COVID-19 setbacks solidify life lessons for Callista DeCramer ’20

A wise man once said, “We must stop regarding unexpected things as interruptions of real life. The truth is that interruptions are real life.”

That sentiment couldn’t be truer than when, in mid-March, the NCAA decided to cancel all championship events because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, studentathletes already were on site for Division III indoor nationals for track and field in North Carolina. Ripon senior Callista DeCramer was one of those student-athletes, and she was preparing to appear in her fourth career event at nationals.

“At the moment it was devastating,” DeCramer says. “Finishing midterms early, traveling to North Carolina, and practicing for three days only for the meet to be canceled less than 24 hours before I was supposed to compete in the pentathlon was heartbreaking. It was even more painful because it was my last opportunity to compete at indoor nationals.”

The global pandemic also wiped out DeCramer’s outdoor track season, as all NCAA spring sports were cancelled. After some thought, however, and letting everything sink in during the last few months, DeCramer, who was seeded fifth in the country during the indoor regular season, has a different perspective on things.

“Initially, I felt the decision to cancel the NCAA Indoor Championships was premature and unfair to the studentathletes,” she says. “Now, however, I realize it was more than necessary to cancel for everyone’s health and safety. It’s in no way how I imagined my indoor track career would end as I missed the opportunity to compete in my last-ever pentathlon.”

As one of the most accomplished track and field student-athletes in Ripon College history, DeCramer currently holds seven school records (five indoor, two outdoor), including running a leg on two school relay records.

“The 4x200m is by far my favorite record,” she says. “Breaking individual records is exciting, but nothing compares to breaking a relay record. Although I strive to push myself to my limits in each event, there’s something special about running the anchor leg on a relay. The pressure of finishing the race after your teammates have already run their hearts out is incredibly motivating.”

A four-time Academic All-Conference performer, DeCramer also has earned recognition as a two-time National AllAcademic performer, All-Region honors and All-American status this year. Ironically, all those awards and accolades almost never happened.

“I didn’t plan on competing in track when I first came to Ripon, but luckily my freshman roommate, Maya Petersen, convinced me to come to athlete-led practices in the fall of that year,” DeCramer says. “After the first week, I was hooked, and the past four years have been about so much more than honors and records. The real pleasure has come from being part of such a caring and cohesive team. My teammates and coaches have made me feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be, and doing what I’m supposed to do.”

DeCramer is a physical education major from Princeton, Wisconsin, and both of her parents — Laird DeCramer ’77 and Linda Glaubitz DeCramer ’89, both attended Ripon. Her father played on the basketball team.

Because of that history, DeCramer has always had a solid support system. But by being on campus the last four years, her support system has grown exponentially and she has been able to teach herself life lessons along the way.

“I’m an entirely different person and athlete today,” DeCramer says. “Growing up in the sheltered reality of rural Wisconsin, I was aware of racism in our society but didn’t often witness it firsthand. Fortunately, during my educational experience at Ripon, I’ve come to realize that merely acknowledging the existence of racism is not sufficient. It’s paramount that we actively advocate for those who are oppressed by the systemic racism that plagues this country.

“Through my education and my time on the track team, I’ve learned the necessity not only of equality, but also equity when it comes to human rights. The success of any team lies in the contributions of each individual athlete to the whole. When each individual athlete receives the tools and attention they need to succeed, the entire team improves. The same principle applies to our society, as peace and justice cannot be realized until we acknowledge the inequalities in our society and treat those detrimentally affected not only with equality, but also equity.”

MIKE WESTEMEIER DIRECTOR OF ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS