Elise Thompson sets up to defend during GRCC's home game against Kalamazoo Valley Community College. (Photo by Christina Kim/Collegiate)

Team Captain is a true leader
By Andy Dicks
Collegiate Sports writer

5'10 native of Flushing, volleyball team captain and libero Elise Thompson is an exemplary leader, not just because of her playing, but her interactions with her teammates.

Thompson, who was named team captain of the GRCC volleyball team in the summer, is one of those leaders who doesn't come around very often.

“Being named team captain is a high honor,” Thompson said. “It's cool that the girls look up to me, but I don't put myself above the them, we are all leaders here.”

“Elise was chosen as team captain because of her dedication to the sport and her teammates,” said freshman setter Tamara Bethke. “She always pushes everyone on the court to their potential and brings everyones spirits up around her. She is like a mom to us.”

“Elise is the one everyone goes to when they need advice whether it be on or off the court,” said freshman outside hitter Chelsea Clapper. “She’s an amazing leader and we're lucky to have someone like her on the team.”

As team captain on the volleyball team, one of Thompson's biggest duties is being the team's intercessor.

“If a player has any questions about getting playing time, or an issue with another girl or coach, they would come to me and I would address the issue with the coach,” Thompson said.

Thompson's unbiased approach to solving team issues is another reason why she was selected team captain by the coaching staff.

“When the coach wants to talk to another player, I am asked to be present as the third neutral party,” Thompson said.

What makes Thompson stand out from most team captains is the incomparable approach she uses to build team unity. Thompson uses ideas from a teamwork book she refers to and ties them in with the girls.

“We have assigned sister who do nice things for one another,” Thompson said.

By helping the team stick together, Thompson plans many activities outside of school and volleyball. Recently the team had a dinner where they discussed team goals. As small as it may seem, the outings have had a huge impact on the team so far this season.

As captain of her high school volleyball and tennis team her senior year, Thompson knows what’s its like to be in a leadership role. She also knows what its like to be an outsider.

As a freshman on varsity teams in high school, Thompson knew how discouraging it can be not getting much playing time.

“Going from being a starter in high school to having reduced time on the court can be tough and I know how it feels to be insecure and unsure of yourself,” Thompson said. “As a captain, I try to be perceptive to others feelings and give them extra encouragement.”

Some of the freshmen that came in this season were having a tough time adapting to college life and athletics according to volleyball head coach Chip Will. Thompson stepped up and helped them through the transition, and so far everyone has made the switch successfully.

“With them being far from home, I try to help ease the tension and make them feel comfortable,” Thompson said. “Elise made it easy for me as a freshman,” Bethke said. “I came into the practices not knowing many people, and instantly she made me feel welcome. She also took the time away from her busy schedule and showed me all the cool places are around campus.”

“It was hard at first living on my own, but Elise told me how though she misses her family back home,” Clapper said. “She takes care of each and every one of us.”

Not only are Thompson's leaderships skills guiding the Raiders to one of their best seasons ever in school history but her playing as well. Thompson is currently eleventh in aces per game at .456 (31 total) in the latest Region 12 statistics. She is also sixth in digs per game at 4.809 (327 total).

Although Thompson excels on the court, she is nearly perfect off the court. Thompson has a 3.9 GPA. Her first priority is school: attending classes, studying, and going to a tutor in the Calkins Science Center.

“The whole college experience has been great because of the support system here at GRCC,” Thompson said. “I didn't know about how close the community was until I arrived. All of the athletic programs get along, and we get to see one another daily."

Additionally, Thompson was very pleased to see how much her professors cared about her as a student-athlete. Seeing them in the stands during her volleyball matches meant a lot to her. Thompson plans to go pre-med at the University of Michigan State and hopes to continue playing volleyball.

With the leadership of Thompson, the lady Raiders are currently 12-0, with only two matches remaining.

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Coach teaches team to overcome adversity
By Matt Bultman
Collegiate Staff Writer

GRCC women’s tennis head coach and Grand Rapids native, Sue Katerberg, is an inspiration to her players Keterberg’s story is filled with many challenges.

From battling breast cancer at age 32, to recovering from both a broken back and neck. She has faced many obstacles in her career and beaten the odds, both as an athlete and as a coach.

“I didn’t even pick up a tennis racket until I was 28 years old,” Katerberg said.

Four years and countless practice hours later, Katerberg turned her newfound hobby into a career. This career almost ended before it started though. Katerberg was diagnosed with breast cancer only months before she was planning to take the exam to become a registered professional.

“It was hard, but I had a very supportive base,” Katerberg said. “My husband and family were always there for me.”

Katerberg used tennis as a way to release the stress and anxiety she was dealing with.

“I would go hit balls and beat the board with them until I was exhausted,” Katerberg said. “It was a way for me to get my mind off everything that was going on.”

Katerberg returned to the courts only two weeks after surgery. She tur

ned professional in 1982 and joined a local traveling team, playing teams from around the state. The GRCC head coach at the time was impressed after Katerberg dominated his number one player in an offseason match. He offered her a scholarship and at the age of 35, Katerberg became a student at GRCC and a member of the tennis team.

After enjoying a successful career as a player at GRCC, Katerberg joined the coaching staff, becoming an assistant for five years before taking over the head coaching duties in 1992.

Since taking over Katberberg has enjoyed plenty of success. She has won five regional titles, been named Coach of the Year six times, and won seven conference titles. She has become one of the most successful tennis coaches in the country and was inducted to the NJCAA Hall of Fame after only seven years as a head coach.

Despite this success Katerberg insists that the reason she coaches is for the players.

“I’m in this for the kids and helping them succeed academically,” said Katerberg. “Tennis is fun, but academics are what is going to take you places in life.”

At age 58 Katerberg has no intentions of retiring any time soon.

“As long as I feel like I am helping people and I can physically perform my job duties I will continue coaching,” said Katerberg.

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Baseball begins training for season
By Dana Finkler
Sports Editor

Coach Michael Cupples and the GRCC baseball team are taking advantage of the recent good weather to prepare for the upcoming season.

The team looked focused on a warm, Oct. 17, as they practiced outside at Belknap Park taking ground balls, running laps, and throwing bullpen sessions with the pitchers. Last season the team finished strong winning in the league and region, but fell short in the World Series finishing in 4th place.

The raiders lost 12 players to graduation and transfer such as Derek Jones, Jared Knuth, and Matt Malewitz. The biggest loss was to the pitching staff, losing five out of the six pitchers. Both Knuth and Malewitz anchored last years pitching staff.

“We’re young on the mound,” said Cupples. “The talent is there, but we’ll have to see how they mature and progress through the season.”

The returning players are eager to shine like sophomore pitcher, Ryan Jensen.

“Last year as a freshman I was nervous,” Jensen said. “I had to prove myself. This year I’m more relaxed, you can’t be nervous.”

With a new team, Cupples knows every year is a challenge and getting outside helps the coach evaluate their players.

“Anytime we can get out here as a group we’re going to get better and because of that, we can get it done the way we want it done,” Cupples said.

Cupples is still adjusting to the character of the team. Most of them result to humor to ease the tension in-between practices and games. One player even ventured up the big hill that overlooks the fields to chase a dog that had been watching the team practice that afternoon.

Even transfer pitcher, Tim Simpson is enjoying his experience at GRCC. Simpson had attended College of the Desert, and transferred to GRCC because of their success.

“The college I went to was just starting out with their baseball program,” said Simpson. “I transferred to GRCC because they have a more established program"

. Not only have the raiders seen changes to their line-up and pitching staff, but the coaching staff has a new look as well. This off-season, the raiders hired former MLB journeyman, John Vander Wal as an assistant coach. Vander Wal, a native of Hudsonville, Michigan and a member of the Western Michigan University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Vander Wal is not the only assistant the raiders added to their staff this off-season. They also added Bruce Walterhouse to the staff. If Mother Nature continues to cooperate with the raiders they will to practice outside as long as possible, but once the temperatures begin to drop, they will prepare to work inside Ford Fieldhouse.

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Basketball is back in action
By Christina Kim
Assistant Sports Editor

With only two returning players, womens basketball head coach Kelley McEwen still plans for a successful season.

“We want to win the league championship, then the regional,” McEwen said. “But we’re taking it one step at a time.”

The team is focusing on coming together and learning to play well with each other.

“There’s a lot of teaching going on,” McEwen said. “Everyone comes from a different background with different playing styles.”

Last year, the Lady Raiders went 6-6 in the conference and 13-9 overall. The two returning players, Brittany Bueche and Lindsey Trierweiler, were fourth and twelfth in scoring, respectively. Bueche averaged 9.3 points per game.

“I have a good group of girls,” McEwen said. “They are talented and competitive. We’ll be pretty good by the end of the season.”

Right now, McEwen is looking at a roster of about nine girls. One player is on the volleyball team and has yet to confirm that she will be playing for McEwen.

“I’m waiting to see who will assume the role of captain,” McEwen said. “It’s still pretty early yet.”

The team’s first game is a scrimmage at home against Calvin College Oct. 27 at 6 p.m.

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Sports Cornor: Top Five Sports Movies of All-Time
By Christina Kim
Assistant Sports Editor

Bored out of my mind, I was flipping through the movies on the On Demand menu when I came across “Hoosiers.” About an underdog team, it’s considered one of the great sports movies of all time. In a time of movies like “Transformers,” and “Iron Man,” I though it was time to remember the great, classic, Cinderella stories about teams and players who knew the value of dedication and hard work. Here are the ones that made the list:

HOOSIERS: “Welcome to Indiana basketball.” Gene Hackman is great as coach Norman Dale. With a recovering alcoholic as an assistant coach, cute boys in short shorts and All-star high tops, what’s not to love?

ROCKY: Rocky Balboa, Apollo Creed, the theme song, the front steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, enough said.

THE NATURAL: A baseball classic. Attempted murder, deceitful owners, long-lost love, “The Natural” has it all. Robert Redford is the mysterious Roy Hobbs, who appears out of nowhere and becomes a star. Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, and Barbara Hershey are the leading ladies.

RUDY: From the makers of “Hoosiers,” based on the true story of Daniel E. “Rudy” Ruettiger, who dreams of playing Notre Dame football. No one believes that little Rudy can get into Notre Dame, let alone make the team.

SLAP SHOT: Hilarious and entirely un-p.c. Paul Newman, the guy from the salad dressing bottle, is ridiculous as coach and hockey player Reggie Dunlop. Back in the days when helmets were optional, the Charlestown Chiefs try to find success with excessive violence. The Hanson brothers, Ned Braden stripping on the ice, the Chief’s booster club, it’s all good fun.

Honorable mention: The Longest Yard (the original), Remember the Titans, Miracle, Field of Dreams

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October 29, 2008

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