It will be a busy weekend for the Grinnell College athletic teams, with much of the action at home.

Things kick off Friday with two home events, the first day of a women's volleyball tournament that also features William Penn University and Augustana College and a women's tennis match against Monmouth College. On top of that, the men's and women's cross country teams participate in the Augustana College Invitational.

The volleyball tournament continues on Saturday, while the football team hosts Lawrence University and women's tennis team hosts both Lake Forest College and Illinois College. Also, the women's soccer team entertains Monmouth College and the men host Macalester College.

The Pioneer women golfers take part in the Millikan Fall Classic, which runs through Sunday. Also Sunday, the men's soccer team hosts the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

Giggling and chattering with excitement, a pack of about 50 Grinnell kids ages 6-12 follow men's and women's tennis coach Andy Hamilton '85 from the steps of the Physical Education Complex across 10th Avenue down the path toward the Grinnell soccer fields. Once they reach the grass, the group is set loose and they sprint through a gate decorated with colorful paper streamers, down the small hill, and out onto the field. Over the course of the afternoon, the kids will participate in drills, work on their sportsmanship, take part in a variety of fun games, and cap off the day with a cool swim in the Grinnell College pool. Along the way, they will also build strong relationships and develop life skills that extend far beyond the athletic fields.

Every summer marks the beginning of the Grinnell Sports Camp, a three-week program for both boys and girls from Poweshiek County. Each week offers campers a different sport; soccer, basketball, and baseball are all taught in a fun, noncompetitive environment Monday through Friday afternoons. The camp gives children from the Grinnell community a unique opportunity to receive instruction from college coaches, including Hamilton; camp director and men's soccer and golf coach Brian Jaworski; and baseball coach Tim Hollibaugh.

Grinnell College players and recent alumni also come to coach and work with the kids - this year, it was Andrew Walsh (the author of this story), Parker Koester, and David Arseneault (all '09). "As Grinnell students and recent alums, they bring a lot to Sports Camp, connecting the community kids with students," says Leslie Jaworski, a psychology staff member who also coaches at the camps. "The kids truly adore the college students!"

The relationship, however, goes beyond just on-the-field athletic training. Over the three weeks, the coaches also stress valuable life lessons for the kids, such as treating each other with respect, listening to the coaches while they are talking, following instructions, and being a good teammate. "'Please and thank you will take you a long way in this world' is the motto we like to use with the kids," says Brian Jaworski. "It's great to see them develop these skills all while having a lot of fun."

The kids themselves develop many special relationships over the course of these afternoons. Often, the older children take it upon themselves to mentor younger ones who need help developing skills or learning the rules. "It's cool to watch," says Leslie Jaworski. "That's when the values and life skills taught in Sports Camp really start to get put into action."

Parents seem to agree. "We noticed the difference almost immediately in Bella. She became much more confident … she just seemed to be having a lot more fun when she was out doing anything physical," says Patricia Amador-Lacson, assistant dean of admission, whose daughter participated in the camps this summer.

The connections made at Sports Camp continue well beyond the three weeks. "When we see them at other places around town, it's great. There's usually a happy greeting, even hugs," Leslie Jaworski says. In addition to making some great friends, these Grinnell children will use many things they learned at the camps later on in their lives, both on and off the field.
- Andrew Walsh '09

Grinnell College landed a league-best 45 student-athletes on the Midwest Conference All-Academic Team for the 2009 spring sports season. The Pioneers had 12 selections alone in women's outdoor track and field and men's indoor track and field, plus eight in baseball.

Student-athletes from all 10 member institutions who hold a cumulative 3.2 grade point average and letter in any of the MWC's spring sports (baseball, softball, men's golf, men's tennis, men's outdoor track and field, and women's outdoor track and field) are eligible. The honorees, by team, were as follows:
2009 MWC Spring All-Academic Team

Grinnell College's men finished second in the 2008-09 Midwest Conference All-Sport Standings.

Grinnell tallied 77 points over the past school year, three behind champion Monmouth College. All-sports standing points are awarded for each of the league's 20 sports, with 10 points given for a first-place finish, nine for second on down through one point for 10th place.

On the women's side, Grinnell finished fifth with 61.5 points. The winner was St. Norbert College with 75.5.
2009 MWC All-Sport Standings

Grinnell College landed a league-best 58 student-athletes on the Midwest Conference All-Academic Team for the 2008-09 winter sports season. Leading the pack were women's swimming and diving and men's indoor track and field, which had 13 selections apiece. Men's swimming and diving had a dozen honorees.

Student-athletes from all 10 member institutions who hold a cumulative 3.2 grade point average and letter in any of the MWC's winter sports (men's and women's basketball, men's and women's swimming and diving, and men's and women's indoor track and field) are eligible. The honorees, by team, were as follows:
2008-09 MWC All-Academic Winter Team

Grinnell College landed a league-best 74 student-athletes on the Midwest Conference All-Academic Team for the 2008 fall sports season. The Pioneers were also tops in the conference for a single sport as they had 31 cross country runners earn recognition, with 18 from the women's team and 13 from the men's. The women's soccer team also had-double digit honorees with 12.

Student-athletes from all 10 member institutions who hold a cumulative 3.2 grade point average and letter in any of the MWC's fall sports (men's cross country, women's cross country, women's golf, football, men's soccer, women's soccer, women's tennis, volleyball) are eligible. The honorees, by team, were as follows:
2008 Fall Academic All-Conference Release

The Midwest Conference is pleased to announced that men's and women's conference basketball games will be available for free on MWCTV for the entire 2008-2009 season.

Live video streaming will be available at no charge for 80 men's and 80 women's league games and over a dozen non-conference contests each as well as the 2009 MWC Tournaments.

Games can be accessed from the schedule at www.midwestconference.tv. Viewers will need a high-speed internet connection and are encouraged to test their download speed on the MWCTV site to ensure a quality viewing experience.

The switch from a pay-per-view model over the past two years to free streaming with corporate partner Penn Atlantic is the result of a new business model that will include enhanced features to be unveiled in the fall of 2009.
For more information, click here