Many athletes have the time of their lives playing the sport they love at the collegiate level, but once it’s over, what happens next?
Their journeys in competition might end once their senior season ends, but another journey is right around the corner. Playing at the Division III level has not only let athletes continue their careers, but it has also prepared them for life after college. Senior athletes here at North Central show this to be true, as many of them have a bright future ahead.
One example is men’s track and field athlete Bobby Kallien, ’18. A management/economics major, Kallien believes that there is no better school for the DIII experience than North Central.
“You get the quality of coaching comparable to a Division I institution, but you also know that everyone wants to be there because they truly want to be there,” Kallien says. “That’s why I choose to compete at the Division III level at North Central.”
With no one on scholarship at the Division III level, student-athletes are competing for the love of their games. With athletes being there out of passion, it creates a more personal experience because many have a point of connection right from the get-go.
“The teammates I’ve met here have now become my best friends,” Kallien says. “This enhances having that well-rounded college experience.” Having met his best friends through his sport and having a great coaching experience comparable to Division I, Kallien had a memorable student-athlete experience.
Kallien is looking forward to another positive experience right around the corner as he will be pursuing a master’s at North Central while serving as the graduate assistant with the Office of Career Development.
While Kallien exemplifies how competing in DIII athletics puts student-athletes on a good path for the future, he’s certainly not alone. Women’s track and field runner Bethany Bachmann, ’18, also proves that being a student-athlete at North Central has helped her get to the path she’s on today. “I feel like playing sports at this level really challenges you and I think it has been very beneficial for me,” Bachmann said.
Life presents many obstacles during one’s life. While college tries to prepare students for these challenges as best as possible, being an athlete can ultimately prepare students even more through the unique challenges it provides.
One of these challenges is maintaining grades while competing at such a high level. This is something which Bachmann, a sociology major, has done to perfection. “You have to have a good GPA to be able to compete and run, and I know for the women’s team that we set ours a lot higher than what the school actually sets for that,” Bachmann said. “It benefits us; we actually spend time on our homework and things we need to.” Bachmann is just one example of the many student-athletes here at North Central who are able to overcome the many challenges that are presented.
Along with the challenges, being a student-athlete at the collegiate level teaches students to have a good work ethic. Men’s football athlete, Cody Rudnik, ’18, shows how learning how to have a good work ethic as a student-athlete can go a long way:
“Academics and sports are hand-in-hand within my career because it allows me to develop a hard work ethic,” Rudnik stated. “For example, I have multiple practices a day, lifting and meetings. Therefore I believe a hard work ethic helps reinforce my career.”
Being a student-athlete here at North Central not only teaches students the importance of a hard work ethic but also gives athletes a real chance to win at their sports.
That’s a big reason why Rudnik, a physical education/secondary education major, chose to compete at North Central. “I wanted to play at Division III for the love of the game, the education and a real chance to play here and win a national championship,” Rudnik said.
