CSR (Calvin to Undergo Transition in Men's AD Position)

Calvin Sports Report for July 20, 2006

Calvin College to Undergo Transition in Men’s Athletics Director Position

The position of men’s athletics director at Calvin College will undergo a transition for the upcoming year as Dr. Jim Timmer (Jr.) will take over the position from Kevin Vande Streek who has elected to step down from the position after a three-year term.

The men’s and women’s AD positions at Calvin operate on a renewable three-year basis.

Timmer will be the eighth men's AD at Calvin. In addition to Vande Streek, the position was previously held by Dr. Marv Zuidema, Dr. Ralph Honderd, Dave
Tuuk, Dr. Barney Steen, Chuck Bult and Albert Muyskens. Bill Cornelisse is credited with organizing Calvin's athletic teams from 1920-1935 but never received the official title of athletics director.

Vande Streek will continue to serve as Calvin men’s basketball coach and will also return to teaching in Calvin’s Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance and Sport Department.

Vande Streek recently completed his 10th year as Calvin men’s basketball coach, leading the Knights to their fifth MIAA title and fifth NCAA III Tournament berth under his helm.

“I think that God has used me in this role (as men’s basketball coach) in a lot of young men’s lives,” said Vande Streek who has fashioned a won-loss record of 212-74 (.741). “I feel blessed and thankful to be used in this capacity, and I feel God calling me to continue in this role.”

That’s the main reason Vande Streek has decided to step out of his role as men’s athletics director (AD) and return to teaching.

“There are some really tough things about being AD,” he said. “It’s a time commitment, but really it’s more of an emotional commitment. There are problems with players and coaches that become your problems, and I felt like that part of my job was diminishing my ability to mentor the players on my own team. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time as (men’s) AD but when I looked at all of the variables, I felt that stepping down was the right move.”

Vande Streek’s three-year term as men’s AD presented several highlights including a pair of top 10 finishes in the U.S. Sports Academy Director’s Cup standings, a third place national finish by the men’s basketball team (2005) and a national championship by the men’s cross country team (2003).

Timmer, who also serves as Calvin’s head baseball coach expressed words of gratitude for Vande Streek’s three years of service as men’s AD. “Kevin has been great to work with and I know everyone in our department is grateful for his tireless efforts over the last three years,” said Timmer. “Kevin has also been very helpful to me in making this transition and it is a big plus to have him just down the hall from my office when I need advice.”

Timmer will also have the aid of veteran Calvin women’s AD Nancy Meyer. “Nancy has also been very helpful to me in making this transition,” said Timmer. “I am looking forward to working with her in the upcoming years.”

A 1991 Calvin graduate, the 38-year old Timmer recently completed his third year as an associate professor in Calvin’s Health Physical Education Recreation Dance and Sport Department. He served two years as men’s golf coach and has served the last two years as baseball coach - a position that he will continue to hold. Prior to coming back to Calvin as a professor, Timmer spent the previous nine years at Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.

At Baldwin-Wallace, Timmer served as an assistant professor in the Division of Health and Physical Education. He also served nine years as assistant men's basketball coach, eight years as assistant baseball coach and one year as the head men's golf coach. While at Baldwin-Wallace, Timmer chaired the college’s search committee for a new president.
After receiving his bachelor's degree from Calvin in 1991, Timmer earned a Master's degree of Science (1993) and a Ph.D. in sports administration (1995) at the University of New Mexico.
         
Timmer is also a 1986 graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School. As a prep athlete, he was a three-sport standout in football, basketball and baseball where he received All-City accolades in all three sports over the course of his high school career.

Timmer and his wife Kathy (Hulst) are parents of three children, Anna, Christian and Gabrielle. His wife is a Holland Christian High School (1986) and Calvin College (1990) graduate and a former member of the Calvin women's basketball team.

“I’ve wanted to serve as an AD for a long time and to have this opportunity at my alma mater makes the appointment that much more special,” said Timmer. “It was one of the primary reasons why I selected sports administration as a career path for graduate school.”

Timmer steps into the reins of a men’s athletics program that has balanced academics and athletics successfully. “If you look at the history of Calvin athletics, we’ve maintained a healthy balance between academics and athletics,” said Timmer. “Not only have we won conference and national championships, but we’ve also had several academic all-americans, many team academic awards and a number of post-graduate scholars.

The balance between academics and athletics has been going on for many years and extends to several generations of student-athletes at Calvin. There’s no doubt in my mind that there’s a direct correlation between the two and we’ve proven that sustaining excellence in both areas can be done.”

Doing it all within a Christian framework is also important says Timmer. “Calvin is first and foremost a Christian college and I think it’s very important to remember that in everything we do in athletics, that we do so in conjunction with those beliefs,” he says. “Since I returned to Calvin a few years ago, I’ve been very impressed with the spiritual atmosphere not only with our athletes but also with the entire campus. That’s a very exciting thing to see.”

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Thu Jul 20 10:59:19 2006