I recently moved from Texas to Iowa to help launch the creation of a new swim team at Dordt University. Now in our second year, we are seeing rapid growth but a lot of potential ahead. College athletics often help young people achieve goals, share their talents, and enrich their collegiate experience. But here at Dordt, we believe athletics can also be an arena for developing a Christian faith through character and service - and putting all these elements together is a vision that I firmly believe in.
As we continue to grow, I’m making sure that the heart and soul of this program is excellence, character, and faith. An essential part of this is creating a culture that feels like family—rooted in Christian principles and real relationships. As a coach, I am constantly looking for ways to develop those things in the students and there’s a big payoff whenever you see the students doing the same for each other. When young men and women learn the joy that comes from working hard together to do everything for the glory of God, it is a powerful lesson that pays off not just at college, but also as they carry those values with them out into the world.
In the next few years, I’m encouraging the team to set some ambitious goals. We talk about placing at the Conference championship (maybe taking home a first-place banner!) and setting goals to go to the national meet. Seeing these young men and women set lofty goals and work faithfully to reach them is deeply rewarding. But above all I’m mainly thankful for the small part I can play in building up the character of each of our swimmers so that they can have a godly impact in the world once they are out on their own.
I hope to leave a good name and legacy as the founding coach of a team with a great reputation, not just in the pool but outside of it as well. But what really drives me is the aim of influencing the lives of these young men and women for good, so that they'll go out into the world as men and women of character and Christian virtue.
As we continue to grow, I’m making sure that the heart and soul of this program is excellence, character, and faith. An essential part of this is creating a culture that feels like family—rooted in Christian principles and real relationships. As a coach, I am constantly looking for ways to develop those things in the students and there’s a big payoff whenever you see the students doing the same for each other. When young men and women learn the joy that comes from working hard together to do everything for the glory of God, it is a powerful lesson that pays off not just at college, but also as they carry those values with them out into the world.
In the next few years, I’m encouraging the team to set some ambitious goals. We talk about placing at the Conference championship (maybe taking home a first-place banner!) and setting goals to go to the national meet. Seeing these young men and women set lofty goals and work faithfully to reach them is deeply rewarding. But above all I’m mainly thankful for the small part I can play in building up the character of each of our swimmers so that they can have a godly impact in the world once they are out on their own.
I hope to leave a good name and legacy as the founding coach of a team with a great reputation, not just in the pool but outside of it as well. But what really drives me is the aim of influencing the lives of these young men and women for good, so that they'll go out into the world as men and women of character and Christian virtue.