Monday

As with anything filled with tradition ... the week at the beach immediately felt like years past. Morning began with coach Diemer's 8:30 a.m. devotions. 
From Kaylea Brase:
"The devos today were about living God-centered lives. Coach Diemer started by describing how he and some of his close friends followed their sport to the end of the trail (Olympics and such!) but found that it didn't satisfy. He read us a quote from C.S. Lewis that basically said that if you find nothing can satisfy you in this world, then maybe you weren't made for this world. We discussed our longing for home and for God and for something higher. We talked about why we are here, which is described in some confession (can't remember which one) as to glorify God and enjoy Him. We ended by discussing how we can turn our longing for God into service, worship, and joy instead of turning to things that don't truly satisfy."


Devos' were followed by another long standing tradition ... stragglers for the Monday morning bus to the track. 
Thanks to the quick thinking Caledonia boy (and football scourge of the Sailors), Kenny Echtinaw, realized we needed the throwing toys on the same bus as the dumbbells. We were heading a few miles up 59 to the track while the harriers were going for a long run along the intercostal. Two buses, two sites ... we needed all the heavy stuff on one bus. Things would not go well without our bright Calvin students.
The day was chilly ... high of 58˚ with a strong gulf breeze pushing down the coast. It gave everyone a good day to get settled.
Online album : Gulf Shores track & field 2010

As the sun settled in the west more traditions began to unfold ... walks to Scoops for some ice cream and the annual "Hey coach, can I get another piercing (or tattoo)?" phone call request. 

Sunday

I headed an hour east into to Pensacola Regional Airport to pick up our divers. Pole vaulters Casey Herman and Joy Leach were up at 3:45 a.m. to catch their flight out of Minneapolis–St Paul International Airport. They both dived for the Knights at the NCAA Divisiion III Swimming & Diving Championships. 
As we have for three decades, team attended the 10:45 a.m. service at First Baptist Church of Gulf Shores.


Meet report from Calvin's SID extraordinaire ... Jeff Febus.
MEMPHIS, TN – The Calvin men’s and women’s track and field teams both had strong starts to their outdoor seasons at the Rhodes College Open Invitational on Saturday. A mix of NCAA I, II and III along with some strong NAIA teams gave the Knights great competition at all levels.

On the women’s side, fresh off her national championship performance in the 400m the week before at the NCAA III Indoor Championships, junior Rachel Boerner (Bergenfield NJ) came up with an NCAA III automatic qualifying time of 61.64 that was good for second place on Saturday, behind Talisha Lee of Mississippi State University.

The Calvin women also had NCAA III provisional qualifying times from senior Jessica Koster (Grand Rapids Christian HS) in the 10k (36:42.39), senior Elizabeth Smit (Kirkland WA) in the 3k steeplechase (11:00.32), Calvin’s 4x400m relay team (3:55.00), junior Leigha Oberle (Grand Rapids Christian HS) in the discus (141-11) and junior Sarah Reasoner (Cambridge MN) in the discus (136-08) and shot put (43-09 ¾).

Highlights for the Calvin men included junior Joel Klingenberg (Hamilton ON) placing fourth in the javelin (173-11), senior Brad Stroner (Lakewood HS) raced well in the 100m (11.20) and 200m (22.81). Stoner commented, "After not competing in 2009 my training is coming around and my races felt great. I'm really looking forward to the MIAA Jamboree in a few weeks." Senior Caleb Rottman (Fargo ND) taking fourth in the high jump (6-04 ¾), senior Aaron Goodman (Milwaukee WI) taking second in the 3k steeplechase (9:25.05) and junior Ben Van Wyk (Sussex NJ) taking third with a 20-plus second PB of 9:26.00, junior Alex Wrobel (Arden Hills MN) taking eighth in the 800m (1:58.08), senior and former MIAA MVP Kelby McClelland returned to the outdoor races after a two season layoff by taking seventh in the 110m high hurdles (15.62) with Rottman eighth (15.83), sophomore Nick Kramer (Dyer, IN) taking fourth in the 5k (14:49.76) and sophomore Dan Kerr (Petoskey HS) placing third in the 10k (31:58.65).

Saturday

We had a great meet Saturday. Four bus trips (7, 7:45, 9:15 and 10 a.m.) over the Mississippi River got our ninety-one Knights to the track for a day of racing, jumping and throwing.


results:
Rhodes College Open Meet


Online album : Gulf Shores track & field 2010

We're on our way south

Greetings Calvin track & field friends.

I'll be make three to four entries a day discussing the goings-on of your Knight thinclads (see 1950s Chimes articles) during our yearly training trip south.

As usual I drove the blocker van ... arriving at the Ramada Inn west of Memphis about four hours ahead of the buses.

As you would expect, the only construction and traffic we saw on our ten hour drive was on the outskirts of the Windy City. To pass time we asked the kids the origin of the name of Illiana Christian schools.

Looks like a great meet for the Knights tomorrow with some solid NCAA D1 teams and few solid NCAA D3 teams. The men's 5k should a lightning fast. Here's the meet info:
Rhodes Open Meet
... and heat sheets:
Heat Sheets (Posted 3/19/2010)

Two of our coaches are also competing. Jed Christiansen, coming off his ninth NCAA appearance at last weekends NCAA Division III indoor championships, has completed his college eligibility and will spend his spring learning all the events as a student-assistant coach. He will be joining Nick Kramer in what looks to be a lightning fast 5k. Assistant coach and Olympic Trials 9th placer Katie Corner (2004 grad) will be competing for Sports Club Amicus as the top seed in the women's discus.

If you have any questions, concerns or questions just zip me an e-mail or give me a call 616.648.6273

Norm Zylstra
Calvin alumni office and track & field coach

Lazy Sunday

We're all home in one piece. I'll be adding to the blog over the next few days as more athletes send me things they would like to add.

winning poem ::
Ode to Gulf Shores
I love you a lot,
I hope every year that it will be hot,
That wish however is sadly in vain,
As my hopes of sunshine drown with the rain.

I love you so much,
Al Hoekstra tells me you owe your existence to the Dutch
Calvin Al says we built you from scratch.
And ever since then we have been so attached.

Down from Grand Rapids we all make the trek,
Snowstorms in Arkansas, what the heck!
500, 400, 4, 3, 2–oh how my trip is not complete without you.

Sprinters at 10; was it hurdlers at noon,
I hope Baker will call with the answer soon.

Devos in the morning, then get to the bus,
If you're not on by 10, please do not cuss.
Just join us with distance, they know the way,
How many miles to the track? you will say.

Better make it to Scoops at least once per trip,
Lick up your ice cream so it won't drip.
Join us at Lambert's and eat some throwed bread.

Now it's off stuffing our faces until we feel dead,
the outlets to get us some great deals,
the same shoes as coach Kim, what a steal!

Talent night’s my favorite, always a scream.
Ask Sarah Orendorff–Jed was a dream!
Toasters, guitars, movies and what not.
The Minnesotian track jackets–now they were hot!

Back on the bus after trainin' all week.
Saturday's run in the rain makes my shoes reek.
18 hours on the bus seems quite a while,
But oh Gulf Shores, how you make me smile.

-Kristen Van Sickel '09 (Trinty Christian HS, Pittsburgh PA)

another entry ::
I used to run the 400,
I used to run a minute race,
I used to spring till I was dead,
but now I'm here to pace,

(chorus)
Oh the times they are a changin'
I'm retiring my uniform
I'm joining now the coaching ranks,
With Diemer, Kim and Norm

I used to wear an inner tube,
and lead the freshman games,
but now I try to stand and watch
and merely learn their names

(chorus)
I used to run the 4 by 4,
but now I'll time your split
and shout along the backstretch
'till your racing fires lit

(chorus)
Yes, I'm trying something new now
I'm taking a new approach
So let me help you where I can
as your new assistant coach

That sounds kind of depressing when I type it, but I am not depressed. Running sucks sometimes, and I don't miss all the throwing up... The part that does suck is that I have to wear a watch. That feels weird.

-coach Joel Baker '08 (Kalamazoo Christian HS)

Friday evening

Photos from the "talent" show.

Friday afternoon

Lightning keeps everyone inside packing, rehearsing, napping and playing.