Football / en New Traditions and Spaces Highlight Homecoming & Family Weekend  /stories/new-traditions-and-spaces-highlight-homecoming-family-weekend <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">New Traditions and Spaces Highlight Homecoming & Family Weekend </span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>msk23@calvin.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-10-01T15:14:27-04:00" title="Tuesday, October 1, 2024 - 15:14" class="datetime">Tue, 10/01/2024 - 15:14</time></span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>On Friday, October 4 and Saturday, October 5, ƴɸ̳ welcomes alumni, families, and the broader community to its Grand Rapids campus for Homecoming & Family Weekend.  <br /> <br />The weekend is full of familiar traditions like the Calvin Classic 5K & Youth Run, the Fall Music Festival, and the Grand Prix Bed Races. And this year, Calvin is set to kick off some new traditions, including the university’s first-ever Homecoming football game. <br /> <br />“We are excited to celebrate longstanding traditions at Calvin, while welcoming in a new hallmark staple of our future homecoming celebrations,” said Jeff Haverdink, executive director of alumni & family engagement. “We are beginning a whole new chapter of what it looks like to celebrate homecoming at Calvin, and we are excited to give our alums yet another reason to come back to campus to see all of the exciting things happening here.” <br /> <br />Calvin has quite the <a href="/homecoming">lineup of events</a> planned. On Friday, guests can enjoy the Grand Prix Bed Races, a cookout on the lawn outside Knollcrest Dining Hall, the Calvin Music Festival, and the first-ever cornhole tournament with $1,500 in cash prizes. <br /> <br />Saturday’s festivities include the Calvin Classic 5K & Youth Run, the inaugural homecoming football game, and a soccer doubleheader which includes the dedication of the new stadium. An on-campus farmer’s market and improv show round out the weekend festivities. <br /> <br />While the lineup of activities is impressive, what many guests will discover as they move around campus are the new spaces that have opened up in the past year, including the first phase of Commons Union, the new state-of-the-art soccer stadium, and the brand new track & field complex located on the far east side of campus, to name a few. <br /> <br />“If you haven’t been back to Calvin for a few months, you’ll want to come check out the campus and <a href="/spark/come-home-calvin">all the new and reimagined spaces</a>,” said Haverdink. “The weather is looking great and I’m not sure there’s a better time of year to take in the beauty of our campus.” <br /> <br />Check out the full schedule of events at <a href="/homecoming">calvin.edu/homecoming</a>.  </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-provus-publish-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-10-01T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">Tue, 10/01/2024 - 12:00</time></div> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="/stories/new-traditions-and-spaces-highlight-homecoming-family-weekend" data-a2a-title="New Traditions and Spaces Highlight Homecoming & Family Weekend "><a href="#" class="a2a_button_facebook"><span class="a2a_label">Share this on Facebook</span></a><a href="#" class="a2a_button_twitter"><span class="a2a_label">Share this on Twitter</span></a><a href="#" class="a2a_button_linkedin"><span class="a2a_label">Share this on LinkedIn</span></a><a href="#" class="a2a_button_email"><span class="a2a_label">Share this on Email</span></a><a href="#" class="a2a_button_print"><span class="a2a_label">Print this</span></a></span> <div class="field field--name-field-provus-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/578" hreflang="en">Homecoming & Family Weekend</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/579" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/548" hreflang="en">Football</a></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News type</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/116" hreflang="en">News and Stories</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Featured</div> <div class="field__item">No</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-feature-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Feature image</div> <div class="field__item"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Image</div> <div class="field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-10/CalvinUniversityHomecoming%26FamilyWeekendFootballGame.jpg?itok=SjZL6QpP" width="1090" height="545" alt="Calvin fans walk down the stairs toward the football field." loading="lazy" class="image-style-wide" /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-type field--type-list-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Story Type</div> <div class="field__item">Alumni story</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-person field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Person</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/people/matthew-kucinski" hreflang="en">Matthew Kucinski</a></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-event-news-category field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Event/News Category</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/276" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> </div> </div> Tue, 01 Oct 2024 19:14:27 +0000 msk23@calvin.edu 36034 at Football Team Awestruck By Locker Room Reveal /stories/football-team-awestruck-locker-room-reveal <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Football Team Awestruck By Locker Room Reveal </span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>msk23@calvin.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-08-13T21:00:56-04:00" title="Tuesday, August 13, 2024 - 21:00" class="datetime">Tue, 08/13/2024 - 21:00</time></span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>“Woah!” </p><p>“I like this. I like this.” </p><p>“Where’s my name?” </p><h3>Great Anticipation </h3><p>On Tuesday, August 13, 2024, dozens and dozens of football players <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8wX0SVvIuw">rushed through the doors</a> in great anticipation. </p><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Image</div> <div class="field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-08/CalvinUniversityFootballTeamEntersLockerRoom.jpg?itok=-dc0WlxO" width="1090" height="545" alt="Players clap as the enter the Calvin football locker room." loading="lazy" class="image-style-wide" /></div> </div> </div> <p>“Today, we woke up and it was like Christmas morning,” said Trent Figg, Calvin’s head football coach. </p><p>The gift the football team was taking all in had been delivered … and just on time. </p><p>“I think just this morning we got the occupancy permit,” said Jim Timmer, director of athletics at ƴɸ̳. </p><p>The players of the inaugural ƴɸ̳ football team were taking in their new home. </p><p>“Let’s go baby, let’s go!” </p><p>“This is insane.” </p><h3>Exceeding Expectations </h3><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Image</div> <div class="field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-08/CalvinUniversityFootballTeamPlayers.jpg?itok=4Idfj8n6" width="1090" height="545" alt="Two Calvin football players pose in their jerseys, with Joust the knight mascot in the background." loading="lazy" class="image-style-wide" /></div> </div> </div> <p>The joyful and jaw-dropping expressions seen and heard from the players as they filed in clearly communicated they were not left wanting. </p><p>It's unreal,” said Winton Napier, a freshman offensive lineman from Twin Lake, Michigan <em>(Whitehall High School)</em>. “This is incredible. Everything about this is top tier.” </p><p>“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 <em>(Unity Christian High School)</em>. “I was blown away as soon as I entered the doors. Just so epic, and so intentional too.” </p><p>“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. </p><h3>Building Champions </h3><p>“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.” </p><p>And the direction is clear: build champions. </p><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Image</div> <div class="field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-08/TrentFiggInsideLockerRoomCalvinUniversity.jpg?itok=s9e3hkmU" width="1090" height="545" alt="Coach Trent Figg speaks to players and guests at the Calvin football locker room reveal." loading="lazy" class="image-style-wide" /></div> </div> </div> <p>“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.” </p><p>The inaugural football team will begin practicing on Thursday, which is 23 days from their Saturday, September 7 home opener against Oberlin College. </p><p>“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. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-provus-publish-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-08-13T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">Tue, 08/13/2024 - 12:00</time></div> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="/stories/football-team-awestruck-locker-room-reveal" data-a2a-title="Football Team Awestruck By Locker Room Reveal "><a href="#" class="a2a_button_facebook"><span class="a2a_label">Share this on Facebook</span></a><a href="#" class="a2a_button_twitter"><span class="a2a_label">Share this on Twitter</span></a><a href="#" class="a2a_button_linkedin"><span class="a2a_label">Share this on LinkedIn</span></a><a href="#" class="a2a_button_email"><span class="a2a_label">Share this on Email</span></a><a href="#" class="a2a_button_print"><span class="a2a_label">Print this</span></a></span> <div class="field field--name-field-provus-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/547" hreflang="en">Athletics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/548" hreflang="en">Football</a></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News type</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/116" hreflang="en">News and Stories</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Featured</div> <div class="field__item">Yes</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-feature-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Feature image</div> <div class="field__item"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Image</div> <div class="field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-08/CoverPhotoCalvinUniversityLockerRoomReveal.jpg?itok=2Vy-wXkc" width="1090" height="545" alt="Players look shocked and excited, looking around at the new Calvin locker room." loading="lazy" class="image-style-wide" /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-related-news field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Related news</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news-stories/5-reasons-be-excited-about-calvin-university-football" hreflang="en">5 Reasons to be Excited About ƴɸ̳ Football</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news-stories/celebrating-five-years-momentum-calvin-university" hreflang="en">Celebrating Five Years of Momentum at ƴɸ̳</a></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-type field--type-list-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Story Type</div> <div class="field__item">Student story</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-person field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Person</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/people/matthew-kucinski" hreflang="en">Matthew Kucinski</a></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-event-news-category field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Event/News Category</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/393" hreflang="en">Sports</a></div> </div> </div> Wed, 14 Aug 2024 01:00:56 +0000 msk23@calvin.edu 35364 at