June 7, 2000
Calvin assistant to take over Dana College men's basketball program
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The national championship Calvin men's basketball
team is losing a member of its coaching staff as assistant coach Chris
Fear has accepted the head coaching reins of the Dana College men's
basketball team.
A native of Everly, Iowa, Fear will take over at Dana College, located
in Blair, Nebraska, beginning in July. Fear will take four years of
coaching experience at Calvin with him to Dana College as he followed
Calvin head coach Kevin Vande Streek to Grand Rapids when Vande Streek
became head coach of the Calvin men's basketball team team in the fall
of 1996.
Fear served as top assistant under Vande Streek and was head coach of
the junior varsity team the past three years. In addition to his
on-the-floor coaching duties, Fear's responsibilities included scouting
opponents and recruiting. This past year, he was part of a coaching
staff that led Calvin to the NCAA Division III national championship,
allowing the Knights to capture the second national title in Calvin
men's basketball history and the fourth national title in Calvin
athletic history. In addition, Fear has served as an event coordinator
in Calvin's Office of Conferences and Campus Events and as an intern in
the Calvin Sports Information Office.
A 1996 graduate of the University of Sioux Falls, Fear also holds a
master's degree in physical education from Western Michigan University.
Fear was a four-year varsity basketball player under Vande Streek at the
University of Sioux Falls from 1991-1995. He led the Cougars in assists
from his point guard position during the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seaons. As
a junior, Fear helped lead Sioux Falls to a 21-8 season, setting a
school record for victories in a season. During his senior year, Fear
served as a team captain leading the Cougars to an 18-12 mark. An
All-State basketball player at Clay Central Everly High School, he then
served as an assistant at Sioux Falls during the 1995-96 year before
making the move with Vande Streek to Grand Rapids.
"I'm extremely excited that Chris has the opportunity to be a head
coach and I am confident that he will do a great job at Dana College,"
said Vande Streek. "We will miss him tremendously at Calvin. He has
been a huge reason for our success. I will also miss his friendship on
a daily basis; we have been together for the past nine years."
Fear will be taking over a Dana College team that posted a 13-16 record
last year. An NAIA Division II institution, Dana competes in the
Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference (NIAC). In addition to Dana, the NIAC
includes NAIA schools Doane of Nebraska, Hastings of Nebraska,
Northwestern of Iowa, Concordia of Nebraska, Midland Lutheran of
Nebraska and NCAA Division III member Nebraska Wesleyan. Dana finished
sixth in the seven-team men's basketball standings last year with a 4-8
league record.
"I have really enjoyed my time at Calvin and it is not easy to leave,"
said Fear. "The coaching experience I received at Calvin will certainly
be a huge benefit to me in the future as will the many friendships I
have developed here.'
"I'm really excited about coaching at Dana and feel that it is a great
opportunity," said Fear. "I'm familiar with the area and the conference
that Dana competes in. When I was a student at Sioux Falls, we played
many of the conference schools and I can say from first-hand experience
that it is a terrific conference with great competition."
The 27-year old Fear and his wife Kari are the parents of daughters
Alex, 7 and just-born Emma.
Calvin is currently seeking to fill the assistant coaching position
vacated by Fear. A replacement will be named at a later date.
-end-
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