Friday, February 26, 2010

Photo Tour of New Athletic Facilities

Please click the link below to view the most recent photo tour of the new athletic facilities.  Everything is still on pace for completion by August 1, 2010.

We can't wait to open the new facilities and show them off!

Photo Tour

Thursday, February 18, 2010

LEAVING GRINNELL TO COACH AT MY ALMA MATER

I had to make a very tough decision- a decision that was the right decision for me and my family. I'm leaving Grinnell College to be the Offensive Coordinator at my alma mater Austin College. Grinnell is a very special place with very special people. There are so many things I will miss about Grinnell. The thing I will miss the most is my relationship with the players. I will miss all the practical jokes they play on me, the daily conversations we have about how their day went or what happened in class, seeing all the guys getting their "swole" on in the weight room, and how well they get along with each other. It is truly the closest "TEAM" I've ever been associated with and that won't change. The players at Grinnell are special, unique, extraordinary young men who will go on and do great things in life.

I will be Grinnell's biggest fan and I can't wait to see the Pioneers put it on the Scots from Macalester on September 4 at Rosenbloom field.

The Pioneer Football team will be in good hands as Defensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator Jeff Pedersen has been named Interim Head Coach. Coach Pedersen is a former All-American at Grinnell and he'll do an outstanding job. I look forward to keeping up with the continued progress and success under Coach Pedersen's leadership.

Go Pioneers!!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Benefit For John Booth

John Booth is a security officer here at Grinnell College and about 2 weeks ago his entire house burned down in an early morning fire while John was on duty. His wife and their two children made it out unharmed but the family's two dogs and countless possessions and memories went up with the smoke.

In order to help the Booth family, the Pioneer football team put together a benefit concert on Friday night that featured freshman linebacker Cody Weber with a guitar and some of his original tunes. The benefit was a huge success, raising over $1,200 in cash and a ton of clothes, shoes, and food for the Booth family in their time of need.

Here's a photo of Cody Weber playing to the crowd (more photos to come):


A blurred shot of the crowd that gathered to support the Booth family.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Staff Profiles: Ted Schultz

Throughout the season we profiled each of our 14 senior players, recently we profiled our coaching staff, and finally we present the profiles of Grinnell Football's support staff. These folks do an insane amount of work behind the scenes to help us reach our goal of a MWC Championship. From Saturday afternoons in the fall to a Tuesday in February, their commitment to Grinnell Football is unparalleled and we are deeply thankful for them!

Next up is Ted Schultz!


Name: Ted Schultz
Hometown: Denison, Iowa (home of actress Donna Reed)
Family: wife, Marsha, two dogs, Archie and Oscar
Position/Title at Grinnell: Sports Information Director
Years at Grinnell: 3

What brought you to Grinnell College?
Seemed like a great College and great community.

What do you enjoy most about working at Grinnell?
Watching our student-athletes perform and dealing with them as student-workers.

What is your favorite Grinnell Football memory?
Brett Maloney breaking the record for tackles in a season... we literally had somebody tracking his tackles in the final game of the season (above and beyond the computer) to make sure we were right.

Favorite movie: Where to start... "The Horse Soldiers" (or anything John Wayne), "Rocky", "Rocky Balboa", "The Jerk", "Uncle Buck", "Weekend at Bernie's"...

Favorite book: The Bible

Favorite food(s): Spaghetti

Favorite travel location: Germany

Hobbies and Interests: RAGBRAI (biking), reading, stimulating conversation

List at least one random or interesting fact about you: I was the third baby born in the new Ida Grove hospital... that should warrant a bronze medal, right?

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Staff Profiles: Nancy Baumgartner

Throughout the season we profiled each of our 14 senior players, recently we profiled our coaching staff, and finally we present the profiles of Grinnell Football's support staff. These folks do an insane amount of work behind the scenes to help us reach our goal of a MWC Championship. From Saturday afternoons in the fall to a Tuesday in February, their commitment to Grinnell Football is unparalleled and we are deeply thankful for them!

Leading the charge is Nancy Baumgartner!

Nancy, at right, with her son, Bud '07, left, and now daughter-in-law, Jenn, center

Name: Nancy Baumgartner
Hometown: Grinnell, Iowa
Family: son, Arthur "Bud" Baumgartner '07, and daughter, Kate Baumgartner '11
Position/Title at Grinnell: Administrative Assistant to the Athletic Director
Years at Grinnell: 13

What brought you to Grinnell College?
I wanted to be surrounded by intelligence.

What do you enjoy most about working at Grinnell?
Getting to know the student-athletes.

What is your favorite Grinnell Football memory?
The 2003 Beloit game. I'll insert a quote about my son, Bud, (from the MWC Special Teams Player of the Week article): "Baumgartner, a freshman kicker from Grinnell, Iowa, helped Grinnell defeat Beloit by scoring the first touchdown of the game when a bad snap on a field goal attempt was picked up by the holder and thrown his way. Despite wearing a cast on one had, Baumgartner made the five-yard grab. He also connected on all three extra-point attempts."

Favorite movie: Shawshank Redemption

Favorite book: I can't decide between "To Kill a Mockingbird" or "100 Years of Solitude"

Favorite food(s): Salmon

Favorite travel location: Durango, Colorado

Hobbies and Interests: Sports, sports, sports, Kakuro puzzles, politics

List at least one random or interesting fact about you: I grew up in a family of 8 children (mostly girls), and we loved sports. My sisters and I were often better athletes than our boyfriends.