The Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast

Alan Babbitt

4.4 (5)
SPORTS

The Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast

Interviews and discussions with Hope College coaches and student athletes

JUL 29

Cara Anderson/AJ Boucher: Women's Lacrosse and Men's Soccer

Cara Anderson and AJ Boucher pour themselves into everything they do for Hope College and Hope College Athletics. Anderson, who is graduating this December after majoring in social work, has been a team manager for the Flying Dutch women’s lacrosse team. The Adrian, Michigan, native and Lenawee Christian High School graduate also works in the college’s admissions office as a tour guide and team leader. Boucher is a junior elementary education major and a midfielder on the Flying Dutchmen soccer team. The Delton, Michigan, native and Richland Gull-Lake High School graduate also works as a campus tour guide. Earlier this summer, Anderson and Boucher stepped away from familiar roles to serve during a Sports Evangelism to Equip Disciples (SEED) mission trip to Costa Rica. Both talked about their experience in Season 4’s fifth episode of the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. "Emotional" journey As part of the mission trip, the group delivered Sawyer water filters to remote areas of the country. These filters, which can last for as many as 20 years, provided a poignant reminder of how God can work through us, Anderson said. “We did some sports camps with kids out in those communities. One of these days we were up in the mountains … and it was super hot,” Anderson said. “One of the girls on our team asked one of the little girls she was with ‘Do you want some water?’ For the first time, that girl could have been like ‘I have clean water.’ That made me so emotional. We are so blessed here [in the United States]. We have clean water. In those communities, they rely so heavily on each other and the community that's right there. Taking them clean water was such a gift. “We got to share the gospel with the water filters. Jesus makes us clean and he doesn't care if we're dirty and messy and no matter what, we come out clean. The combination of all those things was such a gift, really shifted my perspective.” Boucher felt God working throughout the sports camps as well. “We had lacrosse, soccer, and basketball. We did some jump rope. We blew some bubbles as well,” Boucher said. “Every single one of them [soccer] was their favorite sport. I think for me, it touched me because it brought me a new joy to see that to my sport. I think I appreciated soccer a little bit more coming back to the States. “Honestly, it has given me a reason why I want to be a coach in the future. I want to see kids with that joy that I saw playing the sport that I love in Costa Rica. I want to see that joy here in the States. I think right now, soccer's growing, but I want it to get to a point where it's the most popular thing and it just brings that joy that I saw in Costa Rica. That really impacted me a lot.” Written transcript

30 min
JUL 16

Justice Mims/Samantha Smith: Men's Basketball and Women's Lacrosse

Samantha Smith Justice Mims On a recent Hope College Athletics SEED mission trip, juniors Justice Mims and Samantha Smith felt God’s spirit moving within them. The two student-athletes and kinesiology majors spoke about their time in The Dominican Republic on the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. Season 4’s fourth episode featured a conversation with Mims, a guard on the men’s basketball team, and Smith, a goalie on the women’s lacrosse team. Hope Athletics recognizes that sport provides an opportunity for athletes to have a significant platform from which to influence others. In traveling with the Sports Evangelism to Equip Disciples (SEED) program, Hope College students utilize their passion for sport to share the love of Christ with individuals around the world. Through participating in the SEED program, students are intentionally challenged to use their experiences to sow the seed and water the harvest so that the Good News of Jesus Christ takes root in their own lives as it is shared around the world. Mims, a native of Rochester Hills, Michigan, near Detroit, remembered how he felt after his group brought and instructed residents of villages to use Sawyer water filters that clean the water. Rich in spirit “Yes, they're underprivileged, but they're not poor, they're rich in spirit, 100%,” Mims said on the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. “I always say this to people whenever I talk about the SEED trip. I really believe the biggest difference is that they have God in everything. “They welcome us in, even though we don't even speak the same language as them. We're just strangers, foreigners, and they're still inviting us in. Having the hospitality to give us their grace, it was just awesome. I really do think that because they had God in everything, it didn't matter what the situation was, they are much happier than what is perceived.” Smith, a native of Westfield, Indiana, near Indianapolis, was grateful for how those she met through the SEED mission trip, brought God into every conversation. “They see God in everything,” Smith said on the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. “One of the biggest things that I noticed was our leader, John, told us that when we were done having a conversation with someone, we'd say, dios te bendiga, which means God bless you. Everybody on the trip picked it up immediately. We would say it every two seconds after every conversation, even if we didn't say ‘Hi’ to someone, we'd say that. “I just realized that in our community here, if we told a group of 20 20-year-olds, ‘Hey, after every conversation say ‘God bless you’, we'd all be like, ‘No, that's kind of random, kind of weird.’ But just because of the community they have created, that's completely normal and it's encouraged. That's something that I've been trying to incorporate here in my life, and I'll definitely try to incorporate it at Hope. There's always room for God in a conversation.” Written transcript of the interview

32 min
JUL 2

Keegan DeKuiper/Annie Lockett: Men's Soccer and Women's Volleyball

When injuries sidelined Hope College’s Keegan DeKuiper and Annie Lockett from competition last season, they put aside their disappointment and focused on supporting their teammates and coaches. Their servant leadership drew praise from those around them, including their respective men’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams. They were announced as Anchor Award recipients in April at the 2024 Hope Athletics HOPEYs ceremony. The Male and Female Anchor Awards are presented to athletes who anchor their teams, inspiring their teammates to train and perform at their best. Annie Lockett Keegan DeKuiper DeKuiper and Lockett spoke about their experiences and lessons learned during Season 4, Episode 3 of the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. They both said they relied on their Christian faith to help navigate a challenging time in their lives. “It was super tough, but God just has a way of changing your heart (and) changing your mindset,” DeKuiper said. Added Lockett, “Ultimately, we serve a God who turns these poor things into good things, and he does that through people.” Ultimate Teammates A goalkeeper, DeKuiper went from starting nine games as a sophomore in 2022 to missing the entire 2023 season. The exercise science major from Norton Shores, Michigan (Mona Shores HS) rose to the occasion, head coach David Blahnik said. "Keegan is the ultimate teammate,” Blahnik said. “Whether he is the star of the game or injured on the sideline you can always count on him to be a servant leader to his teammates and coaches to help in whatever way possible." Lockett earned American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America honors as an outside hitter in 2022 and helped the Flying Dutch reach the NCAA Division III quarterfinals. The business major from Mason, Ohio (William Mason) never saw the court in 2023 but still poured herself into her teammates, head coach Becky Schmidt said. Hope finished as national runner-up last season. “Annie is a selfless leader who was able to impact the team despite not having one stat this year,” Schmidt said. “Her willingness to put the team first, celebrate her teammates and bring wisdom and perspective to the team was inspiring." Written transcript of the interview

28 min
JUN 17

Dylan Clem: Football

Dylan Clem is poised to build a successful and fulfilling career as a structural engineer with a foundation set at Hope College and his hometown of Stevensville, Michigan. The All-American offensive guard has one more college football season to play, though. Clem is returning for a fifth season with the Flying Dutchmen this fall. Hope is coming off an 8-2 season despite one of the toughest schedules in NCAA Division III. The Flying Dutchmen’s home and season opener is Saturday, Sept. 7, at 1 p.m. against Loras College (Iowa) at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium. Clem appeared on the Hope College Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast and spoke about preparing for the upcoming season while also interning in the Washington, D.C., area. “I took that leap of faith to come down here and spend the money on rent, for knowledge and a little bit of money. The first four weeks have been great,” Clem said. “A lot of what Hope taught me in the engineering program has correlated, along with just the ability to work hard and that comes in the classroom and the football field and just honestly campus in general. That's just why I love Hope. Everyone has that mission to want to succeed, to want to work hard, to want to do all those things. I've really felt the presence of Hope in my life around here in D.C.” In April, Clem was named the 2024 male recipient of the Be Strong. Be True. Award at the annual HOPEYs ceremony The honor is presented to a junior or senior who demonstrates the true essence of being a student-athlete and embodies the Division III motto of Discover, Develop, Dedicate. This student-athlete is in high academic standing (minimum GPA of 3.5), plays a significant role on the team, and is involved in the Hope and Holland community. Career Builder The award was one of many for the Lakeshore High School alum. In May, Clem received one of two Senior Engineering Prizes from the Hope College Engineering Department. In January, he was chosen for the Academic All-America First Team by College Sports Communicators. In December, he was selected as an All-American by D3football.com. Dylan Clem Along his journey at Hope, Clem served as a team captain for two years, as a member of the Athletes Coming Together / Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (ACT/SAAC), and was part of the athletic mentoring program, Team 43. He also worked as a research student in Dr. Courtney Peckens’ lab. Clem expressed gratitude for Hope’s embrace of allowing student-athletes to follow their passions on and off the field. He said he did not always find that through his college recruiting process. “When I came to Hope, the first thing Coach [Peter] Stuursma said was ‘All right, let me get you to a football player who's an engineer.' He showed me Dan Romano who was probably the smartest person I know,” Clem said. “Ever since then, Hope's been that place where I felt like I could do it all. Coach Stuursma and all of our coaches really gave us that chance to succeed and gave us that chance to feel like we can do whatever we want.” Hope’s Engineering Department also set him up for success as well, Clem said. “The coolest thing about the Hope engineering program was that their intro class takes you through all different types of engineering. You'll do civil two weeks. You'll do mechanical two weeks. You'll build circuits and do electrical,” Clem said. “I really loved the bridge section of the civil and then we got to make concrete and crush it. I was like, that's pretty cool. I stuck with civil and I've loved it ever since.” Written Transcript
MAY 28

Kara VanderKamp: 2024 Hope for Humanity Award Recpient

H-Club Hope for Humanity Award Kara VanderKamp '95 poses for a picture with head women's soccer Leigh Sears and Associate Athletic Director Lindsey Engelsman. Kara VanderKamp ‘95 carries the lessons she learned on the soccer field and at Hope College into her missionary work in Niger. The 2024 H-Club “Hope for Humanity” Award recipient and Remember Niger Coalition CEO talked about her drive to support educational opportunities for youth in Niger (pronounced knee-jeer), the landlocked western African nation between Libya, Mali, Chad and Nigeria. “I think one of the things I really love about soccer is it truly is a team sport that everybody has to play at their best in order to be successful and to win as a team,” VanderKamp said. “You have to sacrifice for the team. As far as leadership is concerned, I think really trying to find the strengths of every person on the team and then drawing that out of them, I find that I use that all the time in the work that I'm doing now. I’m just trying to find the right people with the right skill set, then encouraging one another, being positive, and challenging each other as well to bring out the best.” VanderKamp’s interview kicks off the fourth season of the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast this summer. The Orange and Blue Podcast features interviews with Hope student-athletes, coaches, staff and alumni. They share their stories of academic success, competitive excellence and transformational experiences at Hope. Hope for Humanity Award Recipient VanderKamp received the Hope for Humanity Award in April on campus. The award is presented to Hope College alumni athletes who have demonstrated Christian commitment and service to others in their careers after Hope. It was first awarded in 1990 and is presented by the college’s H-Club, which consists of Hope alumni who were athletic letterwinners and other honorary letter winners. VanderKamp graduated from Hope with a degree in political science and an elementary teaching certificate. A midfielder on the women's soccer team, she served as co-captain during her senior year, was named to the All-MIAA First Team in 1993 and 1994, became the first Hope women's soccer player to gain all-region honors and ended her career as Hope's all-time leader in assists. The Remember Niger Coalition, under VanderKamp’s leadership, partners with 18 schools and serves over 5,400 students. Each year, more than 400 students graduate from primary school and matriculate to middle school. Remember Niger partner schools have a 90% pass rate on the national exam. During the past 15 years, 80 classrooms have been constructed in 13 communities, four solar-powered wells have been built, thousands of children have received school meals. In addition, 115 teachers receive training annually, and 400 boys and girls in primary school and 98 girls in middle and high school who would not otherwise be able to afford the cost of going to school receive financial assistance from sponsors. Expanding Education in Niger Kara VanderKamp kicks a soccer ball past a defender at Buys Athletics Field. As CEO of Remember Niger Coalition, VanderKamp leads the initiative to spread the word about the organization and its mission, raise funds and support, and implement, monitor and evaluate projects in Niger. She is actively engaged in leading the staff and serving on the board of directors. VanderKamp travels around the United States as a public speaker in churches, rotary clubs, schools and businesses. She regularly travels across Niger to visit each school partner and work closely wi...

20 min
10/09/2023

2023 SEED Mission Trips

On the season’s final episode of the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast, four Hope College student-athletes joined Sports Information Director Alan Babbitt to discuss their service-filled and life-changing SEED trips this summer. Senior Libby Strotman, senior Madeline Tessin, junior David Brace and junior David Hesselbein each took part in a Sports Evangelism to Equip Disciples (SEED) mission trip. The program annually provides opportunities for Hope student-athletes to serve in countries such as the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Uganda, and Zambia. Hope students will utilize their passion for sport to share the love of Christ with individuals around the world. Through participating in the SEED program, students will be intentionally challenged to use their experiences to sow the seed and water the harvest so that the Good News of Jesus Christ takes root in their lives as it is shared worldwide. Central America Hesselbein (Barrington, Illinois / Barrington Community HS) is a goalie for the Flying Dutchmen. The physical and health education major traveled to Costa Rica. “We were partnered with an organization called Push the Rock,” Hesselbein said. “For the first half of the trip, we did mostly sports camps and a lot of ministry in schools and prisons. The second half of the trip, we went into more tribal areas, less populated and a little bit more off the grid. That's when we started partnering with Sawyer (Products) to bring water filters to provide clean water for people who didn't have a source of clean water. That was really cool, too.” Tessin (Waxhaw Ridge, N.C. / Marvin Ridge) is a swimmer for the Flying Dutch. The exercise science major went to the Dominican Republic. “We worked with a ministry called Go Ministries and they work specifically through sports and church planting,” Tessin said. “While we were there, we traveled around a lot to different communities. We did a basketball practice with one group, then we just played with kids with another. Daniel mentioned the water filters, and we did those near Haiti.” Africa Stratman (Park Ridge, Illinois / Maine Township) competes in throwing events on the track and field team. The physical and health education major traveled to Zambia. “We served the people in Choma, then the two surrounding communities. While we were there, we ran a three-day sports camp,” Strotman said. “We also had a day of service where we built a softball field, which was super cool, and then got to play on it with other people in the community. We partnered with a group called Poetice, which has a lot of Hope history, and was really cool to work with.” Brace (Plymouth, Michigan / Plymouth) is a midfielder for the Flying Dutchmen lacrosse team. The business major went to Uganda. “We went to southern Uganda and worked there with Sports Outreach, which brings in children from neighboring communities and teaches the ministry through sports,” Brace said. “We were holding sports camps, and then we’d go into communities in that area and deliver the Sawyer water filters as well. We also went to northern Uganda and it was a little more rural. We gave away a lot of those water filters. It was a great experience. We're so thankful that Sawyer and Sports Outreach took us in with open arms.” Read a transcript of the interview.

33 min
08/28/2023

Ana and Heleyna Tucker: Cross Country and Track

Heleyna Tucker Ana Tucker Sisters Ana and Heleyna Tucker reflected on their memorable run as Hope College student-athletes and teammates during the latest episode of the Hope College Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. The former cross country and track team champions spoke with Sports Information Director Alan Babbitt about their unique family bond as part of a set of triplets, their different educational pursuits and their shared passion for running. Both Midland, Michigan, natives graduated from Hope College in May. They are now pursuing post-graduate studies and living apart for the first time in their lives. Ana is working on her doctorate in physical therapy at Grand Valley State University while also running competitively for the NCAA Division II Lakers. The exercise science major at Hope posted 11 NCAA All-America efforts over three sports during her Flying Dutch, including in each of the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track seasons as a senior. Heleyna is studying applied statistics in graduate school at the University of Michigan. The mathematics major joined Ana in helping the Flying Dutch win four MIAA titles in cross country and three apiece in indoor and outdoor track and field. Accomplished Family Their brother, Charles, recently graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in computer science. He now works for the United States Department of Defense. “We all have different personality traits and over time, I think we really just learned how to balance each other out, "Each other strengths would fill each other's weaknesses. That bond is really noticeable. When Heleyna and I went to Hope, it was very noticeable that Charles was away and that there wasn't that balance. Now, Heleyna and I are going to separate schools, to separate grad programs. It's definitely noticeable that we're apart. Charles actually started running too and he's doing quite well. We go on triplet runs sometimes together.” The Tucker sisters also expressed their gratitude for their time at Hope College and all the different people who supported them, taught them and coached them. “I bet we would both say Norty, our head cross country coach,” Heleyna said, mentioning Mark Northuis, Hope College’s head cross country coach and distance coach for track and field. “He's definitely been someone to shape us and talk to us if we're struggling. He helps us in any other aspect because going to college is a big transition is not having your family there. You don't have your parents to talk to and I feel like your coach kind of becomes like that, an adult figure for you to talk to you if you have an issue. They kind of know if something is wrong. You walk in and can just tell. “I'd say, all the math professors have been such amazing influences on me. I mean to name one, I remember in my freshman year I took a Calc 2 class with Aaron Cinzori. He just really impacted me my freshman year and made me really want to pursue being a math major and look more into that in the future. All the math faculty, they’re amazing.” Read a written transcript of the interview.

36 min
07/31/2023

David Blahnik, Men's Soccer Head Coach

During a recent jog, Hope College men’s soccer coach David Blahnik listened to the “Revisionist History” podcast episode that explored the vision, impact and potential of the college’s “Hope Forward” initiative. David Blahnik, Hope College men's soccer head coach In the segment, titled “A Good Circle”, best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell spoke with Hope College President Matthew A. Scogin regarding the college’s revolutionary approach to removing tuition as a barrier for access to college while building generosity and community along the way. Scogin’s words during the episode resonated, Blahnik said, and provided inspiration for the Flying Dutchmen soccer program as well. “He talked about the idea of running towards challenges and that really resonated with me. I was laughing. I was actually running while I was listening,” Blahnik said earlier this month while recording the latest episode of the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. “I like the idea of we wan our program to be something where you're running towards the challenges: on the field, off the field, in the locker room, and all those other areas I thought about, so when somebody leaves here as a Hope grad, they really are able to go and, in a sense, conquer whatever they want to conquer in their life going forward.” Blahnik is heading into his second season leading the Flying Dutchmen. His team reports to campus on Friday, Aug. 19, to begin preparations for the 2023 season opener on Friday, September 1, against Ohio Wesleyan University at Van Andel Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is 6 p.m. Hope is aiming to challenge for an MIAA regular-season title after finishing runner-up last season in the standings and the league tournament. The Flying Dutchmen went 7-5-6 overall. Soccer: A Life's Passion On the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast, Blahnik talks about this season’s schedule, his coaching staff and what to expect from the Flying Dutchmen. Blahnik also chats about his journey to Hope College, including how he decided between two sports he loved playing — soccer and baseball, and his time as a student-athlete and head men’s soccer coach at his alma mater, Olivet Nazarene University, near Chicago. Off the field, Blahnik balances coaching soccer at a high level with being a loving husband and father of two sons, ages 9 and 4. His wife, Karlynn, is a local kindergarten teacher, so the month of September is an extremely busy one for his family. “It’s difficult but awesome to be a college head coach and have a family,” Blahnik said. “You spend a lot of time with others, but at the same time, my 9-year-old thinks it’s the coolest thing in the world to be around the guys. My son’s over at Hope Tennis Academy right now during their summer season with my niece and my 4-year-old is watching. We love the community. “We want our kids to go to Hope, whether I am working here or not, so when the opportunity arose (to coach here) it was a no-brainer for us. We’ll figure it out. I don't think any head coach who's married has the perfect way of doing it, but we try to make the most of it for us.” Read a written transcript of the interview.

47 min

4.4

out of 5

5 Ratings

Interviews and discussions with Hope College coaches and student athletes

Creator

Alan Babbitt
Years Active

2020 - 2024
Episodes

37
Rating

Clean
Show Website

The Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast