3B: Athletics – Soar EC
Welcome to the 3B: The Brochure Breakdown Blog series. In this recurring blog series, we consider all 9 topics in the newly released Eastern Christian School Brochure. We consider how each topic helps us tell our story.
The athletics page of the EC Brochure. Download the digital copy or request a paper copy.
Soaring
One of the key messages that you may have seen at Eastern Christian is “Soar EC.” We frequently use this message in our online communications (#SoarEC), on t-shirts, and even in Spirit Squad chants at basketball games. While this message is definitely relevant for all of Eastern Christian, it has a unique home with Athletics.
Why did we pick the image of soaring? Well, first and foremost, we are eagles. The eagle mascot is such a common one, that we may sometimes lose the uniqueness of this eagles/soaring message! The choice of “eagles” as a mascot no doubt stemmed from Isaiah chapter 40, where we are challenged to soar on wings like eagles. There’s something about eagles and soaring that is intertwined. Here’s a fun little exercise: do a google image search of the word “Soar.” The results? Almost exclusively images of eagles. Eagles were made to soar. It’s who we are and it’s what we are about.
What does it mean to soar? Dictionary definitions usually focus on flying, rising high in the air, or maintaining height in the air without flapping wings. In the use of “Soar EC,” we love the play on the Eagle/flight imagery and the 3rd most common definition: “To Increase rapidly above the usual level, to rise.” Our athletics program is all about this. On an individual, team, school, and spiritual basis, we are all about rising. We are committed to improving and to becoming the best that we can be. If you’ll excuse a diehard Green Bay Packer fan from injecting a Vince Lombardi quote, “We will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.”
So How Are We Soaring?
- Our Athletic Pillars have been adopted and posted on all three campuses. These Pillars are the guiding document that informs student-athletes, coaches, parents, and fans why we do athletics and how we intend to conduct ourselves in this process.
- EC’s athletic offerings are amazing. For a school of our size to offer 20 sports offerings, you have to be committed to athletics!
- Athletic Director Barry Veenstra has already executed a number of exciting program enhancements, including the new fitness center, trophy case remodels [image of trophy cases before and after], the EC Swag Shop, and Community Basketball Nights.
- We’re also soaring in communications. You can subscribe to the Athletics Blog email list, or follow our new Athletics Twitter page.
Up next in the 3B series: Wired For Creativity
Previously in the 3B series:
The Brochure Breakdown Series Introduction
Our Mission and History
Authentic Faith Integration
Promoting Academic Excellence
Richly Diverse Community
3 Campuses One School