FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[matblake]

To:  matblake

Wisconsin Lutheran's football non-conference opponents are Valparaiso, Dubuque, Rockford and Concordia, WI. If I recall correctly, Rockford had a great football season last year.

WLCALUM83

In looking further into it, CUW is usually at the top of the IBFC.  Rockford did have a good record, including a win over WLC, guess I had forgotten about that.

[matblake]

I'm thinking I might be able to make it out to the Hope/Wheaton game.  Never having been to Holland (except for my brother's wedding in the summer where my whole schedule was already set) any ideas on what some good places to eat are for before and after the game? 

[formerd3db]

matblake:

It would be great to meet you as well if you make it to the game.  Indeed, there are a lot of good places to eat at; just north of the stadium area on U.S. 31 is all the "eatery" places and malls.  Most of the name restaurant's are there.  Some nice ones downtown in Holland, more atmospheric cafes per se, but the usual good places are north of town.  Hope that helps.

[matblake]

It does help.  Thanks.

[Stinger]

formerd3db

You're quite right that the press box needs to be updated.   You shouldn't be suprised that the money isn't there.  Until Kzoo (administrators and execs) gets serious about their athletic department and realize that athletics can do wonders for a small college, they aren't going to spend money there.   The admin at K thinks that athletics is just another extra-curricular activity like chess club.   Budgets are the same for many sports as they were 8-10 years ago. Embarassing.   We alumns help out where we can, but I highly doubt we'll see a large campaign for athletic facilities anytime soon. 

[formerd3db]

It does help.  Thanks.

You are welcome.  Let me know closer to the date if/when you are coming to the game.

formerd3db

You're quite right that the press box needs to be updated.   You shouldn't be suprised that the money isn't there.  Until Kzoo (administrators and execs) gets serious about their athletic department and realize that athletics can do wonders for a small college, they aren't going to spend money there.   The admin at K thinks that athletics is just another extra-curricular activity like chess club.   Budgets are the same for many sports as they were 8-10 years ago. Embarassing.   We alumns help out where we can, but I highly doubt we'll see a large campaign for athletic facilities anytime soon. 

stinger:
Except for tennis, right?   That's too bad.  Kazoo has such a rich tradition in athletics, yes, including football as they were one of the very early powers in the MIAA in the 1890's.  At least they aren't going to drop the sport, like it was nastily (and very incorrectly) reported last year by some jerk from somewhere.  Anyway, you alums are to be complimented on helping out as you have and as much as you can.  Keep up the effort and hopefully, the situation with the administration will eventually change.  I have met a couple of profs from Kazoo in brief passing i.e. just briefly and in the course of our conversation, I know they are indeed supportive of the football program.  Keep us posted.  Also, hopefully Brooks will be improve the team in the next year or two.  This being his second year, I look for some improvement - as I mentioned before, they'll be a spoiler and are not to be taken lightly by any MIAA team IMO.

[79jaybird]

to throw my 2 cents in... I think football more than any sport draws attention to a school.  Specifically, small schools need attention getters.  The first "main event" for incoming freshmen and their families is the Football Game.  The players who have practiced all summer get a chance to go for a W.  The Cheerleaders get to perform their acts, etc.  and the entire puzzle gets showcased for the first time.
I can't stand hearing about schools, Alumni, or (whomever)  not fielding athletics, or not thinking Athletics is an important part of the college.
Some examples in the CCIW are the Shirk Center at IWU, North Park's new Holmgren Athletic Center and practice facility, Wheaton's Soccer Complex, Millkin's Lindsey Field, etc.  people need to proud and help out their Alma Maters.
Hopefully Kalamazoo can "get with the times" and help their football (and all sports) get the proper help it deserves.

[dc_has_been]

Has there ever been any talk about Calvin ever fielding a football team? 

[M and L]

It is a shame to see K-zoo's football program decline the way it has the past few year because they were always a big for at MSJ.  We lost to them my freshman and soph. in 02 & 03.  Things just weren't the same when they got that new head coach.

[Preto]

Has there ever been any talk about Calvin ever fielding a football team? 

Lots of talk, not much action.

For a few reasons:

1.)  students - Calvin doesn't need 'em, they have plenty.
2.)  money - Calvin's the cheapest school in the MIAA and wants to stay that way.
3.)  staff - they have a hard enough time hiring coaches who work at the college for the sports they have, let alone adding the beast called football.

But....
NAIA Dordt College (Iowa), another Reformed college, is adding football.  They will will field a junior varsity team in 2007 with a full varsity schedule in 2008.


Calvin Has No Plans to Join Pigskin Parade

Friday, October 24, 2003
By Howie Beardsley
The Grand Rapids Press

South Christian won a state football title and Grand Rapids Christian claimed its first conference championship last season. Both have been playing football for decades.

Chicago Christian recently won the Private School League championship in Illinois.

Calvin Christian is bidding for its first berth in the state playoffs this year.

Holland Christian and Unity Christian both are in their first year of varsity teams.

All those Christian high schools feed a considerable number of students -- and potential football players -- to Calvin College, which is well known for its NCAA Division III success in basketball, track and cross country.

What Calvin has never done is put together a football program.

Why?

"It isn't that we're anti-football, but when you have one specific sport leading the way, your other sports are short-changed," said Dr. Marv Zuidema, who serves as the co-athletic director at Calvin while awaiting his approaching retirement.

"We like to see all our sports receive interest."

Hope College, which is Calvin's arch-rival in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, has competed in football for decades, yet no one associated with the Flying Dutchmen athletic department seems to complain about being in the shadow of the football team.

The fact is, pretty much all football-playing colleges and universities hang their hat on football, including all the other school's in the MIAA. Football is also the main revenue-maker for all the other sports.

So why not football at Calvin?

"Right now, there's no immediate need or desire to jump into football," Zuidema said. "Right now, it would take a considerable amount of money to come up with all the equipment and good coaches who know the sport and our educational philosophy to play football at Calvin.

"And we'd need a field."

Nevertheless, the idea of starting up the sport at Calvin has been discussed on several occasions.

"We've probably had studies on football every 10 years or so over the last 40 years," Zuidema said. "(But) our biggest philosophy is trying to have a whole basic athletic program, and one we've been very, very successful with."

Calvin did seriously consider an intramural football program in the 1980s, "but, again, finances with regards to equipment, insurance and proper leadership were a drawback," Zuidema said.

Zuidema did not have financial figures to share when talking about the costs of playing football at Calvin.

Co-athletic director Kevin Vande Streek, who will soon become the Knights' official athletic director once Zuidema retires, says colleges that have begun football programs in the recent past have done so to improve enrollments.

"We've closed our enrollment, so we don't need football to bring in students," said Vande Streek, the Knights' men's basketball coach.

"I'm a huge football fan. I love college football, and the opportunity it gives young men who participate. And it's exciting to see those Christian high schools adding football. But I don't know how much interest there is at Calvin to begin football."

According to Calvin president Dr. Gaylen Byker, there will probably never be football played at the school.

"The cost is a huge factor," Byker said. "With Title IX, we would have to come up with more women's sports. It's just not feasible.

"My perception is that football is the most demanding sport to fit into a Christian liberal arts program. Adding football would probably double our sports budget, which would likely raise our tuition costs for all students, so I don't anticipate Calvin having football anytime in the near future."

Among area football fans who are disappointed that Calvin doesn't compete in football is Hope College athletic director Ray Smith, who is also the former legendary coach of the Dutchmen football program.

"Just like basketball, we know we would lose recruits to Calvin if it played football, because Calvin has been known to have a Christian pipeline," Smith said. "But it would be wonderful if Calvin had a football team. It would definitely enhance our league and give Hope a great, positive football rivalry just like we have with Calvin-Hope basketball.

"I guess we'll just have to respect Calvin's decision not to have football, and move on. But it would be very healthy for the MIAA, because in four to five years Calvin would be very competitive with every other football program in league, simply because when Calvin does something, it does it well."

Unfortunately, we'll never know how well Calvin would compete in football, since it appears the school will never play football.

The link to this article no longer works.

[WLCALUM83]

Preto:

  I also was curious as to why Calvin didn't have a football team. Thanks for posting that.



   WLCALUM83

[79jaybird]

Looks like there are some overriding issues that are inhibiting a football plan.  It is a shame, but I can see why Calvin doesn't go through with it.  Well, one can hope than in the future, the talk about football will continue and perhaps one day we will see football at Calvin.

[dc_has_been]

Preto=thanks for the quick response & the artical.  I'll agree w/ Hope's response that it would do a lot of positives for the MIAA. 

[lakeshore]

who will be some of the top QBs in the MIAA this year?  How will Adrian's new stadium affect the other schools?

[bulldogalum]

How will Adrian's new stadium affect the other schools?

Well, I would imagine, at the very least, opposing teams will have to go on mapquest and get a new set of directions .  My guess is that the effect will be more indirect on opposing teams.  Adrian will benefit from the excitement around the new stadium, (presumably) larger crowds, and a more lively gametime atmosphere.  As a result, things will be more difficult for teams visiting the Yet-To-Be-Named (though I might suggest naming it after ADAWG, who happens to be one of Adrian's alltime greats) Stadium.