April Athlete of the Month: Clara Hoeksema
Photo courtesy of Clara Hoeksema
Article and interview by Grace Strelow
SAS and Volleyball athlete Clara Hoeksema, a senior at Hamilton, has been involved in the SAS world since freshman year, a total of four years of hard work and dedication. Hoeksema says, “I was required to participate in SAS for volleyball, but I loved it so much that I wanted to keep participating.”
Hoeksema was chosen as the April athlete of the month by Coach Justin Seely. “Clara has been a leader in the SAS program and now our Performance Conditioning class for the last four years. The thing that stands out to us as coaches is her consistency. She not only shows up every day, she shows up and gives phenomenal effort! It has been remarkable to watch her progress over her time here. Our girls volleyball program has done some special things in the last four years and Clara has been right in the middle of it. Clara has been a guiding light for our younger volleyball players as well. We feel like the future of the program is bright. By watching Clara and her teammates, our younger players have seen the importance of being physically prepared for the demands of their sport. The last, and maybe most important, compliment I can give Clara is that she has outstanding character. She is someone that people naturally want to be around on a regular basis. I believe that our SAS participation numbers have grown to where they are because of the quality of character from our leaders like Clara.”
Read on to hear what Hoeksema says about SAS:
Tell us about yourself.
I’m a senior who has been on the varsity volleyball team all four years and I am committed to Dordt University.
What is your favorite part of SAS?
Lifting with friends and setting new personal records.
What is the most challenging part of SAS?
Keeping up the mental toughness to keep pushing yourself to work your hardest.
How has SAS helped improve your fitness/athleticism?
It has given me a passion for working out and has helped me grow a lot stronger and faster.
How long have you been participating in SAS?
For 4 years (since freshman year)
What sports do you play here at Hamilton?
Volleyball and rugby
If you could convince someone to join SAS, what would you say to them?
It not only helps you get stronger physically, it also helps you get stronger mentally majorly due to the support from all of the amazing coaches and the fact that what you put into it is what you’ll get out. You can also gain a great new hobby that you can carry on doing for the rest of your life.
