“W�Dz���!” 

“I like this. I like this.” 

“Where’s my name?” 

Great Anticipation 

On Tuesday, August 13, 2024, dozens and dozens of football players in great anticipation. 

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“Today, we woke up and it was like Christmas morning,” said Trent Figg, Calvin’s head football coach. 

The gift the football team was taking all in had been delivered … and just on time. 

“I think just this morning we got the occupancy permit,” said Jim Timmer, director of athletics at �ƴ��ɸ�����̳. 

The players of the inaugural �ƴ��ɸ�����̳ football team were taking in their new home. 

“Let’s go baby, let’s go!” 

“This is insane.” 

Exceeding Expectations 

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The joyful and jaw-dropping expressions seen and heard from the players as they filed in clearly communicated they were not left wanting. 

It's unreal,” said Winton Napier, a freshman offensive lineman from Twin Lake, Michigan (Whitehall High School). “This is incredible. Everything about this is top tier.” 

“This blows me away, the way it came together with the graphics, the colors. We have great lighting and with the dark ceiling up there it gives it this really cool modern look,” said Paul VanderPloeg, a junior defensive back from Hudsonville, Michigan (Unity Christian High School). “I was blown away as soon as I entered the doors. Just so epic, and so intentional too.” 

“This locker room is from a facilities standpoint as nice as you’ll find. Calvin has provided an incredible place for our players, for our student-athletes to call home,” said Figg. 

Building Champions 

“When Trent arrived on campus the energy that was already here for football increased ten-fold,” said Timmer. “I don’t think you put up a building like this without some confidence of where we are going at with the program.” 

And the direction is clear: build champions. 

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“It says Champions really big on the wall,” said Figg. “In our program, we talk about being champions for life. When our kids graduate, we want them to walk out of our doors prepared to be a champion for the rest of their life. We talk about that in four areas, we talk about that on the field, in the classroom, in the community, and champions of their faith. We firmly believe that’s what it takes to build a well-rounded champion, and then you can talk about championships once you build individual champions.” 

The inaugural football team will begin practicing on Thursday, which is 23 days from their Saturday, September 7 home opener against Oberlin College. 

“We have 112 players that all reported to campus today. And I don’t know if I’ve ever been more excited for a fall camp,” said Figg.