Although school wasn’t in session, Calvin’s athletes kept busy this summer. When they weren’t taking in big sporting events, such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the Manchester United vs. Real Madrid game at the Big House, Derek Jeter’s retirement, or Mo’ne Davis and Jackie Robinson West making headlines at the Little League World Series, they had an opportunity to grow outside of their respective sports.

Many NCAA Division III athletes aren’t expecting to play professionally, so they take their time as a student seriously.  Advisors typically recommend that all students should have an internship the summer after their junior year at the latest.

Ben Guilfoyle, a senior on the baseball team, managed to juggle an internship and baseball this summer. While he played for the Romeoville Royals, he spent 40 hours a week at an internship with Salco Products in Illinois.  He said that although he was very busy, he enjoyed being able to continue his education and play in a competitive league during a productive summer.

Keeping up a schedule like Guilfoyle’s is a lot like the school year for athletes, who spend around 15 hours in class and countless hours studying during the year, all while going to practices two seasons out of the year. He admitted that he loved the atmosphere after returning from a productive summer break.

James Van Noord, a senior on the golf team, spent his summer caddying at a golf course and taking summer classes.

“Summer is the time you get work done and make improvements that you simply can’t do during the fast paced MIAA season,” he said.

While some athletes are very busy, most of them still had time to enjoy the big summer events like the World Cup.  Some athletes rooted for the United States, while others chose to stay true to their heritage and root for the Netherlands.  

Junior Nick Groenewold recalled Clint Dempsey’s 36-second goal against Ghana as his favorite moment, while senior Jacob Kuyvenhoven remembered the athletic endeavors of Robin van Persie when he scored a diving header against Spain.

Students also reflected on the success of other athletes.  Kuyvenhoven thought that the return of LeBron James was the biggest moment of the summer.

“A huge moment like this where he re-treads his career path back to his hometown in a noble and articulate fashion is something I will never forget,” Kuyvenhoven said.

Guilfoyle thought that Jackie Robinson West played really well:

“They helped shed some positive light to an area which has been through horrible times recently.”

There are other opportunities for athletes in the summer as well, such as the Gainey Leadership Retreat where select student leaders from each team spend a week on the Gainey Ranch in southwest Montana to get equipped with new leadership skills.

Alex Dhaenens, a senior on the swim team who had the opportunity to go on the leadership retreat in 2013 and then study abroad this past summer reflected on her experience in the retreat.

“[The retreat] was a life changing trip and allowed me to grow in my faith, grow as a team leader and make a lot of friends who are also fellow athletes,” she said.

Usually athletes don’t get the opportunity to travel abroad because their seasons extend over both semesters.  Some athletes use Interim while others use May term.

All of the athletes who were interviewed said they were glad to be back on campus with their teammates.  Fall sports have already started their seasons and other sports are waiting to start the first week of fall training.