality. When she said that she wasnt ready to hang up the cleas after hgih school, I was intrigued. She decided to play club soccer at U of M. Not the NCAA version, but the univsity club version. When she told me that the team traveled around playing teams all over the mid west i was impressed.When she told me how much time was devoted to it with practice sessions and travel, I smiled because I knew she had found her post-high school way to stay competitve. It was the same way as a student: her drive makes her score high marks in the classroom at the collegiate level where she views academics as another way to challenge her highly driven personality

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) The competition, love for the game, stay in shape, being part of a team

At what age did you start playing sports?

5

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes, mostly my dad and younger siblings

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Very supportive, always make an effort to come to games, would buy me the necessary equipment and pay for me to play on good teams

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Similar but slightly more competitive in college

How Competitive are you?

I’m Competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

We travel farther distances, playoffs work differently. Being on the club team everything is student-run, from scheduling to jerseys to hiring refs. More conditioning in practice

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

My college coach is extremely competitive, yells a lot but cares a lot. He knows the game extremely well and wants every player to have a high soccer IQ as well. He does a lot of choreography

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Carefully, doing homework on the way to games and planning ahead of time Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.� Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain The team creates a great social group in and of itself. My scholarships group, my church community, and my professional fraternity also give me great people to be around

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was fairly easy. Mostly had to get used to a different coaching style and budgeting time

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Coaching style and competing with other goalkeepers

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc At the National tournament in Phoenix, it was the sweet sixteen round and in overtime one of my teammates nailed a free kick upper 90 to send us to the elite eight Also holding Michigan State scoreless as goalkeeper in the second half

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Probably how much work it was to be student-run and how much the students have an influence Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes! We all love the game of soccer but know it is not the most important thing in our lives so we make time for academic and social endeavors. Super close in season because of how often we see each other, not as close in the off season

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Public Policy with Business and Spanish minors. Not really

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes

How was your academic transition to college?

Fairly easy, but I did have to learn how to actually study

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My dad

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Only continue to play if you love the sport, don’t do it for any other reason or you’ll get burnt out or not give enough effort

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

A little bit but not much

Emily Mindling Spring Arbor University - Soccer Emily was always so analytical. Not an over reactionary analytci type, btu more of a calculating resourceful type. She seemed to want to know the “why’s” behind the training as a way to know the best why to get a competitive advantage. It probably comes from growing up with talented, resourceful siblings that bring this out in her. It’s a characteristic that serves her well on and off of the playing field.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play soccer because I love to do it. It's a rush everytime I step on the field repping my team on my jersey.

At what age did you start playing sports?

About 6

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My parents were both great athletes and so are all three of my siblings.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My parents have always been my biggest fans. They were more than willing to drive me all over the place to help facilitate my growth as a player and to make sure I was also enjoying what I did.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Definitely a little of both. I've never had so much fun playing soccer as I do playing in college but I also have never been so tested physically and mentally. Practices are definitely a blast, lots of goofiness and laughter but there is also a knowledge of when we need to be serious and get our game face on.

How Competitive are you?

I’m competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

Everything is different. First of all you build such a bond with your teammates because you literally live together and are with each other all the time. You also are playing with an even greater passion because you have decided that this is a big enough part of your life that you want to take it to the next level. You are all there by choice and in it together. You are never alone. There is such a great support system in place. They have all been in your shoes before and they want to help you get through this.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

I think that the way my high school and college teams are/were coached differently, but I would say that the care and love that the coaches had for the team is the same. They both care so much about not only you as a player, but also your mental health and how you are adjusting to high school/college and how you are doing overall.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

It's hard. But staying organized and on top of your work is huge. Also, talk to your professors. They want you to succeed too and be proactive with your work and talking to them about missing classes and such. They are much more willing to work with you if you have given them a heads up and see that you work hard.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.”Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain I think it can be really hard at first to find any time to do anything other than eat, sleep, play soccer, and go to class, but you meet people through your classes and your major that become good friends. Also, studying together for a class can help you find people outside your team to bond with and become friends with. It takes some time to settle into the throw of things, but once you do you find time to spare.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was hard! I came in as a nursing major freshman year getting thrown right into my nursing classes before I even had learned how to study properly. You may think you know how to study in high school but college classes are different. Even though I struggled with that at first, my teammates were a huge saving grace. Since I had already had preseason ( a month of death surrounded by amazing people), I had become a part of a large community that was so willing to go out of their way to help me through it. It's an adjustment for sure, but a really rewarding one.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) It's always hard switching from one coach to another. Every coach has a different idea for how they want the game to be played, so that was a bit of an adjustment. Just figuring out what was expected out of me and the different language used. It think the hardest part was the speed of play. College soccer is so much quicker than high school and much more physical. A lot of things that worked in high school are probably not going to work at all in college.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Winning Nationals down in Alabama was for sure a huge moment. It was an exhausting week, but I loved it and nobody could wipe that smile off my face when we got to hold that trophy and hear our huge cheering section cheer us on. It was amazing to see how many fans we had drive or fly all the way down there to cheer us on. We have a great support system.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

I think I really was surprised by how much of a family my team became.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

I bonded really well to my team. I felt right at home as soon as I got there. They were very welcoming to all of us new people. My team contains some of the craziest, most funny, most loving people I've ever met. They are such a fun group to be around and without them and their comedy relief I don't know that I would have made it this far. That being said my team loved to have fun, but as soon as you stepped on the field it was game face on. They push you to be the best you in everything you do and sometimes are the only thing holding you together.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

My major is Special Education with a minor in psychology.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

I think GRCHS did prepare me pretty well, however it is a whole new level of commitment and time that needs to go towards your academics. Also, you do have to actually read your text books in college unfortunately.

How was your academic transition to college?

It was a struggle at first going straight into such an intense major (nursing), but it is sink or swim and you catch on fast.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My mom and dad have been the driving force behind my soccer career. They started me out in it when I was young and continued to sacrifice so much to let me continue to follow my passion. They have been my biggest supporters and I'm so thankful for their willingness to be there for me and to drive me to do my best in everything.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Always do your best. Don't slack off, it won't do you any good in the end. Even when you think your tank is empty keep pushing. You'll be surprised by what you can do.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Yes. It's a totally different game than in high school in a good way.

Mitchell Mustert CALVIN COLLEGE - BASEBALL Mitch was one of the most talented young athlete I had ever met. Her could run and jump out of the gym. Her competitive spirit was always so infectious to others in training and practice sessions. He played multiple sports in high school, but treated them all like they were his number one sport.

Whatever sport he played during that sport season, he treated it like it was his top priority. When it was over he moved on to the next sport. Always stayed in the moment, in the NOW.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play baseball because sports in general give me a type of happiness and motivation to compete at the top of my level that gives excitement and a sense to compete with other athletes.

At what age did you start playing sports?

4

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes, every family member.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My family has never discouraged me and have encouraged, loved and allowed me to participate in any interests I have, which have been sports since I was able to walk.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

More competitive. It is a large time commitment but has definitely developed and strengthened me not physically but mentally as well.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

In high school, being a student athlete is much more manageable to be a 4.0 student and compete competitively, but in college it is more difficult to practice and compete and be able to focus completely on your studies. It has definitely developed great time Management to focus on both aspects of a college student athlete experience.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

There is more of a commitment needed, no missing or coming to practice 1 minute late. No lenience allowed unless a serious issue has come up. Communication is much more important as well.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Balancing school and sports is very important. Getting side tracked can be difficult and will hurt if you are not able to manage your time wisely to complete all that is needed in school and for your sport.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.”Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes, I am able to manage school and sports to a point that allows me to be with friends and go out with friends to not be stuck in the library all weekend. It needs to start right away though, getting behind in school is one way to prevent a social life from developing.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

I was able to talk to upper class men and get some input on how to manage time and develops skills to allow myself to be well rounded as a student athlete.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) There definitely was a step up in competition, faster pitchers, arms, runners and better hitters, but with our coaching staff they have been able to develops us as freshman into much better players and be able to compete with other colleges and universities.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc One instance I remember, I was playing right field, there was one out, a guy on second and third. A line shot was hit in front of me and I was able to make a running catch and managed to throw a guy out at the plate to get a double play and save a game winning run to help save the game.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

How large our team was in numbers.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes, I was able to create friendships that are still strong and hopefully will keep in touch throughout our lives.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Business Marketing and Entrepreneurship

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes

How was your academic transition to college?

GRCHS prepared us well, but college is a step up and allowed us to learn basic study skills that just need to be more in-depth than high school was.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My parents and my grandparents have not missed a game through my youth, high school and college career.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Work hard, have determination to compete and be better than the person next to you.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I look at it as a blessing. Having three shoulder surgeries in high school during football which was the sport I thought I would be playing in college did not work out as planned. I have been told countless times by various people to quit sports and that I would not be able to play competitively again, was only more of a drive to me to prove to them and myself that I am better than that and won’t give up. Trusting in God and letting him lay the path for me was the biggest learning curve and gave me a sense of peace to not overdo anything and learn the hard was that everything happens for a reason.

Brooke Elzinga CALVIN COLLEGE - SWIMMING I had several conversations with Brooke throughout her time at Gand Rapids Christian, and rarely did we talk about her sport. She has the personaltiy where she finds joy in the human relationships and parts of sport. But don’t let that fool you: she LOVES to compete. She finds that same exhilaration in swimming now that she has moved on to the collegiate level.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I didn’t participate in a sport my freshman year of college, and I found myself missing the competition and being a part of a team.

At what age did you start playing sports?

5

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My parents both played sports in high school.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

I have had great family support ever since I was young. My parents sat through every outdoor meet (rain or shine). They’ve always encouraged me to put forth my best effort. They were very supportive of my decision to continue my swimming career at a college level.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Based on my experience so far, I would say that college athletics are more physically and mentally demanding than high school. However, GRCHS has prepared for me to compete at the collegiate level.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

College is more challenging because the competition is higher, and you have the balance that with higher academic expectations.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

No

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Playing sports since a young age has always helped me stay disciplined with my schoolwork. Time management is something I learned throughout high school, and that has greatly benefited me in college.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.� Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Being a part of a team definitely makes it easier to become socially connected to other people but I was able to develop new friendships through my dorm and other connections made through my classes.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

Taking a year off between high school and college sports made it more challenging but I was determined to get back in shape to participate at the college level.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Getting into shape and competing against higher level athletes has been an adjustment.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc It’s too early to have a real highlight but competing in my first college swim meet was memorable.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Nothing really was a complete surprise.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes, the swim team at Calvin is a close knit group.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Nursing

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes, GR Christian prepared me well.

How was your academic transition to college?

It went very well.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My parents.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Make sure you focus on being your very best physically, mentally and commit more time than you expect to the academic demands.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

No

Seth Millner CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY - BASKETBALL Seth is what I call an “olds soul”. The type of person who seems some much older than his actual age.

He has that carefree enjoyment of life that he projects everyday, but more than anything else has a maturity that sets childish things aside when it’s time for the mission. The mission could by training, practice or a game, but his appraoch is all business when it comes to those things. The “old soul” comes out, and he leads by voice and example as he executes his assigmanet and takes care of the mission. That’s what old souls do.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) Love the sport, grew up around it

At what age did you start playing sports?

4 Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

No

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Always encouraging

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Way more competitive

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

You have to hold yourself accountable no one is holding your hand

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

More intense

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

You have to prioritize

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.”Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Most definitely, just have to find time outside of practice and games

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was a learning curve, not huge but it was difficult and still is at times

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Speed of the game most definitely

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc I don’t think I have one yet, we’re just 2 games in

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Nothing really surprised me

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes and it’s great, we spend so much time together

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Psychology and yes because I want to be a sports psychologist

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Most definitely

How was your academic transition to college?

Kind of challenging with all the stuff we have to do with basketball

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

Probably both of my uncles

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Priorities first, then everything else afterwards

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Not at all

Maddy Gates PURDUE UNIVERSITY FORT WAYNE - VOLLEYBALL I met Maddy and started working with her in middle school, so our training relationship extended beyond just high school. Even back then, she wasn't just determined to be a college volleyball player, but her drive was to be THE BEST volleyball player. So she would show up at the high school after the middle got out, and train. Her mantra she would repeat after each drill was, "What's next?" She just kept going. I didn't think she would be a future college volleyball player, I KNEW she would be. Even as a middle schooler, she was already on a collision course for that goal. She still asks, "What's next?", as she shoots higher and higher.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play because of the butterflies before a match, the absolute adrenaline rush during the match, and the excitement after a match. I play for my coaching staff, my family, and for my team.

At what age did you start playing sports?

7

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My dad played professional baseball after playing for the University of Minnesota, my mom played volleyball at Arizona State. My older sister played collegiate volleyball for two years, my brother plays hockey at the University of Minnesota and was drafted to the NHL. And my little sister committed to play volleyball at the University of Arkansas

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My family has supported my athletics from the very beginning. Because of my family’s athletic tendencies, I was always just expected to be an athlete. I grew up in a gym, or on a baseball field, or in a hockey rink. So for me, when it was time for me to start playing my own sport, it was natural for my parents to be supportive. My mom would drive me an hour to practice in Kalamazoo and an hour back. She was my coach my entire life until college and would work with me one on one on our days off, whenever I’d ask. I would not be where I am today without my family’s support and sacrifices.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Definitely more competitive. Because of the added hours of practice, film, and weights. I also feel a sense of only having 4 years to play the sport I love most in this world. It’s a ticking clock and I want to win at everything. I want to leave college knowing I could not have tried any harder. Or put in any more work. In high school, we worked hard, but there was always college. I knew I still had more time after high school.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

College is so much different than High School because of the freedom. It can be absolutely amazing, but can also be dangerous. I learned real quick that it’s nice to not have to answer to my parents or worry about being past curfew, but that homework will build up and it’s easy to get behind. Time management has been a tough adjustment for me.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

No

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

I have to remind myself that school isn’t optional. School is directly related to sports. If I can’t perform in school, I can’t perform in sports. My school has very high expectations for student athletes. If a grade starts slipping, there will be a meeting set up right away. So I learned that if I want to be a successful athlete, I must be a successful student first.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.� Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes. At my school, the bond between sports teams is unlike any I’ve seen at any other school. It really is a community here. We all support each other at games, and spend time together outside of sports.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was a huge learning curve for me for sure. Physically, the first two weeks I was so sore I thought my legs were going to fall off. And mentally I knew I was a freshman and had to prove myself, so when I got hurt pretty early into the season, I was beyond upset. I ended up being out for a big chunk of the season so it was tough for me.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) For the majority of my season, I was not able to play. After a couple trips to the ER for kidney problems, it became clear that it was an issue bigger than pushing myself through the pain to play for one season. The athletic trainers here made the decision to sit me out for months. They made the right decision, but while going through it, it was very hard to accept what they were saying and to be okay with it.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Making the tournament. We secured a spot in the tournament and the emotions we all felt were amazing

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Nothing came as a major surprise to me. My family has been around college sports enough to know a lot and they helped prepare me for anything I might face.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes. I love my team. We have so much fun on and off the court. We are forced to spend so much time together, so it always shocked me that we CHOSE to spend time together outside of volleyball. We love being together

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

General Studies. And after I graduate, I will be doing an excelled nursing course so that I can be a full time nurse. It was 100% influenced by my sport. I could not get a nursing degree and play volleyball. So I had to get a totally separate degree.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes. The blocked schedules and tough classes definitely made college less of a shock for me academically.

How was your academic transition to college?

Great. I was on top of all my classes and doing well. Time management was tough at first, but I learned real quick.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My mom. Without her, I would not be where I am today. She has been the best coach, mentor, and mom a player could ever ask for. She never missed anything of mine and held me to a very high standard. She knew what I was capable of, and did not let me drop below it. I remember one time in high school, I was having a bad game and we were only about 5 points into the game. She pulled me to the side and said “get your head out of your a**”. That’s all it took and I went on to have a great game. She knew exactly what I needed to hear in any situation and at any time.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

You get what you put in. If you want to be a college athlete, you have to want it more than you want to party, or spend time with your boyfriend/girlfriend, or even sleep. You have to make it your life’s mission. You also have to love the sport. In college, it becomes your entire life. Every day is filled with multiple hours of commitment and hard work to the sport. So if you only kind of love it, you will not last in college.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Yes. I see it as more of an opportunity I earned. Rather than something I chose to do. I didn’t get to where I am by just signing up and showing up. I had to bust my tail and put the work in to be here. So I see it as a job I want to succeed at. Because I don’t want to let myself down after working so hard to get here.

Will Peterson Michigan State University - Club Lacrosse I always thought that Will would end up a college football player. He played four years of high school football, worked hard in the off season, and looked forward to turf battles in the Fall. So moving over to college club lax, he brought that same love and dedication that he had in football. To Will, it’s just another turf war. A turf war he welcomes.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) Being a part of a team and the friends that brings. Also, having some sort of structure in my schedule so that I actually have responsibilities.

At what age did you start playing sports?

8

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Neither of my parents or twin sister played HS sports.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

A ton of support from attending all events, picking up from practice, encouragement when I’m not feeling good about things. They had to be just as committed as I was.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Just as competitive. HS more personal because competing against schools so close to you.

How Competitive are you?

I’m competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

High school you can be the superstar and all eyes are on you. In college, everyone is just as good if not better.

You have to work a lot harder to get to where you want to be. Kind of like starting all over - makes you realize you aren’t that good.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

For lax at least the coaches are a lot more intense. It reminds me a lot of HS football and the level of intensity you have to bring. They don’t necessarily yell at you but you just won’t see the field if you mess around.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Wake up early and get your school work done. If you stay on top of school sports will feel like a break from everything. If you don’t, then practice feels like more of a burden. It won’t affect your grades if you don’t let it. It will help if anything by giving some structure. Got to get your stuff done.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.”Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Almost all of my friends in college are my teammates. We live together, eat together, and are all practically on the same schedules. We are a very close group of guys and I can’t imagine what I’d be doing without them.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

HUGE learning curve. Everything is so much faster. You have to learn to keep up because no one is going to wait for you. It all starts to slow down with experience.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Speed of the game. You are expected to know exactly what you are doing. Have to learn to keep up otherwise you just won’t do well.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Although I wasn’t playing much as a freshman., winning the MCLA national championships was an incredible experience made even better because of how close we all were. Unreal to see all that work pay off and finally get some recognition. People around school starting to know who we are. Most importantly I won’t forget my teammates that season and all that we went through to get to the top. I don’t even remember what exactly happened during the game, but I do remember the boys next to me going all out for one another. Unreal experience.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

How important the team was to everyone on it. It’s sort of at the center of everything we do.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes, the freshman class I came in with caught a lot of flack from the upperclassmen (as freshman always do) and that made us extremely close. Once we got through the freshman responsibilities the upperclassmen sort of accepted us as one of their own. Now we all are as close as you can be

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Construction Management major. Not too much influenced by lax.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

For the most part. Big learning curve freshman year but GRC taught me the tools to adapt. Once you get used to the college difference it’s all fine.

How was your academic transition to college?

Rough. First semester it’s like a different world. Teachers don’t care at all about individual students. How you do is all up to you. No one is going to tell you to go to class. You have to want to do well and stay on top of things.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My mom. She would listen to the problems I was having with sports and encourage me to keep going.

Probably would have quit but I knew she didn’t raise a quitter.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Don’t expect to be the best. Keep your head down and work your tail off and the results will speak for themselves. People notice the little things.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I see it much more schematically. In HS you could win by having good individual players but now you have to actually understand the game

Kristin Danielson AQUINAS COLLEGE - VOLLEYBALL

She was only one of two senior on our varsity volleyball team at Grand Rapids Christian. So it’s safe to say that Kristin outlasted teammates she played with over a four year period. That ability to outlast served her well at the college level where she became a leader on the court and in the classroom. In life beyond the court, she will for sure outwork, and OUTLAST those around her a be a stunning success.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) Passion, competition, purpose

At what age did you start playing sports?

10-12

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Dad and mom

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Phenomenal. I can’t think of a day where my parents did not support me. They support me in many different ways as well. They are constantly my number one fans, they pray consistently for my health and they are behind me in whatever I do on the court. I could not have asked for a better support system.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Just as competitive

How Competitive are you?

I’m super competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

For me, it’s different because it was an all time, all year training for one sport. It was always competitive and continuously had me working hard, but I was always in the gym/weight room getting better for volleyball in college. In high school, I was training for the sport that I was in for that current season. Honestly though, I think that the training in high school for the 3-4 sports that I did, helped me in my college years. I had built so many muscles in many different areas (for different sports) that helped me “last longer” in one sport.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

I answered no, they are pretty much the same, however I would say that my college coach is more intense and expects more. More time in the gym, weight room, track, classroom, volunteering, etc. (whether that’s by yourself or with other teammates). Obviously it’s easier to do these things in college because you have more time, but more is expected for volleyball than in high school.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

You just have to manage your time well. You usually have less classes than in high school, and you will know your class schedule and practice schedule well. It’s just managing the time that you have off well.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.”Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes. You get to know a lot of people in your classes and through the other sports teams at my college. I became very close with my teammates, which is obvious, but you also meet people through them as well. It’s just putting yourself out there when you are in different settings.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

The beginning was a huge adjustment. There was new systems, new ways of doing drills, different/better players than you’re used to. After the first couple of weeks though I started to adjust and get used to my team and started competing like I usually do.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Speed of my team’s game. We run a fast offense and a different defense than most teams. Our whole system was something that I was NOT used to.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc I have so many great moments, but my favorite one was either the night that my team won conference for the first time in 22 years or the first round of nationals game where we swept our opponent. Both were pretty awesome.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

How close you become to your teammates. They truly become your best friends and basically family. You are together all the time that it seems forced, but I would do anything for my teammates and I know they would do the same for me.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes. Amazing. I kinda answered that above

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Business Administration/ Sports management with a concentration in marketing. A little, more by sports in general than just volleyball.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

YES!!

How was your academic transition to college?

Pretty good. It was obviously different and tougher but it seemed to go pretty smoothly for me.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

Mom and dad

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Do it. Honestly it’s a lot of work. You’re going to have a lot of moments where you wonder why you do it. But I can honestly look back and say that was the greatest time of my life. Being able to compete in a game that I love and grow friendships with truly amazing people is unbelievable. You get to have so many experiences that you wouldn’t have if you didn’t play a sport. Honestly it’s just something I would say to pursue and to do if you can.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Yes

Rebecca Mindling SPRING ARBOR UNIVERSITY - SOCCER Becca has a high energy personality FOR SURE. She is a human bouncing ball, relentless in her pursuit of excellence in the classroom and the playing field. I met her in middle school, and she had the SAME personality. THE SAME. High energy, high octane. So of course it was no surprise when I found out that freshmen year in college she challenged for a starting role right out of the gate. That’s Becca though: high energy personality, chasing the sun while running past the stars. She is awesome.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) A big theme that my current coach emphasizes is to "know your why.� Many of our devotions surround this idea and he challenges us to keep in mind who/what we are playing for. He says our main "why" should be for God alone, but we can also have many other "whys" that are lesser but still important to us. Things like acknowledgment from others, satisfaction, the thrill, a sense of accomplishment, a drive for competition, playing for those who played before us and those who graduate this year.

At what age did you start playing sports?

7

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Mom (track and volleyball), dad (basketball and football), both sisters (soccer) and brother (soccer and basketball)

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My family has been amazingly supportive throughout all of my years of playing. They push me, but not over the edge, and are always there alongside me as I go through the different levels. My dad (because he was a coach) is great at giving me an objective view of what I could do better or what I did well while my mom tends to have a very (positively) biased view on how wonderfully I've done. My sisters have often been the people that I go to in a hard situation because they both went on to play collegiate soccer and they have been through all the tough things that I face.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

I think college sports are much more competitive than high school. In high school, the team wanted to do well, but it feels like there wasn't much competition or drive to be the best. The focus was more on improving and enjoying playing the game. Here in college, there is what coach likes to call "friendly competition". There is a poster hanging in our locker room that says "strive not to be the best on the team, but the best for the team" and we hold each other to this standard. In one hand, we are fighting for spots and trying to get the starting positions, but on the other hand we are pushing each other to be the best that we can be for the glory of our Savior.

How Competitive are you?

I’m competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

College is much more intensive: there is more work, more pain, more stress, and a higher speed and level of play).

Each player has their individual goals that they want to achieve and we all want to improve, but it seems like the ultimate goal is to win it all. To go down and win the national tournament, which is no easy task. The work that it takes to even get into the tournament is ridiculous and it entails a lot of winning. On top of the harder athletics, the schoolwork is much harder (which was to be expected). It has become much more difficult to get everything done for both areas of my life and still fit in the other needs. It has been amazing to still have the religious focus (my current school is of the Free Methodist tradition) as it gives us all a drive to compete for something higher than ourselves and something that lasts longer than a championship ring.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

My college coach requires a lot more responsibility and effort out of each player. Regardless of one's playing time, you are expected to give your all, every day. College sports in general are a lot less forgiving, and one mistake can put you on the bench for the rest of the season as you are associated with that mess up in the coach's mind. In high school, it was acknowledged that mistakes were going to happen as this was a time of development with relatively low stakes.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

It takes a lot of effort, I'm not going to lie to you. Besides the time that is taken because of team bonding, practices, games, recovery sessions, I missed a lot of class time because of travel. When I get back, I have exams to make up, labs to do, papers to write, assignments to catch up on, and I still don't get quite the same information as those who were in class got. I have to put in a lot more effort just to get the same outcome. Part of being competitive for me relates to academics as I always want to do well and be the best. I think this desire

has both helped and harmed me as I got into college as I may have put too much time into topics when I perhaps should have cut my losses and gotten more sleep which would be beneficial as well, but it has ensured that I care about my academics and don't use my sport as an excuse to slack off or not do all the work. I've become a lot closer with my professors as a result of this because I have to frequently go into their offices for office hours, and the relationships that I have built have benefited me greatly.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.�Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Spring Arbor is a relatively small campus (a little over 3,000 students) so I know a lot of the people that are athletes, although I have met a lot of great people through my classes as well. It has been amazing to have people to study with or who take notes for me when I'm gone, and I've grown close to them throughout this first semester. They help me separate from the sport for a little bit when it becomes overwhelming or exhausting.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

My sister also goes to Spring Arbor, so she helped me transition a lot. I'm a major homebody, so I was uncertain of going even 2 hours away for college. The team was also incredible in helping all of us freshmen transition from home to college in all aspects. They guided us through all of the "firsts" for school, and they taught us the standard at which the team is held. We look to them as the standard for what to do, and they are shining examples.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) The speed of play and style was very difficult for me, as I was petrified coming into the season. Once I let go of my fears a bit and just played, I found it was much easier to pick up on what I was supposed to do and I learned a lot better because I was less afraid of making mistakes. The team was great at encouraging, teaching, and pushing me in this.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Even though I've only been in college for a semester now, I've had so many great experiences with the team.

They are such a fun group of girls, and we've had several cases where teams would ask us how were are able to be so competitive yet have such a great time. I was a little freaked out at first by how many animal noises the upperclassmen made (everything from a goat to a dying pelican) and the crazy dance parties that occurred before every game, but it grew on me and I absolutely love it now. It's a great way to relieve some of the stress that exists. My favorite memory would be the 12 days that we spent in Orange Beach, Alabama competing for the national title. They were by far the hardest yet most fun days of my whole season. We played 3 games with a day off between each and ended our season after a difficult semifinal game. It was heartbreaking and disappointing, but also an amazing learning opportunity. The seniors of course were sad, but they still looked on the bright side and celebrated the amazing season we had. All the the fun experiences we had down there, in addition to the exhausting and high intensity games we played, made it a time that I won't be forgetting any time soon.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Because I had two sisters go on and play soccer in college, I think I had a decent idea as to what to expect. I knew that the sport was going to make my body the most sore it's ever been and push my mind to persevere in those tough times in games, and I knew that the academics were going to be on a completely different level.

There was still a transition time, but I kind of knew what was going to happen.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

I have been blessed with such a great team filled with loving, caring, and hilarious girls. There is so much talent and so much faith and hope on the team and it is filled with people who I would be proud to take after.

Everybody was very welcoming and inviting to all the new players, and they held onto the theme of "servant leadership" which made us freshmen feel like we were on the same level of value as the other players. They tried their best to make sure we didn't feel out of place of lesser than them.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Nursing; soccer (and athletics in general) has made me more curious as to how the body works and how to fix it when things go wrong.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

I think GRC did an amazing job preparing me for what was to come in regards to academics. I've been in the GRC school system my whole life and they taught me how to work through stressful situations with a deadline approaching and what seems like not enough time ahead of me. The teachers worked hard to teach me good habits in the classroom and in studying, which have helped me immensely in college. Because I was close with many of my teachers in middle and high school, I have felt more comfortable approaching and talking to my professors now and going to them for help or when I need advice.

How was your academic transition to college?

My advisor made my load relatively light this past semester because it was my first semester in college and I was in season for soccer, so I may not have had as many classes as other students, but because of my major I had higher level classes to take. A lot more is expected of you in those classes, so I was thrown right into the work and there wasn't much of an easing in process. Overall though, it has been a great transition and things have been going quite smoothly. I've of course had my freak out moments and stressful times, but the semester as a whole went well.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My mom and older sisters have helped me the most in regards to sticking with it and staying positive, but my dad has helped me the most skill-wise. He has countless drill and coaching dvds and books that he dives into and then sends that knowledge over to us children. He is an amazing person to go to for an analysis of the game and for help working on a skill as he is always willing to spend time with us and the net and some cones in the backyard or take us to a local field to kick around. He gives such great advice and is so knowledgeable about the game of soccer and the tactics of it.

My sister Emily has helped me a lot in my first college season and shagged innumerable balls and coached me as I tried to get the curve and loft just right for my corner kicks and the placement just so for my penalty kicks.

She was always there to give me an encouraging halftime speech when I was feeling down or wasn't having a

good game and she would cheer me on and guide me through with her instruction. Her experience has been an amazing gift that she has blessed me with.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

I would encourage them to keep working and to push themselves beyond the requirements, but to also give themselves breaks and not wear themselves down before they even get to the college level. When you get to school for your college season, you need to still love the game and want to play it. I would also encourage them to acknowledge the expectations that others have for them, but not to judge their value based on that. It is so easy to measure your importance, value, or success off of how well you met the expectations of your coaches or how proud you made your parents, but this is a fleeting and poorly based way to find your value.

People's opinions change and they do not truly reflect worth. The only way that you can find your true value and have it be consistent is in Jesus Christ. As cliche as it sounds, it is true, I've had my moments where my presence, work, and effort wasn't even acknowledged and I've had my moments where coach was praising my for my work in front of an audience. The first feels awful and the latter feels amazing if that's what you put your identity in, but they are both fleeting. No matter how often coach admires your work, it will never last long enough or be important enough to fill the gap that you will have. I can attest to you first hand when I say that it becomes so easy to push God to the side in the business of sports and college, especially if you are having success. But he is what we truly need. There is no telling when your career might end due to an injury, so why put your identity and worth in something that could be gone tomorrow?

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I love soccer more now that I play it in college. Even at the end of a grueling season, I have passion for the sport, which was something that I was lacking during parts of the summer leading up to my freshman year. I see that it is more than just a sport; it is a way to bring people together to reach a common goal and to push yourself and use your talents for God's glory. It is difficult, but rewarding, to accomplish something great and be able to do it all in God's name. Playing a college sport gives us a great opportunity and stage to spread God's word through our actions (and our words if we get the opportunity). We can be competitive and still be the image-bearers of Christ; these two things are not mutually exclusive. My college team has been told that we are the most competitive and hard working team in our conference, and perhaps even in the national tournament, but we still show love to our opponents and teammates. I see that soccer is not the be-all and end-all, but it is simply something that we have been blessed to take part in and we should use it for a worthy purpose.

Xavier Tillman MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY - BASKETBALL X is one of those genuinely unique individuals that brings out the best in those around him. He doesn't have meanness in him, however, he competes and attacks on the court like a man possessed. He doesn't mask his weaknesses by over playing his strengths, instead when he finds weakness or shortcomings in his game, he attacks and develops it until becomes one of his strengths. He's built like that: to get better everyday. And he does.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) Always have played don’t know nothing else

At what age did you start playing sports?

3 or 4 Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Both parents and 3 siblings

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Very great my grandparents go to everything

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Way more competitive How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

Closer relationships in high school than in college

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

Way more aggressive

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Tutor sessions 3 times a week

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Not really because I’m a father too, I don’t go out much and I don’t have time too as well

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

Huge learning curve, I only played 7 min a game freshman year now I’m playing 23 min

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Adjusting to the speed and athleticism

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Dunking on Aaron Henry in practice

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

That it’s still basketball not this super elite thing that only specific players can do

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yeah, very close on court and semi close off the court

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Communications major

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes, it gave me a better work ethic in the weight room and with homework

How was your academic transition to college?

Easy, maybe even better than high school

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

Mom

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

To do their homework, work out after school as well as in the morning everyday and you’ll separate yourself from the others

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Yes, freshmen year I saw it as this big thing that was put in the spotlight, now I just see it as basketball

Anthony Ladd Northern Michigan University - Football If there was a harder worker, I haven’t met them. Ladd puts in super hard work to be the best he can be.

And it shows in how he plays football and what he projects has an athlete to those around him. He gives off a vibe that says “you’ll never outwork me,” and goes out of his way to prove it. I think he enjoys the challenge of training, pushing himself to the limit physically so he can see how well that translates on to the gridiron. The better it translates, the harder he works.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) My family

At what age did you start playing sports?

5

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Everyone

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

At every game if they could

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Way more competitive

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

Competitiveness

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

No

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Stay stress free

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity". Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It wasn’t really hard because I prepared a lot

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Playing with grown guys

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc The game against Wayne State University

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Playing on the same field as someone who was 4 years older than me

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes a lot

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Undecided

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Oh yeah for sure. Made school easy and stress free

How was your academic transition to college?

Not hard at all. I expected it to be difficult

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My mother

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

It’s not the same as high school. Don’t think it’s going to be easy or handed to you just because you was the man in high school. Everybody was the man in high school but that doesn’t matter when you get to college.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Yes, everyone is more invested into it

Jenna Oezer CALVIN COLLEGE - SWIMMING I’ve never seen Jenna NOT smile - EVER. She seemed to always be the social “hub” on her teams at GRC, tying all of her teammates together as they competed towards a common goal. It wasn’t that she did it to be special, it’s how she was. It almost seems like the next transition was for her to do this while competing at the collegiate level. Doing it with a smile.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) Swimming, I’ve always loved being on a team first and foremost, but I also love competition so I decided to continue in college

At what age did you start playing sports?

I played soccer starting in preschool, and did all the school sports up through middle school until I chose to focus on swimming and track in high school.

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Both my parents did sports in high school, and my mom did track for one year in college.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My parents have been great, making it to tons of my different sporting events and following my results. My sibling and I also are intentional about supporting each other in our sports and going to events.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

For me, I think I became more laid back in competition, but gained a much better work ethic as I continued into college.

How Competitive are you?

I’m competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

I spend a lot more time with my college team, and a lot more time training, but the biggest difference is the dynamic of being on a guy/girl team. I hated it at first, but now I can’t imagine it any other way.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

No

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

I’m intentional about compartmentalizing my time. I do my homework alone for the most part and socialize later so that I can get the required stuff done first and not have to worry about it while I am with friends or at swim meets.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes, it was a little difficult at first because I spend so much time with my team, but as I gained deeper friendships with people outside my team, it didn’t matter that I didn’t eat with them at every meal. As I entered sophomore year, most of my friends started getting really busy as well which helped with understanding each others busy schedules and not always being able to do everything together.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was difficult for me, especially being an extremely slow practicer, but time-wise it is very similar to high school, just with higher expectations.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) The most difficult part was definitely being the slowest practicer, and feeling incompetent for college sports.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc My favorite moment was with one of my teammates who is on the first medley relay with me. I was not having a good practice and asked her to go ahead of me, but she told me no even though it ruined her practice because she knew that she could push me if she swam behind me. I loved that I was being supported even if it cost others a good practice because now I was part of a family.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

I was very surprised with how close I could be with 70 people, and how well everyone supports each other.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

I have bonded very well with my team. I love introducing them to my team, I had several of them come to my house for Easter, they really act like 70 of my best friends that will all do anything for each other.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

My major is nursing with minors in psychology and Spanish

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Definitely, the opportunity to take AP classes allowed me to fit in 2 minors, and be ahead in my chem class, and I was well prepared to communicate with professors and write papers.

How was your academic transition to college?

It was a very easy transition, I was prepared for a lot worse than i experienced with my academics.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

Definitely my sister, Alyssa, we swam together for two years in high school and again for two years in college. She’s my biggest support system, and competitor. We love comparing our stats and helping each other train.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

I would say put your academics and relationships first, but never slack in your athletics. It’s important to have your priorities straight, but don’t let that give you an easy way out of pushing yourself in practices and competitions.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

No, it has always been mostly a social aspect of my life, and my coach really stresses that. However, I do see my life differently because of my sport. I have become much more social, hard working, and prioritize my health because of the people swimming has given me, and the experiences.

Allyssa VanWienen HILLSDALE COLLEGE - VOLLEYBALL

Allyssa was destined to be a volleyball player. I really believe that. She always seemed so natural on the court, effortlessly rising up and going after ball after ball. Being tall isn’t what makes her special at this sport, her motor makes her special at this sport. It runs, runs, runs, driving her to get better and perform at higher and high levels. That same motor that propels her physically, also propels her mentally and academically in the classroom.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I have a love for the sport volleyball and a love for the idea of competing.

At what age did you start playing sports?

13

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My older brothers played soccer, but not beyond the high school level.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Unparalleled. They attended all my games in high school, travelled to all of my club tournaments, and even come to all of my collegiate home games at the least, they travel with us for the away games when they are able to.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Definitely just as competitive, if not more. The level of buy-in from players and staff alike is just as much as, if not more than, what it was in high school.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

In college, sports are treated more like a career than in high school. In high school, everyone wanted to win that’s for sure. But it was also more individually focused than it is in college. A large part of the goal in high school athletics is to secure a spot on a collegiate team. Now that we’ve gotten there, it’s about more than that.

In college, everything I do is centered around my sport. I do well in school to remain eligible (and to build a strong platform for a future career, of course), I show up early to practice to take care of my body so I can maintain my level of performance on the court, I practice harder than I ever have so that I can perform as well or better in games. Not only do I do this, but everyone on my team does it as well because the level of dedication is so much higher at the collegiate level.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

My college coaches philosophies differ from my high school coaches in the way that my college coach focuses a ton on the mental aspect of the game. In the off-season we regularly do mental training exercises and have read plenty of books on keeping a level head while performing.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

A lot of my success comes from my other teammates. They have been through the same academic struggles and have learned from it and are now able to push me in the right direction to prevent making the same mistakes they did and to encourage me to do the things they did that helped them succeed.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.”Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes, definitely! Granted, most of my friends are athletes, but being on a team was extremely helpful. The older girls on the team were always taking us to meet people, whether that be going to their houses, meeting for a dinner get together type of thing, or even starting up casual conversation in the training room while one or both of us were receiving treatment. Beyond that, making friends in classes and going to sporting events definitely helped me find some friends that I believe are keepers.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

A learning curve, for sure.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) I think the hardest adjustment was adjusting to my new coach’s coaching style. As I said earlier, my coach focused a lot on the mental aspect of the game which was almost completely new to me. Additionally, my college coach is more of a “hands-off” type of coach, so I had to learn how to identify my own mistakes and also figure out how to correct them without just being told what to do.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Winning back-to-back conference titles will always be memorable to me. We had an unforgettable conference season this year, going completely perfect all of regular season, so to top it off with a conference tournament championship was very special.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

I was surprised with how well the team and coaching staff gets along. In the two years I’ve been at Hillsdale I have yet to feel like there’s an age difference between any of us. I feel like we are all the same age most of the time and have found there to be minimal conflict with the people on the team which is awesome..

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes!! They are like a second family to me. We all go through the same things together, celebrating the successes and surviving the trials as a team. On this team, our coaches and the players have built a trust where conflict is not as scary as it used to be for any of us. We have been taught to love each other for who we are and if there is a problem, to not be afraid to approach another person because whatever the issue may be both sides can trust that the issue will be dealt with without outside opinions coming into factor.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Exercise Science major with a possible Spanish minor. Volleyball has definitely influenced this because from playing it for so many years I decided I wanted to stay around athletes in any future career I may find myself in.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes

How was your academic transition to college?

The transition was hard, for sure. I would say academically, I was prepared. What caught me off guard was the concept of time management. I found it very easy to go and hang out with friends rather than stay in and do my homework, but after a short time I realized that I had to make some adjustments in order to do well at Hillsdale.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My parents. My mom has the whole “you did your best” personality down, and while I didn’t always respond to it in the best way, she definitely was a rock whenever I was feeling down and struggling in any way. My dad is super competitive, maybe even more than I am. He’s always pushed me to be the best and to go for the best and I can definitely say I am where I am today thanks in part to him.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Go wherever you want to go!!! Players, especially young ones, get caught up in playing for the biggest and best teams, but I’d say it’s 10 times more important to go somewhere where you will enjoy. It is extremely hard to grow as a person when you’re stuck in an environment you dislike. Playing at the collegiate level is about pushing yourself, but also setting yourself up for the future and they should pick a school based on that, not based on the name of the college or the place their parents think they will fit best.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I see volleyball as a bigger part of my life now. I see it helping me grow as a person. It’s no longer just a sport or a means to an end, it is preparing me to succeed in the future, through becoming more comfortable dealing with conflict, through really, truly learning how to work with a team of different personalities, and through teaching me what it really means to recognize the different personalities in other people, but to also appreciate them for their differences and find a way to play to their strengths, and my own.

Tre Vallar COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS - FOOTBALL Tre came to GRC later in high school, and fit right in like he had been here for years. His laid back personality was tempered by the aggressiveness that he brought to the football field. For him success wasn’t just measured just in what he could do physically, but also in what he could do in the classroom as well. For him, winning meant being the total package - winning as an athlete and as a student excelling the classroom. Student-Athlete is a verb to Tre, not a noun.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) It gives me an opportunity to get a free education and hopefully make a lot of money someday.

At what age did you start playing sports?

6

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Both my parents.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

They’ve been a big part of it, pushing me to be the best I can be

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

More competitive.

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

It’s a different experience because it’s a lot more distractions and there’s nobody to guide me

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

No

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

I have a calendar so I stay on top of my work and I have set times that I work out outside of just practice

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes, I already had a social life. You just have to find a friend group that fits your personality

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

I adjusted pretty quickly

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) The most difficult adjustment was more mental for me. I never really watched film until college.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc My first time starting and I led the team in tackles that game!

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

I bonded pretty well - it was a lot different coming from the Midwest to the west coast. So far my experience is good. The team usually does everything together

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Construction management technology. No

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes

How was your academic transition to college?

It was a very easy transition.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

Dad

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Watch plenty of film!

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

It means a lot more to me than it did in the past

Duane Washington, Jr. THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY - BASKETBALL

I always thoughts that Duane had basketball DNA flowing through his body. It’s a sport that’s as natural to him as breathing. But make no mistake; it may come second nature to him, but it’s a craft he constantly strives to improve. His personality is so confident and self assured, that it comes through as a genuine kindness towards others. I often get asked about Duane from people who don’t know him, and more than anything, his character is the number one thing I talk about. Great kid, great work ethic, great heart, and great compassion. That’s in his DNA.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) My love for the game.

At what age did you start playing sports?

Before I can even remember

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My father.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

They have been there for me through it all, the best support systems.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

100% way more competitive, another level

How Competitive are you?

I’m SUPER competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

I love college, fits me

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

YES

If YES, how different?

Defense, details, and more defense. You have to be paying attention at all times.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Sleep is a huge part, use your resources wisely and manage your time wisely. So much freedom and opportunities to go down the wrong road, have to stay focused and keep your main goal the main goal!

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes. Making new friends, and meeting new people.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

I am learning new things every single day, this is the hardest thing I have done in my life so far.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Speed of the game, the physicality, and maturity, and the seriousness of every single game.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Dunking on an opponent in game!

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

How much more fun it is than any other level I’ve played so far.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes, our team is filled with nothing but great guys

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Sports industry, and yes it was. I want to stay around basketball after I am done playing.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes 100%

How was your academic transition to college?

Pretty good, the tutors and academic advisors help so much.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My father What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Stay focused! Do not get distracted. Keep the main thing the main thing.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I sure do

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Creaghan Diekema Belmont University - Soccer

Creaghan was the first NCAA D1 boys soccer player in GR Christian history. Being first would automatically put the pressure to do well squarely on your back, but not for him. His laid back personality is accompanied by a laser focus to be the best at a sport that he has played his entire life.

It almost seems like less of a sport to him, and more of an extension of what he DOES. I’ve watched him train in the weight room in solitude more times than I can count, and it looks like he is playing soccer in his head. Replaying moments from the past, with a firm focus on the present and what needs to be done. Being the first to do anything can come with pressure but Creaghan views it as being a trailblazer for soccer players to follow. But they have a long way to catch up, because it’s hard to catch #1.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I love the competition. It’s also a great escape from stress in my life.

At what age did you start playing sports?

3

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes, my mom ran collegiate track and my dad played collegiate basketball. One of my sisters currently plays college soccer and my other sister plans to play.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

I’ve been blessed with incredible support. My parents were willing to pay for me to play club and academy soccer - as well as travel to almost all of my games.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

More competitive How Competitive are you?

I'm SUPER Competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

Way more independence and freedom. Time management becomes even more important as well as the decisions you make.

Is your college coaches style significantly different than your High School coaches?

YES

If YES, how different?

Different formation and ideas about the game. For example my college coach likes our forwards and attacking mids to press high in the field whereas in high school we let the other team build the attack more.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

I find that I have plenty of free time but am exhausted a lot from work outs and class. I find it important to motivate myself to get schoolwork done first - especially when I have the energy for it.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity”. Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain My first couple of years I mostly socialized with my teammates and other athletes. As I progressed further in my major I began having classes with the same people and it was a lot easier to form

relationships beyond my sport. Having these relationships has become really important to me as an academic and social support system.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

There was definitely a learning curve. Adjusting to a new coach, teammates, and speed of play was difficult at first.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Learning the college game was the most difficult for me. It was so different than club and academy soccer. It was played way more physically and directly (mostly due to unlimited subbing in college).

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc I changed positions to forward in the spring of my freshman year after a fairly rough first season at outside back. Scoring my first goal in my first game at the position completely turned my confidence around.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

How close I would become with my teammates. In just one semester my teammates went from complete strangers to my closest friends.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yeah, the culture of my team was very welcoming and team-bonding oriented.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Double major in Accounting and Finance - I was leaning towards it and was able to ask an upperclassman on the team who was majoring in it a lot of questions that helped make my decision.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

GRC prepared me so well for college academics. It made the transition really easy.

How was your academic transition to college?

Great! Definitely used a lot of the good habits that GRC taught me.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

I’d say my best friend growing up who passed away my freshman year of high school. In a way it feels like I’m playing for both of us now and I try to never take a moment on the field for granted.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Take moments of hardship and failure and turn that into motivation to improve. Also be confident in your abilities. Confidence can be the difference between an average and great player - in your head you need to be the best player on the court/field. It doesn’t matter who the “better” player on paper is, it matters who the best player that day is.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

Yeah, I try to enjoy it more, knowing that in a couple years I may be done playing at a competitive level. I also see it as more of a privilege to play. Seeing many of my teammates and opponents go down with injuries - and having to get through my own - makes me especially thankful when I’m healthy and able to play.

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Emmett Warners CALVIN COLLEGE - BASKETBALL

Emmitt took a long range jump shot in a high school game and after being fouled, landed on his bottom. His teammates helped him on his feet and he walked to the foul line to shoot his free throw, because he made the shot as he was fouled. That’s E for you though: he turns lemons into lemonade.

He doesn’t do it to impress anyone else, he does this because he is built to turn setbacks to comebacks. He does it without fanfare or praise. He takes the shot, gets knocked down, and hits it dead on.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) Because winning is the greatest feeling in the world At what age did you start playing sports?

4? I don’t know, ever since I can remember Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Dad played baseball and track. Mom played volleyball

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Both of my parents (also coaches) honestly didn’t push me much and I am very grateful for that. It allowed me to really enjoy the sport(s) I was playing and develop a love for the sport. They never forced me to do anything when it came to sports and I think that’s one of the reasons I still love it today.

Looking back I realize how fortunate I was to have both parents as coaches. They have taught me countless lessons from sport and life. Never quit, communicating feelings to coaches in the right way, and being a good teammate just to name a few.

I could go on for hours about how they supported through athletics. Maybe the thing I’m most grateful for when it comes to family and sport is the love and support they showed me whether I played good and the team won, or if I played horrible and we lost, it was all the same Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

It’s more competitive for sure. D3 hoops is much like baseball where any team can beat anyone on a given day and that’s why I like it. Every single game you better bring it no matter the opponent.

How Competitive are you?

I'm SUPER Competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

More work less class time. The biggest difference for me is the amount of free time. Time management is huge in college where in high school I could get most of my homework done during school

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

YES

If YES, how different?

Lol completely. Run and gun, push in transition, pressure the ball in high school and college it’s reading screens, get the ball inside, rebounding

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

I wish I knew! Lol but it’s definitely tough. I always make a schedule of the hw due or whatever and try to work ahead as much as possible How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was a learning curve for sure. Playing with X, Dewj, JB, and Seth gave me an advantage with the speed and skill level and I didn’t need to adjust much to that but the big curve for me was my body.

College players are a lot bigger and stronger than high school so it took me a while to get my body right What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Strength (see above) What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Beating Hope 3 times in a season What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Chemistry is much harder to achieve because your teammates are all there for different reasons. In high school, for the most part, you grow up with your teammates and in college you don’t. A lot more egos in college What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Currently majoring in Sports Management with minors in business and data analytics Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

100% I can’t imagine trying to do college without going to GRC How was your academic transition to college?

Pretty swift, once I figured out how to use my time but it took a little while Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

Both my parents What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Don’t choose a college directly because of sports, find the right place for you!

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Keegan Stenstrom UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT - LACROSSE

Keegan was the quiet one between he and his twin brother Cole, or at least that’s how he was in training sessions. I don’t think he ever asked one question in our training together for 4 years at GRC. He just showed up when he was supposed to and did the work. He may not have been a fan of the long winded workouts in the Quest weight room, but it was irrelevant in his mind when it came to the end result. That’s what mattered. Keegan was driven by the end result that the process would bring. And it was so fun to watch him navigate the process in training.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) Sports have always been a part of my life and it keeps me out of trouble!

At what age did you start playing sports?

3 years old

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My father played collegiate baseball.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Amazing, my parents are always at my games showing their support.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Just as competitive if not more competitive than high school. The game has sped up immensely.

How Competitive are you?

I'm SUPER Competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

The coaching staff is always dedicated to making you a better player on and off of the field. I spend a majority of time with the team everyday, granting close to 50 teammates/brothers.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

The ability to help players balance school and athletics.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

Making a schedule and good habits or a routine for the day.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Developing a relationship with 50 guys over the past couple of years has taught me a lot about myself and the identity I begin to develop. Branching out to other friend groups outside of the lacrosse team has given me some of the most supportive friends throughout college

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was a huge learning curve for sure, moving away from your parents for the first time was one of the toughest obstacles. The adjustment has taught me a lot about myself and the person I want to become.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) The speed of the game was the biggest change for me. It took me a couple months to start getting into a rhythm.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc Starting my first game against Cleveland State.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

The amount of support your coaches have for you.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

I love having 50 brothers walking around at school and on the field.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Business major with a Leadership minor. No Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

I believe it did, everyone is going to have their own adjustments.

How was your academic transition to college?

Bumpy, lots of adjustments to make toward studying habits.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My brother, always wanting to be the better twin.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Don't cut corners and if you commit to something, do it as well as you can.

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Hannah Warners CENTRAL MICHIGAN - VOLLEYBALL

Hannah would always flip that switch when it was time to train. She would be sharing a momentary laugh with a teammate, or taking a drink of water, but when I started talking about the details of the training that day (running, lifting, etc) I saw the switch flip on. It was her way of saying it’s time to GRIND this out. I saw that same switch flip on during matches. No need to pep talk herself, or talk herself into doing well. She’d flip the switch and GO. I think she treats life like one giant volleyball match: she flips the switch and goes. And it’s so much fun to see her flip it.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play for the moments of long rallies where your team is diving everywhere, slamming balls, all that and then you finish off the rally with this huge kill and you come to the huddle after and you're like, "Heck yeah! We just did that." I play for those moments where you can just feel that all the work you put in everyday, is worth it. I also just love the team aspect of volleyball. It takes the entire team, no matter what role you have, whether a practice player, or the starting setter, it takes EVERYONE to be successful.

At what age did you start playing sports?

Well T-ball at 5 years old but actual organized volleyball at 11 years old.

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Yes, we all played sports growing up. All my siblings and I played multiple sports in high school. We were a very sports oriented family.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

Oh I can't even begin to explain how supportive my family has been. They have always been huge supporter throughout the years but I guess I didn't really notice how truly dedicated they are until I moved away to college. They have showed up to every single game of my college career so far. They travel everywhere, even as far as Nebraska. They have become the "team parents" as people like to say, because whenever some girls don't have their parents at the games my parents will also be there to cheer them on. They truly are a huge blessing.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

Just as competitive How Competitive are you?

I'm SUPER Competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

Honestly, it's not as different as I thought it was going to be.

Coach Gates really prepared me well with her tough practices and discipline. Practices are almost more laid back than high school at times. My coach loves to stat-out practices which took some getting used to, mentally.

Everything is more technical with data being collected and analyzed all the time. The speed of the game and the physicality is what is the biggest difference. There is also less room for mistakes which drives you to be more mentally tough. Academically, it hasn't changed that much besides just more homework and more emphasis on the importance of doing well on tests and exams. The social life is different because you have more independence being away from home. You make your own decisions and you're the one that has to deal with the results of those decisions, good or bad.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

My coach in college is more of a quiet coach. He lets you figure things out on your own and work through your mistakes, rarely ever yells and kinda hangs in the background. Coach Gates at Christian High was more vocal and gave more constructive criticism. I love both coaching times for different reasons.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

I felt like I had to grow up pretty fast in this department. There’s not much leeway for procrastination.

I mean yes I still do that but with class, weights and 3 hour practices everyday and traveling every weekend it can get pretty stressful. Doing assignments as soon as they’re given is what I shoot for.

But what I find most efficient is getting the right amount of sleep and taking time everyday to accomplish AT LEAST one homework task, whether its due the next day or in a few days, whatever I can do to get at least something done and feel productive.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain Yes. I am a part of the Recreational Therapy Club on campus which has introduced me to some fellow aspiring rec therapists who I have become quite close with. I also am an active member in FCA on campus which is a group for Christian Athletes. I plan to be one of the leaders this coming year. I also make it a priority to attend "His House" which is a Christian church just off campus. I love spending time with my team but I also have found that it is super important to find that outlet and branch out to have other groups of people to hang out with.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

It was a big adjustment. The speed of the game, physicality and all the physical stuff was a big change but I caught onto that pretty fast. From the neck up was the hardest part; my mental game and my self confidence was the biggest adjustment.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) Like I said above, the most challenging change I had to face was just the mental side of the game.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc It was at a preseason tournament at the beginning of this past year (my sophomore year). We were playing against University Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and I was playing DS during this particular match.

We ended up losing the set but after our team huddled up and a senior spoke and said, "Guys, we need to be playing more like Hannah out there, every single time she comes onto the court she's a spark of energy that plays loose and has fun, and we all play way better." That hit me really hard, it

gave me this sense of confidence that I am truly a big asset to the team and that how I play and what I do is noticed and it really does make a difference and helps the team succeed. It was a huge confidence booster for the rest of the year.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

How nice and understanding and personable the coaching staff is. I was not expecting them to be that friendly and want to get to know me as much as they do. We have weekly meetings just to talk and we have barbecues at our head coach’s house monthly, they really make an effort to create a family oriented setting as well as a player/coach relationship that is open, honest and approachable and I am very thankful for that.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

Yes, we have bonded very well. Since you're with them all the time, on the road, in hotels, in the dorms, at practice, etc. you really create these strong bonds with your teammates and that's what I love about playing volleyball in college.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

My major is Recreational Therapy. Growing up playing team sports and learning how lifting up those around you can create such an impact has really influenced my choice of a major. The lessons I've learned over the years about how important encouragement and building up confidence in others through consistently being there and supporting my teammates will really help me in the future of my career when having to work with clients and I'm very grateful for sports because of it.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes, very much so. No worries here.

How was your academic transition to college?

Easier than I expected, of course at times it gets overwhelming but that is expected. Overall I can say the transition was very smooth.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

Over the years I have had several big influences. Growing up my sister Leah introduced me to volleyball and helped me fall in love with the sport. My brother Adam over the years has given me my competitive edge, he's pushed me to be tough and to work hard no matter the circumstances. When high school rolled around I would say Sam McLean, my fellow teammate and friend was a huge influence on me. Watching how much passion and heart she put into her play gave me so much inspiration to keep pushing myself past my limits and growing in my abilities. When she decided to go to MSU that just sparked in me that I want play at the highest level of volleyball that I can and push myself to be the best I can possibly be. That is a big reason why I choose to play volleyball at Central Michigan over playing at Calvin College where my Aunt Amber is the coach.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Be confident in your abilities, no matter what. Don't let outside negativity get to you. Trust that all the training you put in and the hard practices and the sweat, tears, blood, all of that has made you into a wonderful player who is KICK A** and is able to hang and succeed at the next level.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I see it more as a mind game than I used to. If your head isn't in the right spot and your confidence is down, you can really tell through your playing. Volleyball is as much above the neck as it is physical.

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Cole Stenstrom HOPE COLLEGE - HOCKEY

Cole is all business. I love that about him. He goes about his life like a true professional, well mannered and well spoken, quick to articulate his position on things. He worked super hard in our training sessions, and I always looked forward to those small bite sized conversations that we’d have in the weight room. I felt that he didn’t try to fit sports into his life, it was more about making sure he carried himself the same way in his sport as he did in his off-ice/off-field life. Because that’s what true professionals do.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play hockey because through all the ups and downs life has thrown at me, hockey has been an escape. I play because by the end of a season I have 25 or so kids who are practically my brothers. The relationships made through hockey are incomparable.

At what age did you start playing sports?

I started skating at three years old and quickly moved on to organized hockey at four.

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

My dad played baseball in college at Northern Illinois University How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My family has been the one who have driven me to Detroit or Chicago or Canada countless number of times for hockey tournaments on the weekends. I can count on one hand the games my Mom and Dad have missed throughout my hockey career.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

I find college sports to be much more competitive than high school. Every person you play against in college wants that goal or that next battle just as bad as you do. If not, more.

How Competitive are you?

I'm SUPER Competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

Academically, it is much harder than high school and you have much more free time

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

No

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

With more overall free time, it is important to manage studying into your busy day of classes, work outs, and practice.

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain At Hope College it was easy to develop a social life. Between the small campus and the friendliness of others around, you begin to find your identity through the new relationships you build.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

My adjustment to college sports was not easy. I easily got down on myself because I was unable to control the game like I used to in high school.

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) The most difficult adjustment was learning how the game was played at the college level. The physicality of the game increased and of course, the skill of others around you increased.

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc My most memorable moment from college so far would be winning the D3 ACHA National Championship in 2018.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

Nothing was really surprising to me.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

The team became family to me and typically I was seeing each of my teammates everyday because Hope is such a small campus.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

I am a Business major, with a Leadership minor!

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes. It was a bit of an adjustment into my first year at Hope but, it gave me a good understand of what to expect.

How was your academic transition to college?

To be honest, it was kind of tough. It was very important to manage the time I had in between sports, classes, and social life to do homework and study.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

My dad. He always pushed me through my hockey career to be the best player I could be.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Manage time between sports and school well. It is most important to do well in all your classes.

Education comes first.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

I do not see hockey any differently when playing at a collegiate level. It is the same sport I have love my whole life but, at a more competitive level.

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Emma DeYoung UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT- LACROSSE

Emma is fierce in everything she does. She played 4-years of D-1 Lacrosse while studying to become a nurse, all while keeping that same fierce approach to her sport and the classroom. I was always impressed by her toughness, and an attitude that wouldn't allow her to slow down or quit. No matter how hard something gets, she finds a way to amp it up, and go even harder. And she didn't do it just because it was expected. She did it because it was in her DNA. She doesn't know how to fail. She's experienced setbacks on her path for sure. But accept failure? She has no idea what that means.

Why do you Play? (the reason WHY you play your sport; passion, excitement) I play lacrosse because I thrive on competition.

If I wasn't challenged in high school and college I would have never succeeded.

At what age did you start playing sports?

I used to tell my parents "I don't want to run so I don't want to play sports." They literally could not get me to play soccer growing up. I ended up playing one of the sports you run the most in! I started playing in 8th grade and was part of the Grand Rapids Christian Middle Schools first lacrosse team.

Was anyone in your immediate family an athlete?

Both of my parents played sports. My dad was a wrestler in high school and my mom did gymnastics all growing up and played volleyball and basketball in high school.

How has your family support been through all of your playing years from youth until now?

My family is the reason I think I was so successful in my lacrosse career. My dad actually started coaching my team when I was a junior in high school which was really awesome. Both of my parents challenged me to practice extra, play wall ball, lift and condition and play summer travel. They were at nearly every home game in college. Even when I was a freshman and didn't play a lot. They were there supporting me and encouraging me to do my best and earn that starting spot.

Do you find college sports just as Competitive or more laid back than high school?

WAAAYYY more competitive. Division 1 sports control your life! It's exactly what I wanted. We practiced, lifted, conditioned and watched film for at least 4-5 hours every day.

How Competitive are you?

I'm SUPER Competitive

How is college experience different than high school?

Every waking moment in college is focused on #1 school and #2 lacrosse.

My coaches had my schedule so they knew where I was every moment of the day. This was intimidating but also reassuring because I knew exactly what I needed to be doing during the day. I am a very scheduled and regimented person so I loved the structure of college lacrosse. College is different because you come from being the best at your high school and are put with 30 girls from all over the country that were also the best in high school. The competition is elevated, the desire is elevated and the drive is elevated. We ALL wanted to succeed and win. I enjoyed having the 100% investment on the team. In high school, that wasn't really the culture of my team. It was more fun and games. I really struggled with that because I wanted to WIN! Another really cool thing about college was that my coaches (head coach, assistants and strength coaches) were my supporters. It's different moving away from home and not having your parents who have been there supporting you from the very beginning. I turned to my coaches and became very close with them. I spent hours watching film and playing wall ball to get to the level the senior starters were at when I was a freshman. My coaches challenged me and really helped me become a top level competitor.

Is your college coach’s style significantly different than your High School coach’s style?

Yes

If YES, how different?

I think my college coach was more competitive and wanted to win as badly as I did. She also was a collegiate athlete so she knew exactly what it took to get big wins and execute. We were a lot more structured in college with set plays and different defenses. She set high expectations that we had to meet to play. If those expectations weren't met, sorry...you probably weren't going to see the field. It was "tough love" as most people put it, but it creates an environment in which our team wanted to be the best we could be to execute and win games.

At the college level, how do you balance school and sports?

HA! I was in nursing school. Between 4-5 hours of lacrosse every day, 6am lifts, 8am classes and labs that went until 3pm, 12 hour night shift clinicas in season, traveling down south every other weekend

for games...I really had no life. I learned how to time manage, get things done WAY ahead of time. I learned that doing homework in airports, hotels and buses was a necessity. I lugged my 10lb science books everywhere. I also learned that in order for me to function every day I needed to find time to take a nap at some point during my day. Somehow, I got it done but honestly looking back at my college life now, I really don't know how I made it!

Part of college life beyond high school is also about "finding your adult social identity.” Where you able to develop a social life beyond your sport? Explain I have been able to develop my adult life this past year. I work in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit which is a very fast paced, intense unit. Kind of like college lacrosse! I also was asked to help coach Grand Valley's Women's Lacrosse team this year so I still am involved in the sport at the collegiate level.

How was your adjustment to college sports? (ex "It was easy...", "It was a huge learning curve..."

Adjusting to college sports took a lot of time. Many tears over not playing sometimes, but I was also able to celebrate huge victories as a starter and role player on my team too!

What was your most difficult adjustment to playing your collegiate sport? (ex. speed of the game, new teammates, learning the college game, etc) I would say the speed of the game was difficult to get used to. I used to be able to run the ball down the field and no one would touch me but in college, most girls are just as fast as me and made me work a little harder!

What was one of your more memorable collegiate sports moments? It could be a game moment, a moment in practice, etc When we beat our conference rival team in the conference playoff tournament. They had never lost a conference game (let alone in the tournament) so that was super exciting for us as a team.

What (if anything) was a complete surprise to you regarding playing your sport in college?

I was surprised how much extra work I needed to put in to get where I wanted to be on the team.

Did you bond well with you college team? If so what was your team experience in college like?

I absolutely loved my team. We were all really close and were able to talk to each other about anything.

What is/was you major? Minor? Was it influenced by your sport at all?

Nursing - I have wanted to be a nurse for as long as i remember. I was really picky about schools. I decided I wouldn't go to a school that wouldn't let me do a science major and play a sport.

Did Grand Rapids Christian prepare you academically for the college academics?

Yes and no. I don't think high school can ever fully prepare you for the workload of college. But GRC did prepare me with tools to succeed like time management, good study habits and how to approach teachers when I had a question or needed help.

How was your academic transition to college?

It was hard, but once I figured out the best method for myself to study it went smoother.

Who in your personal life was your biggest influencer throughout your playing career youth through college?

I would say my dad was my biggest influencer. He challenged me to always go the extra mile, went out and played catch with me, tried to find ways to make me mad before games (because I always played better angry), and learned all about defense so he could help me become a great defender. I always wanted to make him proud of me.

What would be the piece of advice you'd give to a future college athlete who aspires to play at the collegiate level?

Try your best. Don't quit when things don't go your way or when it gets hard. And appreciate the opportunity you were given because before you know it, this opportunity will be gone.

Do you see your sport differently now that you are playing it at the collegiate level?

So differently! It's hard for me to watch any level below the collegiate level.

COLLEGE GRAD QUESTIONS When did you graduate? / What is your degree in?

2018/Nursing What are your plans beyond college regarding your sport? (ex. Will you play your sport recreationally? Coach your sport?)

There aren't really rec lacrosse teams around the area, but I am heavily involved in coaching GVSU, helping out with GRC when I can and coaching summer travel.

What (if anything) would you change about your collegiate sports experiment?

I wish I would have worked out a little more in the summer so I came back in the fall in better shape!!

Do you believe that your collegiate sport experience helped you develop and grow as a person? Are you glad that you were a college athlete?

Absolutely. It prepared me for how to become a successful adult! yes Ii wouldn't change it for the world. By far the best decision of my life!

Epilogue My weight room office is located in the lower level of the Grand Rapids Christian Quest Athletic Center. On the wall above my desk I have a self made mural, photos of Eagle Athletes who have passed through since my arrival. The photos are mostly black and white, many of the edges curled up, with photos faded due to the passage of time. They are candid shots of athletes training, posing for pics, or any number of situations they have been captured in over the years.

For me, this wall serves as a blessing and reminder. It's a blessing to get the opportunity to be part of these student-athletes lives for that sliver of time known as high school, and it’s a reminder of the work and sacrifice that they have made to become student-athletes, serving as examples for those that come after them.

As I wrote at the beginning, this is an ​incomplete work​.

For every Alex Bos featured in this work, there are many, many, many other current and former GR Christian grads who have taken the collegiate student-athlete route, who are also doing great things.

Former Eagle and current NFL player Kavon Frazier is one such Eagle. As impressive as it is to have one of our own play in the NFL, what impresses me more Kavon's character and work ethic. He graduated college in only 3 1/2 years while playing football all four seasons, earning his degree in childhood development. He is using his platform as a professional athlete to run the "Frazier Cares Foundation", because he wants to make a difference in the lives of young people everywhere. This is an Eagle who has really taken Flight.

And there are many more stories of our Eagles taking their place in the outside world and making a difference.

They come from many backgrounds and have different stories, but collectively come together at Grand Rapids Christian, then move on with the lessons learned here. They may be different people, but they are tied together through this Eagle bond.

"There are more things that tie us together than walls that separate us".​ When I heard this quote, I thought it fittingly represented our Eagles who each Spring at graduation, Take Flight.

And they are flying so, so high.

Daimond Dixon May 2019

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and THANKS This work would not have been possible without the “behind the scenes” work of a few people that were recruited along the way.

Big thanks to ​Lindsay Hart​ and ​Jana Hoglung​ at GRCS Admin for helping to guide this year long creative process; ​Abby Gurka​ our outstanding Freshman Girls Basketball Coach who translated each athlete story from a google doc to a readable work; Melissa Diekema, super mom to two former and one current Eagle Athlete who endured my endless typos and fantastically edited this work; and of course to the Grand Rapids Christian Teachers, Support Staff and Coaches who have done their part to influence our greatest generation.

We are what are children grow beyond