This past weekend, the Houghton College Athletic Department hosted its first Alumni Weekend for four fall sports teams: women’s volleyball, women’s and men’s soccer, and women’s field hockey. The women’s volleyball had five alumni attend while the men’s soccer team had about twenty alumni. The women’s soccer team had fourteen alumni players return to campus, among which there were four former All-American players. Although the weather was not ideal, it was a good turnout for the first combined sport alumni event. “Saturday was a lot of fun. Always great to have our alumni back and get a chance to catch up” said Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Nancy Cole. “Wish we could see them more often. ”
Most of the alumni came in on Friday or early Saturday morning to campus for this special weekend. Some stayed in the community or at some of the current players’ houses where they had the chance to reconnect with old teammates. The events started on Saturday with games taking place around noon. At Nielsen, the women’s volleyball team played against their alumni, then the women’s field hockey played against their alumni immediately right after at 1:30pm. While the women’s and men’s soccer games were scheduled to play outside on Burke Field, a snow covered field caused them to relocate to the Kerr-Pegula Field House. They followed the same time schedule as the teams at Nielsen with the women playing at noon and the men going right after. Once the men’s soccer game ended, everyone was invited to a reception where there was food served and a couple speeches given. “The play was fast-paced and the alumni showed that they still have their touch and can play a quality game” said Head Women’s Soccer Coach David Lewis. “Overall, it was a great opportunity to catch up on player’s families, jobs, and grad schools.” Head Men’s Soccer Coach Matthew Webb added, “Seeing the alumni back on the field playing with each other is always so fun to see. Seeing the relationships that were formed while at Houghton sustained over the years is so rewarding.”
Throughout the years, athletic teams have always had alumni games where they played against other alumni, the junior varsity team, or the varsity team. These were more separate events that each team was in charge of coordinating and were held on different dates during the year. Often, the women’s soccer team would co-host an alumni event with the men’s soccer team but have two single events. However, the combined alumni event was a very relaxed occasion where everyone from different aspects of the college and alumni can reunite and have some fun together. “Opportunity to bring everyone back on the same day and the various departments of the college can support everyone in their competitions and talk with the alumni” commented Athletic Director Skip Lord. “It’s almost like a family reunion seeing a bunch of people that you haven’t seen in awhile.” A lot of athletes have relationships outside of their own teams and having a combined event where they can all reconnect and network helps to build that sense of community.
Sometimes alumni will drop by a visit or make a phone call, but for everyone to be in the same place at one time is definitely something that is very special for coaches, players, and the school. One person who has only missed one women’s soccer alumni event, due to just giving birth, is a 1999 graduate and former All-American Jennifer Ricard. Webb said, “It is always great to have our alumni come back to campus…not only to see them and catch up with what they are doing, but also for our current players to be able to meet and interact with players who came before them and helped lay the foundation and traditions of our program.”
The concept of the From Islands to Cathedrals tour is to walk the audience through the entire story of Tenth Avenue North and their music. “Starting real stripped down we will add band members and instruments building bigger and bigger as the story is told,” explained Donehey. Tenth Ave.’s four albums are linear and inform each other in meaningful, philosophical ways. The first album is a call to the Gospel. The next two albums encourage Christians to engage their struggles honestly and courageously and to help each other through life. In Islands, which is a companion of the upcoming full length album, Cathedrals, Tenth Avenue North discusses the ways Christians isolate themselves from community; the last track of the EP, “Just Getting By” speaks about living in an increasingly digitally influenced world. The focus of the music then shifts from isolation to the goodness and importance of being in community with one another. Donehey explained, “Once we become a community we become a place of sanctuary. We no longer have to wait for a sacred space or vocation. We make our vocations sacred. We make every place we walk into sacred because the Spirit of God walks with us wherever we go.” Tenth Avenue North has a distinctly Christ-centered, authentic, uplifting approach to music that a lot of people really enjoy.
While the campus has waited expectantly for this great performance there has been a flood of activity behind the scenes among Houghton College students and faculty working to make the concert possible. Months of planning and detailing involving many offices has lead up to this Saturday’s performance. However, tomorrow the band itself will mainly be supported by Houghton College’s student audio tech team. Professor Jackson who oversees the team said, “Our job as a college and as a tech team is to make the band’s job as easy as possible- that is, to able to minister that night. We are able to do the work of Christ by helping bands like Tenth Avenue North be better musicianaries. I can’t be successful in my job unless the team comes through and the team always comes through.” Concerts like this Saturday’s are not only a chance for the campus to experience meaningful worship, but also an opportunity for many in the student body to serve alongside a successful worship band to achieve a high goal.
