Spark

Calvin has presented the Beré Memorial Award since 1951. The Beré honors the top senior male student athlete based on athletic ability, scholastic rank, character and leadership. The school’s varsity coaches and members of the athletics committee select the honoree. It is given in memory of Joe Beré, a Calvin student who was killed in a 1949 auto accident on his way to watch a Calvin basketball game.

This is the 36th year that Calvin has given the Tiemersma Award, which is presented annually to the top senior female student athlete. The award honors Kay Tiemersma, a pioneer in women’s sports and the first female physical education teacher in the member schools of the Christian Schools International organization. Its presentation is based on athletic ability, scholastic standing, character and leadership; the school’s varsity coaches and athletics committee members select the winner.

Greg Snapper

A graduate of Madison (Wis.) West High School, Greg Snapper has been a four-year member of the Calvin men’s soccer team. 

He was a four-year starter as a sweeper back on defense. He was named to the All-MIAA second team as a freshman in 2006 and named to the All-MIAA first team in 2007, 2008 and 2009. He was also named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player in 2008 and 2009.

In addition, Snapper was named to the Division III Great Lakes All-Region second team in 2008 and to the Division III Central All-Region first team in 2009. This past November, he was selected as an ESPN the Magazine Academic All- American, earning a spot on the second team in the college division of men’s soccer.

As a senior, Snapper led a Calvin defense that posted 14 shutouts and recorded a goals-against average of 0.67.

Snapper was a part of three MIAA championship teams at Calvin as well as three teams that reached the NCAA III Tournament. As a senior captain this fall, he helped Calvin advance to the NCAA III Championship final in San Antonio, Texas. The trip to the NCAA III Final Four was the first in Calvin men’s soccer history.

Snapper graduated with a biochemistry major and a Spanish minor. He was an eighttime member of the Calvin dean’s list and a four-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.

He has also been involved in Calvin’s summer science research programs, investigating cell chemistry and biology.

This fall he is attending graduate school at the University of Illinois, where he is seeking a master’s in chemistry. He plans a career as a research chemist.

Emily Ottenhoff

A graduate of Chicago Christian High School, Emily Ottenhoff was a four-year member of both the Calvin women’s soccer and basketball teams.

As a member of the women’s soccer team, Ottenhoff was a four-year starter in midfield and was named to the All-MIAA second team in 2006 and 2007 and to the All-MIAA first team in 2008 and 2009. As a senior in 2009, she was named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player, earned a spot on the Division III All-Central Region first team and was then named a second team NCAA III All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Ottenhoff helped the Calvin women’s soccer team capture four consecutive MIAA regular-season titles, four bids to the NCAA III Tournament and two trips to the NCAA III quarterfinals. During the span, Calvin was 71-10-8, making it the winningest four year stretch in Calvin women’s soccer history. She finished her soccer career with 32 goals, 11 assists and 75 points. Over her four years on the pitch, she was a perfect seven-forseven on penalty kicks. Of her 32 career goals, 13 were game-winners.

On the basketball court, she was a member of the Calvin junior varsity her freshman year and a three-year member of the varsity squad. As a senior, Ottenhoff was the starting point guard on a Calvin team that posted an overall record of 24-5 and reached the NCAA III Tournament.

As a senior point guard, she averaged 5.5 points and a team-leading 2.2 assists per game, while connecting on 42.1 percent (32 of 76) of her three-point field goal attempts. 

In the classroom, Ottenhoff is majoring in physical education with a minor in health education. She returned this fall to complete her student-teaching duties. She also serves as a student assistant coach with the Calvin women’s soccer team. She was a two-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.

Ottenhoff has been active in the community, volunteering in Calvin’s Ready-For-Life program, working with adults with special needs. She also served as a ballroom dance instructor at Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills High School; in 2007, she was a member of a mission trip to Costa Rica with the Calvin women’s soccer team.