Media Day 2012

Last Saturday the Pioneers held their Media Day 2012.  Local media, including radio, print and photographers were on hand to collect information on the upcoming season.  As usual, Official Pioneer Football Photographer Alysia Horcher '15 was there to take our official photos.

2012 Captains Drew Blumberg '13, Brian Taylor '13, Cody Weber '13, Tom Brinkman '13, and Morgan Kinsinger '14 cast a large shadow apparently

The Chicago Crew (from L-R) #60 Ki Harris '14, #49 Ed Hardman '16, #63 Eddie Guen-Murray '15, #24 Danny Reynolds '15, #70 Quinn Rosenthal '15, #7 Sam Poulos '16, #55 Cedric Abdul-Hakeem '15, #3 Brendan Ramirez '16, #33 Barrett Morrissette '16, and managers Alysia Horcher '15 and Brieuana Bradley '14

The Offensive Line or "The Drove" as they are more affectionately known

Linebacking Corps

The Defensive Line makes life miserable for the bottom three guys

The California Guys (L-R) #80 Jayson Campos '13, #2 Rich Renteria '15, #54 Jeremy Wiles '14, #52 David Ternes '15, #4 Harnak Mann '14, #12 Graham Fisher '16 and manager Lorejune Fernandez '13

Annual Fishing Derby Photos

Every year during Fall Camp, the Pioneers head out to equipment manager, Roger Bauman's farm for a BBQ and a Fishing Derby.  Official Pioneer Football Photographer Alysia Horcher '15 was on hand to capture the event:

Head Coach Jeff Pedersen holds the 28" catfish caught by his 3 year-old daughter Frances on the first cast of her life!  Frances won the award for Biggest Fish, obviously!

Safety Ed Hardman '16 and others wait their turn

Wide Receiver Harnak Mann '14 celebrates his championship for Most Fish Caught

Wide Receiver Jake Meixler '15 sits patiently hoping for a bite

Linebacker David Ternes '15 holds up a catch

Pioneers Make Donation to World Vision

In years past the Pioneer football team has sold t-shirts at every home game, with proceeds going to various charitable organizations.  After the 2011 season the money was used to help purchase and ship athletic equipment to children in Burkina Faso, Africa.  

This year the Pioneers have donated the remaining unsold t-shirts to World Vision, a charitable organization that re-distributes unused clothing to impoverished youth around the globe.  World Vision has gained recognition as a result of their partnership with the NFL, distributing pre-made Super Bowl and AFC and NFC Champion t-shirts of the wrong team.  After last year's Super Bowl, the t-shirts were sent to Zambia, Armenia, Nicaragua, and Romania.  The Pioneers donated nearly $1400 worth of t-shirts, though we don't know exactly where they will end up, we know World Vision will take them where they are most needed.

Ryan Creps '12 Heads To Egypt

Ryan Creps '12 will be heading to Egypt at the end of this week to begin a one-year position at the American University in Cairo.  Creps was a three-year starter at Linebacker for the Pioneers, and was named the Steve Kreigel Award winner for the 2011 season, given to the person who most represents the ideals and characteristics of a Pioneer.  Originally from Grinnell, IA, in this short video Ryan talks about why he chose Grinnell, as well as a few of his unique experiences during the four years he was a student-athlete at Grinnell College.

Flat Black Helmets Make Their Pioneer Debut!

In the 123-year history of Grinnell Pioneer Football, no team has ever taken the field wearing a helmet that wasn't either leather or scarlet.  Until now!

Sunrise On 2012 Pioneer Season!

Sunrise over Grinnell College campus

Today marks the beginning of the Grinnell Pioneers 2012 Football Season as players report to campus this morning.  Tomorrow we open our first practice and we're gonna get rolling from there!

It's been a quiet summer on the blogfront, but new features are sure to keep the next few months entertaining around these parts.  Parents, alumni, coaches, and current players will have a chance to share their experiences with Pioneer Football.  Weekly highlight videos and photo galleries are coming back.  Not to mention plenty of talk about awards, wins, records, and fun!

First game is exactly three weeks away, on September 1st as we open against our rivals from Minnesota, Carleton College at 1pm on Rosenbloom Field.

Go Pioneers!

Interview with Harpreet Mann-Singh '12

Grinnell College SID Ted Schultz interviews the George B. Critchett '25 Service Award winner, Harpreet Mann-Singh '12

Rob Seer '12 and Harpreet Singh-Mann '12 Win Major Awards

A half-dozen male senior student-athletes were honored at the annual Grinnell College Honor G Banquet Sunday at Herrick Chapel. 


Among the 6 honorees were two Pioneer Football players. Harpreet Singh-Mann '12 claimed the George B. Critchett '25 Service Award (most varsity letters earned - Harpreet had 12) and Robert Seer '12 won the Coaches Award (given to the student-athlete whose contributions both on and off the field set an example for all student-athletes). 


Congrats guys and enjoy today's graduation!


Photos by Ted Schultz, Grinnell College SID

Four Pioneer Seniors Named to Hampshire Society

Four Grinnell College football players have been named members of the 2012 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society.


Those earning the honor were Jimmy Borrasso '12, Logan Granera '12, Chris Jarmon '12 and Brian Westerlind '12.


The society is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who maintained a 3.2 GPA or better. A total of 727 players qualified for membership in the society's sixth year.


Congrats guys!  And congrats on graduation!

Thriller Video by Harpreet Singh-Mann '12

Grinnell holds a College Film Festival every year called Titular Head, and this spring wide receiver Harpreet Singh-Mann '12 created and starred in a video that finished in 2nd place.  Inspired by Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and late night science studying, this is his video:

Congrats Preet!  

Ryan Creps' First Job

For a guy that had never been out of the country before enrolling at Grinnell College, local Grinnell High School product Ryan Creps '12 sure has come a long ways.  He spent a semester abroad in South Africa during his junior year and now, after graduation this May, he'll be heading to Egypt for his first job:

Upon graduation, I am moving to Egypt where I have accepted a position as a Presidential Scholar in the Development Office at the American University in Cairo (AUC) for the 2012-13 academic school year. As the Development Intern, I will work closely with the Associate Vice President for Development on various tasks, such as writing grant proposals and coordinating administrative duties.

The Presidential Scholars Program at AUC is designed to provide recent college graduates with the chance to work at an international university, learn Arabic, and live in the cultural center of the Middle East. I am excited for the opportunity to live abroad, to gain valuable experience working at a premiere international university, and to learn more about the Middle East.

Congrats Ryan and good luck in Egypt! 

Cody Weber's Summer Job

Cody Weber '13 landed a job in Nashville this summer at a sports performance institute.  Read Cody's thoughts on the job:

This summer I've been blessed with the opportunity to work as the Corporate Marketing and Public Relations Intern for D1 Sports Training and Therapy in Nashville, Tennessee.  Not only will I be learning the numerous aspects of how the business side of a fast-growing sports performance company is run, but along with that I have the opportunity to train and play football with incredibly high level college and pro athletes everyday.  The level of coaching and training provided is some of the most elite in the whole country--they pride themselves on providing all members with a D1 atmosphere as well as character development.  The fact that the company is faith based (its motto is "Iron Sharpens Iron" from Proverbs 27) is perhaps the most exciting aspect of all.  The only way I was able to make this internship happen is through the incredible funding Grinnell College provides for summer internships.  I applied for and received funding for my relocation, food, and housing costs for the summer, meaning I'll break even even though the internship is unpaid!  I'm so blessed to be at a school where they value my future just as much as I do.  I'll be spending all 12 weeks of my summer running football camps such as the Eric Berry DB camps as well as learning day to day operations and assisting with grand openings of new locations in Detroit (MI), Orlando (FL), Raleigh (NC), and Abilene (TX).  I'm pumped for the experience and ready to take on this new challenge.  A summer of physical and athletic preparation while working at D1 Nashville will make me more than ready for the upcoming season.  Watch out Nashville, GC Pride coming your way!

PS~I can't wait to hit the live music scene and open mics. Maybe I'll get signed so I don't have to finish college! I'm just kidding... But seriously.

Have fun Cody, and if you do get signed and become world famous, don't forget Pioneer Football!

Grinnell Launches New Athletics Website

Today, Grinnell College launched its new athletics website in association with Sidearm Sports.  Check it out for yourself!

http://pioneers.grinnell.edu/index.aspx

Chris Jarmon Accepts Job with ESPN

We've been a little heavy with Chris Jarmon's goings-on lately, but man has he deserved it!  This past week, Chris accepted a job with ESPN, as a member of their Content/Production Associate Program.  Chris had an internship in a similar capacity this past summer and here are his thoughts on his first job:

I'll be starting out as a Production Assistant in ESPN's Content Associate Program at the Bristol, CT headquarters. This means I'll be working on various projects in the company's three main Production areas: Event, International, and Studio. My first assignment this summer is to help with ESPN's production of the 2012 EURO Cup in soccer. I really enjoyed my time there as an intern last summer, and I'm very excited for a new challenge.

Good luck Chris!

Esera Tuaolo

On Thursday, Esera Tuaolo was on campus doing a number of speeches, talks and sessions with people all across campus.  If you don't know Esera's story, he's the most-prominent, and only 3rd, openly gay current or former NFL player.  His experiences in the uber-jock environment provided plenty of ridicule and difficult times and he's sharing those stories. His message revolves around eliminating hatred and disrespect of all types, from generic bullying to the homophobia that can be so prominent within male athletics.

Official Pioneer Football photographer Alysia Horcher '15 was on hand for Esera's speech to the students, where roughly 80% of the audience were student-athletes!

A few of the Pioneer Football guys with Esera Tuaolo post speech.

Blind Side Blog

Chris Jarmon '12 continues producing amazing work on his second blog, Blind Side Blog, about football's X's & O's with a particularly biased focused on line play!

Check out Chris' latest post about the Y-Stick concept and picking up blitzes and twists upfront:

When teams choose to use empty protection in the pass game, the offensive line is under more pressure than usual. Essentially, empty pro (also sometimes referred to as "big on big") is a pass protection concept that only involves the offensive line.

Most pass plays involve an extra blocker; teams either keep the running back or tight end in to pass protect (or have him at least chip a defender while leaving for a route), or motion in a slotted tight end to help out. There are plenty of creative ways to protect the quarterback on pass plays, but empty protection is by far the riskiest.

That's why it's nice to tie empty protection in with a good route combination that will come open early, especially if the defense blitzes. The Y-Stick concept is popular among Air Raid and Pro Style offenses alike, and it's a perfect match with empty pro. Let's take a look at why this is so effective:

2012 Season is Underway!

With the start of our Spring Ball practices this past Tuesday, the 2012 season is officially underway!

Official Pioneer Football Photographer Alysia Horcher '15 was on hand to capture some of the early morning workout.

Coach Jason Martinez talks with the defensive front seven

Coach Ben Cooprider works with the defensive backs set-up

TJ Schaid '13 runs away from Colton Feller '14 and Kevin Hwang '13

Coach P leaves the field after practice #1

Drove Highlight

Our own Brian Taylor '13 put together this off-season video of our Drove (Pioneer Offensive Line) Highlight.

Enjoy!

Grinnell Set To Host NCAA Indoor Track Meet

While nearly everyone has attended an outdoor track and field meet, that’s not necessarily the case for the indoor version of the sport.

Fans will get a chance to do exactly that, though, when the NCAA Division III National Indoor Track and Field Championships come rolling just over five weeks. The event is slated for Friday and Saturday, March 9-10, at the Charles Benson Bear ’39 Recreation and Athletic Center Field House.

Fourteen individual events and two relays will be contested in both the women’s and men’s divisions. The men’s championship field will consist of 13 qualifiers in each individual event and 10 teams in each relay. For the women, it’s 15 qualifiers in individual events and 10 teams per relay.

Overall, approximately 500 athletes are expected to compete during the weekend.

-Ted Schultz, Grinnell College SID

See the full information page here.

Pioneer Hoopster Named Central Iowa College Sports Athlete of the Year!

Grinnell College men’s basketball player Griffin Lentsch ’13, who made a big name for himself this season, has been rewarded for his efforts by being named the Central Iowa College Sports Male Athlete of the Year.

The award was presented Sunday by the Des Moines Area Sports Commission, which serves under the umbrella of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Other finalists in the contest were Iowa State wrestler Jon Reader, Iowa State football player Kelechi Osemele and Drake football player Mike Piatkowski.

Lentsch, a 6-4 guard from Forest Lake, Minn. (Forest Lake), made national headlines in November when he erupted for an NCAA Division III national record 89 points in the Pioneers’ 145-97 victory at Principia College.

See the full release here.