Sam Poulos Wins First-Year Athlete of the Year!

Sam Poulos (far right) along with his fellow First-Year Athlete of the Year winners, (L-R) Nate Kolacia, Hayley Levin, and Alissa Hirsh

Pioneer quarterback Sam Poulos '16 along with three of his Grinnell College student-athlete peers were honored with the 2013 G. Lester Duke '25 First-Year Athlete of the Year Award at the annual GOAL ceremony Sunday night in the Joe Rosenfield '25 Center.

Alissa Hirsh '16 and Hayley Levin '16 were named the top female athletes representing a team and individual sport, respectively. Hirsh is on the Pioneers' basketball team and Levin is on the swimming and diving squad.

Poulos and Nate Kolacia '16 were tabbed top male athletes representing a team and individual sport. Kolacia competes in cross country and track and field.

Jake O'Polka Wins College Triathlon

Sophomore transfer Jake O'Polka was the top student finisher in last weekend's Grinnell College Triathlon.  This was Jake's first triathlon competition and he did it with little training!  Read his story below:  

My times were: 
Swim Time (750 meters): 13:26 
Transition 1: 3:07 
Bike Time (12.5 miles): 22:39 
Transition 2: 1:24 
Run Time (3.2 miles): 22:20 with a total time of 1:02:56. 

This was my first triathlon and I didn't really know how to prepare for it, and honestly I didn't really prepare for it that much. The week before spring break I was in the pool for an hour a day, doing a lot of intervals switching going from pulling, then kicking, then swimming. And that's all the swimming I did beforehand. I went on a couple 20-30 miles bike rides during spring break, and that's all I biked beforehand. And I really didn't do any running outside of the football running sessions in preparation for the triathlon.

Congrats Jake and hopefully this is just the start of high-level triathlete career!

Max Keller Abroad in Australia!

This spring we'll be bringing you posts from a few Pioneers that are studying abroad this semester.  Defensive back Max Keller '14 is currently in Melbourne, Australia and this is his third installation.

Australia is known for its unique biodiversity which displays a range of ecosystems and organisms unlike any other on earth. The “Land of Oz” is inhabited by marsupials, spiders, and of course the most venomous snakes in the world. Sometimes I like to think that the first English settlers would have been better off with Dorothy’s yellow brick road and a few flying monkeys. But even then the sound of the laughing Kookaburra, native to Australia, is eerily reminiscent to that of a monkey. If there was a lesson to be learned from our adventures it was that nature will do all that it can to best you. Whether it was huge fruit bats defecating on our car, giant white tailed rats potentially gnawing through our tents, Cane toads covering the camp site, swarms of mosquitoes, or a tent held together with twigs and duct tape. Nature was more prepared than we were.

What I did discover was that such events pleasantly surprised me. Things were made a little more interesting and maybe a little stressful at times. However, this was the excitement of coming to Australia; the adventure, the struggles, and the increasing absurdity of our situation. As it has always been wisely pointed out to me, things could be worse. So when a sign read, “Beware of giant white tailed rats, they gnaw through tents…” I was a little enthralled with the adventure that may present itself. But that did not stop me from waking up and spot-lighting my tent for signs of entry.

I’ll attempt to spare you from the minute details and convey some of the more interesting events from our trip. As mentioned before in a previous post we were fortunate enough to snorkel and scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef. In the following days we then hiked to Mossman Gorge and several waterfalls in the surrounding area. I must admit these hikes were much more enjoyable than the one a fellow teammate, Cody Weber, led me on just two years ago. Not once did I envision the events of 127 Hours. Instead I was able to safely appreciate the scenery and cool off underneath a few waterfalls. The next two days were spent white water rafting down the Tully River and navigating the beautiful beaches of Whitehaven Island.

After traversing a number of sea side towns and completing approximately twenty hours of driving we reached Sydney. There we were greeted with great hospitality and our first home-cooked meal in the past ten days. To say we were thankful to have completed our 2,500 mile journey and returned our Ford station wagon safely would be an understatement. After spending a few days in Sydney checking out the sites we boarded our plane back to Melbourne. Left to reminisce about the events of the past twelve days and look forward to the prospect of a bed and a roof that wasn’t held together with duct tape.

Schaid and Blumberg Named to NFF Hampshire Society

Drew Blumberg (#44) and TJ Schaid (#28)

Two Grinnell College football players have been named members of the 2013 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society.

Those earning the honor were Drew Blumberg '13 and TJ Schaid '13.

The society is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who maintained a 3.2 GPA or better. A total of 703 players from 259 schools qualified for membership in the society's seventh year.

Blumberg, a 6-1, 191-pound defensive back, was an All-Midwest Conference second-team selection in 2012. He was among the MWC leaders in pass breakups (eight), interceptions (four) and tackles (72). His tackle total ranked second on the team. He is also a two-time Academic All-District first-teamer.

Schaid, a 5-9, 187-pound running back from Walworth, Wis., was a two-time All-MWC selection, having earned the honor in 2010 and again in 2012. He led Grinnell in rushing in 2012 with 570 yards and a touchdown, and ranked second in receiving with 36 catches for 241 yards and three scores. He was a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's National Scholar-Athlete Award.

See the NFF Hampshire Release here.

More Than Just Words

This video is a bit old (pardon the "Season's Greetings" at the end) but the words used by the students to describe their experiences at Grinnell and what they hope for post-Grinnell will never be outdated!

Scott Koenning '10 Working At The NCAA!

Scott Koenning graduated from Grinnell in 2010, having played linebacker and kicker while playing football for the Pioneers.  After a few years working for some non-profits that assisted high school students with finding college opportunities.  He is now heading to work for the NCAA in Indianapolis and these are his words:

In the spring of senior year at Grinnell, the school's Career Development Office sponsored a trip to a Selective Liberal Arts Consortium Recruiting Day in Chicago. There, I interviewed with several companies and organizations in a variety of fields. One of these organizations, the Schuler Scholar Program, ended up being the home of my first 'real job'. At Schuler, I provided academic support and leadership development programming to a caseload of talented high school students, managed the organization's website, and assisted with annual workshops for prospective college athletes. After two years with Schuler in the Chicago area, I headed to Boston where I currently work with Bottom Line, an organization that helps disadvantaged students gain access to college, graduate from college, and prepare for life after college. I serve over 80 students at three area colleges, providing support with challenges related to academics, financial aid, life issues, and career planning.

During my time with Schuler and Bottom Line, I developed a passion for student service. I realized I wanted to find a way to combine this kind of work with my interest in collegiate athletics. I expressed this interest to Coach Pedersen and Grinnell's Director of Athletics and Recreation, Greg Wallace, who were encouraging, engaged, and more than willing to help, as Grinnell faculty tend to be. This winter, I applied for the NCAA's Postgraduate Internship Program, a program the NCAA describes as providing "on-the-job learning experiences for college graduates who express an interest in pursuing a career in intercollegiate athletics administration". In June, I will enter the program interning in the NCAA's department of Inclusion and Leadership Development, where I will work on a variety of projects centered around student-athlete affairs and inclusion.

In the coming years, I hope to pursue a graduate degree and ultimately work in athletics administration at a selective college or university. My enjoyment of my time at Grinnell fostered my passion for athletics administration. I hope that in my work at the NCAA and beyond, I'm able to help student-athletes enjoy similarly challenging, nurturing, and diverse experiences.

Top 5 Special Teams Plays of 2012!

The first in a series of "Top Ten" plays from our 2012 season, this is the Top 5 Special Teams Plays of the Pioneer Football 2012 Season.

Be sure to Like Grinnell College Football on Facebook!

Pioneer Prospect Football Camp!

Pioneer Football is excited to officially announce the dates of our annual Pioneer Prospect Football Camp!

This year's camp will run on June 28th and 29th.  Please see the above brochure or this link for more information.

Registration is online here!

2013 Pioneer Passing League!

The 2013 Pioneer Passing League has been officially announced by Coach Jeff Pedersen!  Three consecutive Sundays in June (9th, 16th, 23rd) will be the dates for our annual 7-on-7 high school passing competitions.  Last year was an immense success with 3 of the programs involved having gone on to quarterfinal or better finishes in their fall season.  

Check out our flyer for all information!  

Contact Coach Pedersen for registration and any questions!

Max Keller Abroad in Australia!

This spring we'll be bringing you posts from a few Pioneers that are studying abroad this semester.  Defensive back Max Keller '14 is currently in Melbourne, Australia and this is his second installation.

In an Art History paper I completed recently I wrote, “This would beget the question, why would a representation of the sacrament in a Last Supper not function as a representation of the sacrament in a monastic dining room?” Then I thought to myself, “This would beget the question as to whether or not I knew what the hell I was talking about?” This final line of questioning seemed the more logical to me for a couple of reasons. One being, that I am pursing a Biological-Chemistry major with a concentration in Environmental Studies. Lastly, and most importantly, I was only a four hour flight from Cairns, Australia. This would be the start of a twelve day, ~ 4,000 kilometer (2,500 miles) excursion from the northern end of Australia to Sydney’s port.  

Seeing the Great Barrier Reef is a dream shared by many. It is the equivalent of a six year old boy dreaming to be a fireman, a four year old girl a princess, or vice versa. But even my six year old self who can fondly remember the excitement of climbing into a Fire Truck, couldn’t prepare me for this. After a sleepless night full of anticipation and excitement I was snorkeling and scuba diving along the interior edge of the reef. Within twenty minutes I had exhausted myself chasing countless fish and inhaling more ocean water than air. Being both stubborn and enthusiastic I forced myself to stay out, drifting more than swimming, yet enjoying the wonders and intricacies of life below the surface.

            

People often use the metaphor “it left me speechless”. Until this trip I do not believe I’ve ever had the privilege of being ‘left speechless’. Whether it was hiking through Mossman Gorge, plunging into the icy water beneath a waterfall, or watching a friend struggle with traveling along the left hand side of the road; I was often ‘speechless’. Things I will save for another time however. For now I would like to share one of my more memorable experiences from the trip. 

One night we came upon a camp site along the beach just before dusk. I asked the campers where the head office was and they pointed me in the direction of a small camper. Soon enough I found myself looking into the camper observing a small card table; holding a pack of cigarettes, an ash tray, a box of wine (called ‘goon’ here), and an older lady sitting behind it. Poking my head inside, afraid I would soon be checking for a pulse, I asked how much for a site? She replied, “For you, six dollars per person”. Luckily being speechless wasn’t a trend throughout the entire trip. Quickly walking a fine line between flirtatious and friendly, I coaxed camp fire privileges from her in addition to her spare lighter. That night we enjoyed a fire on the beech beneath a palm tree; fed by driftwood and coconut husk. I was left speechless. As I crawled into my sleeping bag that night, the campers next to us began playing the song Springsteen. And for a moment I was back home in Minnesota, but perfectly happy to be where I was currently at. 

I Chose Grinnell

Jeremy Wiles Continues Adventures in Denmark!

This spring we'll be bringing you posts from a few Pioneers that are studying abroad this semester.  Linebacker Jeremy Wiles '14 is currently in Copenhagen, Denmark and this is his second installation:

          The last few weeks have been quite interesting. Part of this experience has me playing two roles. One is experiencing Copenhagen as a Tourist and the other is experiencing København as someone who is living here, aka a Local. I know it’s hard to think that a place can possible feel at home in matter of months but I am pretty good at getting comfortable and feeling at home in a new environment. So the adventure continues…

OHSO Tourist:

        During my early March Study break I was accompanied by my fellow GC Pioneer Footballer , Jayson Campos, to see the places around Copenhagen that were deemed good for tourists. This meant asking our American and Dane friends, navigating through tourist maps and getting immersed/lost  in the city but we managed to see some headliners like: The Little Mermaid statue,  The Botanical Gardens, The David’s Collection and the National Museum for Art (Stutens Musem for Kunst).  I mention these top places because they’re all worth seeing more than once, except the mermaid. That one is worth the one great time you check it out, take pictures and look at the other wonder fully epic statutes around it. The National Museum of Art was all 3 hours spent awe struck stumbling through Nordic and European art from 1300-1900 some of which were from my  favs Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt. Shout out to Grinnell into to art class for the refined taste.  Another must see is the The David Collection which does offer some European art but it’s claim to OHSO fame is the absolutely amazing collection of Islamic Art collection hidden there. The two places were a good mix and  the experience  was even more solid given the scenic walk through the Rosenberg Castle to get in between the two.

        There are plenty of castles but I’ll save that for a later post. The most memorable experience I had was walking up the golden steps of a spiral staircase a top the Church of Our Savior located in Christianhavn ( a district in København). The Church by itself has a decadent and completely astonishing interior design and two colossal elephants that seemingly hold up at wooden, super organ.  If you don’t know already I got a thing for elephants. They’re just too cool for school.

         Don’t forget the Shawarma and weinerbro. Most of these places where accompanied with a street hot dog, pastries filled with love or a fat shawarma from the one and only BURGER HOUSE located in Amager. They deserve a shout out because they honestly have the biggest shawarma in Copenhagen, someone please prove me wrong.

Living as a Local:

       Of course I’m still a student here and must do student things like study in the Studenthuset café. Drink a little more coffee than usual and catch the crammed 6a bus every morning. I almost got hit by a bike like 3 times in one day. Tell me why that is low for some people. I also managed to make friends with a group of three local guys heading to the part of town called the meat packing district, Meat City to the locals.The Story goes… the three were walking down the street making beats with their mouth together  and they let my friend Jerry and  a OHSO J Wiley  freestyle on the corner with them for 20 minutes.  I always get extra excited when I experience music with people. You make it hip hop and add the fresh approach to jamming out with three random musicians in the streets at 3am and I have nothing else to call it but an O.H.S.O. experience. So that is what the world of Jeremy Wiles in København consists of.  Good food, great places and even cooler people.

Mock Up of New Adidas Uniforms!

Here's another mock-up of the Adidas TECHFIT uniforms we'll be rockin' next fall, complete with the scarlet "Gun Show" undershirt!

Go Pioneers!

Grinnell Hosts Unified Sports Day!

Grinnell Basketball Player Dominique Bellamy gets into a twirling competition with a SOIA Athlete

Grinnell College's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted its second annual Special Olympics Iowa (SOIA) Unified Sports Day on Saturday, March 2.

Approximately 50 SOIA athletes from Ames, Des Moines and Grinnell participated in the event with the assistance of 60 Grinnell College students.

The program is an initiative that brings together SOIA athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (called partners) on sports teams for training and competition.

“This is not a day of competition, but instead a day of awareness,” said Michelle Haney, SOIA Unified Sports Director Michelle Haney. “Grinnell College students were able to spend time with Special Olympics Iowa athletes and learn about persons with intellectual disabilities. The Special Olympics Iowa athletes in turn get to spend time with college students and learn about them.”

The event, which lasted from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., saw Special Olympics athletes participate in basketball, bocce, bowling, volleyball, soccer kicks and arts and crafts.

“I think that the event was a huge success in terms of being both fun and rewarding for Special Olympics athletes and volunteers alike,” said Karen Gogins '13, the Grinnell SAAC Community Service chair. “SAAC seeks to engage student-athletes in community service as a way to bridge the gap between the campus and the larger community. This Special Olympics event was a great way to do that, to give back to others, and to increase awareness and support for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

“Special Olympics Iowa was a great help to me in planning the event, a task that required volunteer recruitment and logistical organization,” she added.

SOIA, a statewide nonprofit organization, has provided sports training and competitions for children and adults with intellectual disabilities since 1968.

Nearly 11,000 athletes and Unified Sports Partners participate in Special Olympics Iowa events and competitions annually. For more information, call 515-986-5520 or visit www.soiowa.org.

Check out the Photo Gallery!

50,000 Views!

The Pioneer Football Blog has just hit 50,000 page views!  So pop the bubbly, let fly the confetti, or whatever you choose, just make sure to celebrate!

When we started the blog almost exactly 4 years ago to the day, we truly had no idea what we were doing, but thanks to our fans, players, families, alumni and other supporters we've kept getting better on the field and on the Internet.

Apparently we have a thing for round numbers.  50,000 page views of exactly 300 posts over almost exactly 4 years!  Joey Snyder's Senior Profile from October 2009 remains our most popular post ever with over 600 page views.  

Make sure to Like us on Facebook to stay up to date on all the happenings around the program.

We look forward to what the next 50,000 views will have in store for Grinnell College and Pioneer Football!

Go Pioneers!

Max Keller Abroad in Australia!

This spring we'll be bringing you posts from a few Pioneers that are studying abroad this semester.  Defensive back Max Keller '14 is currently in Melbourne, Australia and this is his first installation.

I was raised in a town of approximately 600 people, and to say the least I have been immersed into the country lifestyle. Though I have been able to experience city life a number of times, coming to Melbourne, a city of 4.5 million people has been an extremely refreshing change. While Australia is very much so “Westernized”, I learned quickly enough it is a mistake to perceive things here as “American”. Removing this perception allowed me to appreciate Melbourne, pronounced “Melbin”, for its diversity, history, and culture. Melbourne is a city full of Italian, African, Indonesian, and Asian descent and seeking out these pockets of diversity in the cafes, pubs, and suburbs of the city has made for a great experience.

The Beach at Torquay

You cannot help but fall in love with the Aussie accent and laid back lifestyle from the minute you land at the Tullamarine Airport. My study abroad program, IES Abroad, quickly had our group settled into our varying apartments or residential colleges. And after that it’s easiest to describe my time in Melbourne as a blur. My two week stay has included trips to St. Kildas beach (only a half hour away), walks through the Melbourne botanical gardens, and weekend stays at the seaside towns Anglesea and Torquay.

Melbourne's "White Night"

My first weekend in Melbourne was one I will never forget. The city annually hosts a festival called “White Night” that starts at 7pm and concludes at 7am. The festival included live music, great food, and light shows on the Yarra River. After a night of good music, new faces, great hospitality, and 2 hours of sleep, IES Abroad took us to the small seaside town of Anglesea. After arriving in Anglesea it wasn’t long before we found ourselves on a beach with wetsuits on and a board in hand. Being from Minnesota where water is abundant, but mostly frozen, this was something completely new to me.

Having only been to the ocean a few times I was keen to listen to our instructors about the dangers of the “rip”, which will pull you away from the beach and out to sea. One of my peers who was disappointed with the difficulties that come with learning something new, wasn’t so keen. Before long we saw him sitting on his board, head down, slowly drifting out to sea, with our instructor swimming to him. The entire time, completely oblivious as to what is going on around him, making for an entertaining story, and a lesson well learned. The struggles that come with learning something new, playing football, or adapting to a new area and culture will only be temporary if you paddle a little harder, and get up a little faster. If you sit around and let the waves hit your back, you’ll never get that opportunity to catch an interception, (even if it’s likely you drop it) or immerse yourself in a great culture, and you’ll most likely end up out to sea.

G’day from down under.

Max Keller