The Forester Cause
At Huntington University, each student, faculty member, and staff person dedicates themselves to greatness, whether in the classroom, in personal relationships, or in their walk with Christ, and athletics are no different.
HU’s sports teams, coaches, and student-athletes all commit to The Forester Cause, a mission statement based on Ephesians 4:12-13, “to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.”
Let’s hear what the five aspects of The Forester Cause mean to Forester student-athletes:
Christ: Establishing mentoring relationships with student-athletes that are rooted in Christ.
“I see Christ through a teammate picking me up when I am struggling and me picking him up when he is too. I also see Christ on the court when we are competing together as a team.”
Luke LaGrange, Men’s Basketball
Authenticity: Shaping authentic character through teamwork and competition.
“Being authentic is exactly how God created us to be — ourselves, and nobody else. Everyone on my team brings something unique to the team, which helps us grow with each other, becoming better people and athletes.”
Abby Sheehan, Women’s Golf
Unity: Promoting an environment that embraces a diverse body of believers.
“Unity is allowing any athlete of all backgrounds the opportunity to represent Huntington University. As Christians, it is imperative for us to be welcoming and show good sportsmanship to others, and as an athlete, I'm grateful to have the opportunity to do that at every meet.”
Zxavier Lehmkuhle, Men’s Cross Country and Track & Field
Service: Preparing servant leaders to make a positive impact.
“As a team, we do several service projects throughout the year to give back to the community or the game itself. We always have such a fun time doing it while also giving back and fulfilling the calling to serving others. It is amazing to see how one game can bring people together so easily, and to share love while serving them is nothing short of amazing.”
Kortney Grimm, Women’s Volleyball
“As a student-athlete, I try to incorporate service into my everyday life, through opportunities with team community service, doing the small jobs for the team that’ll lead others to do the same, and spending time with and helping students in ABLE.”
Jo Walker, Softball
Excellence: Emphasizing excellence both inside and outside the athletic arena.
“As an HU student-athlete, embodying excellence beyond the court is a standard in my life. Excellence extends to characteristics such as humility, love, discipline, sportsmanship, leadership, and respect both on and off the field.”
Gabi Melby, Women’s Basketball
To learn more about what it’s like to be a student-athlete at HU, check out HU’s Athletics homepage.
