Monthly Archive for June, 2008

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Published on June 23, 2008 in Uncategorized. Closed

Changes abound in the GPAC coaching circles. As earlier reported, the Hastings women’s basketball coaching job was vacant after Tony Hobson left for Fort Hayes State in Kansas. Enter Jeff Dittman over the weekend. Many Dordt followers will remember Dittman from Dordt’s time in the SDIC when he coached Dakota State in Madison, South Dakota, a post he held for over a decade until late last week.

Caught by surprise today when Sioux Falls announced Shane Murphy would be resigning as men’s basketball coach this afternoon. Was at USF for seven seasons.

On the home front, well, it’s kind of quiet. Defender Gold golf tournament is Friday–still room for entries…contact Steve Mouw if interested at steve@dordt.edu

In terms of recruiting coaches have almost completely turned the page to the high school senior class of 2009, but, who knows, maybe we’ll have a few yet before August 1 rolls around.

Soccer coach Dave Schenk will be in and out of the office until officially starting in July while Tim Covey, Dordt’s softball coach, will be on the job in July as well.

Summertime…

Published on June 17, 2008 in Uncategorized. Closed

Watched, like many, the US Open over the weekend and was amazed at the mental toughness the competitors showed. Speaking as someone whose golf game can best be described as, well, painful, I truly amazed at the grace they can perform under intense pressure without letting their brains get in the way.

Leads me into one of my hobbies….no, not golf, you don’t want to hear about that–Seems like summer is the time when I finally get a chance to catch up on reading. During the school year with busy-ness all around I have to put one of my favorite hobbies on hold but during the summer I can get into it.

I just finished with the book called The Match by Mark Frost. If you like golf and some of the historical figures that laid the groundwork for the modern game you’ll like this. Frost also wrote The Greatest Game Ever Played which is also a movie–I recommend the book. Anyone who loves competition and/or golf will like it, I think. It was recommended by a friend who said I had to read it..glad he did. Thanks Orv B!

Later in July two of my favorite authors, Robert Crais and James Lee Burke come out with books in their continuing series involving the characters Elvis Cole and Dave Robicheaux. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to polish them off before football/volleyball/soccer/cross country camps open in August.

That’s it for now. Time to fire up the grill…

Miscellaneous notes and help

Published on June 12, 2008 in Uncategorized. Closed

June 12 already. Been keeping busy with some off-season tasks. Am almost done writing the bios for the returning fall and winter athletes for the webpage and print programs. Also am in the process of organizing advertisers for the various print programs we put out for football, volleyball and basketball. Also, this year, we’re helping the hockey program by handling the print and layout of their program which frees them up to concentrate on their hockey season.

I’m also in the process of putting together a record of past hockey seasons and am running into significant gaps, so, that’s where I need your help. If you played for the Blades and have any game results from past seasons, or stats (goals, assists, games played, roster, etc….) I would really like a copy of the information. You can e mail it to me at mbyker@dordt.edu or send it to my attention:

Dordt College

498 4th Ave NE

Sioux Center, Iowa 51250

Again, anything would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you’d like to advertise your business in our athletic programs contact me. We sent about 150 informational letters out and am sure I missed someone along the way.

By the way, our first fall competition is August 22 with the volleyball team at Brownsville, Texas and the rest of the seasons follow suit quite soon after. Noticed Northwestern has a countdown to kickoff for the Dordt game just a little over 86 days till the first varsity Dordt College football game.Received a football roster for the upcoming season, right now there are about 90 athletes on the list…that is still subject to change, obviously. I can hear Coach Heavner still working for recruits on the phone.

Moved coach Dave Schenk into his Sioux Center home last week. He’ll be coaching both the men’s and women’s soccer teams and will be helping with some tasks in the sports information office. Has had a lot of success coaching soccer in high school. He’s a Dordt grad from the late 1980′s. Later this summer Tim Covey will be moving to Sioux Center as well, he’ll be coaching softball and will also be in the admissions office. I think we are very fortunate to have these two on the coaching staff for the coming year.

Defender Gold Club will be hosting their annual golf tournament on June 27. Information can be found at http://www.dordt.edu/cgi-bin/news/get_news.pl?id=3078

June 4, 2008

Published on June 4, 2008 in Uncategorized. Closed

June is here. Transition time again with a year wrapped up and another looming.

All of the scholar-athlete announcements are out. Three more in baseball led by Dillon Peters, a double major in accounting and finance. Has an outside chance to be the all-time hits leader at Dordt College before he’s done. Time will tell. Also Craig Horstman and Kyle Dieleman, a pair of pitchers made the honor roll. Well done guys.

Football camp last week, by all accounts, was a success. Coaches enjoyed it, kids loved it. Around 100 participants in what I’m sure will become a staple on the summertime schedule. Kids from first through eighth grade participated and had a ball even though one of the days was forced inside the rec center due to rain.

Women’s basketball hosted a camp as well…not sure on the exact numbers but I’m guessing around 40 campers.

Men’s basketball is hosting their annual camp this week as well. Around 100 campers in two-sessions. No shortage of opportunities for youngsters to hone their skills and get things to work on.

From my miscellaneous pile……..

Dakota Wesleyan is looking for a baseball coach. Adam Nesius’ contract wasn’t renewed for the upcoming school year. Been watching the story a bit on the Mitchell Daily Republic newspaper website. About the only thing that is clear is that Nesius won’t be coaching at DWU next year.

Hastings women’s basketball is looking for a coach. The highly successful Tony Hobson is moving on to Fort Hayes State in Kansas—NCAA Division II school. Leaves behind a national power that has been or challenged for every GPAC title the last eight years.