Player Perspectives: Tim Janecek

This edition of player perspectives features 2008 All-CCIW selection Tim Janecek. Janecek is a three year starter on the defensive line and provided a pivotal interception in the 2008 "Little Brass Bell Game" against Wheaton College. In his piece, Janecek discusses what the rivalry with Wheaton College means to him and the rest of the Cardinal football team. Janecek is a 2006 graduate of Argo High School and hails from Bridgeview, Illinois.

My freshman year, I knew that the Wheaton game was a big game only because of Coach Thorne’s speech in the beginning of camp. I really underestimated how much this game means to the program. Going into the week there was a buzz around the locker room and around campus. All of the upper class men just really had this different attitude. Until that point I had never seen a team or group of individuals that focused at one time. During our first meeting of the week, Coach Wienke sent a fiery message to the defense that just got everyone in the room fired up, and this was on Monday. Every player on the team was ready to play the game right then and there.

The whole week of practice leading up to the game is fun, whether it is the scout team or the starters, everyone is giving everything they have. Still, you won’t know how much fun the game really is until the first kickoff. From the first whistle until the final horn, every player that takes the field gives it their all and flies around. The best part about the game is the rivalry between the towns. The winner has the bragging rights for the rest of the year. The towns are so close and it’s awesome to see the crowds come out and get just as fired up as the players are for the game. The game means a lot to me because it always comes down to every player, playing all four quarters giving everything they have, and laying it all on the line to get the victory. There is so much preparation and time put in before the game from watching film lifting and going to practice. When that Saturday gets there, you just cant wait to take the field, and there is nothing more exciting than knowing it is going to be a battle for all four quarters. As an individual, you are going to have to put forth your absolute best effort so the team wins the game.

My first two years here the game was a blast, but the outcome wasn’t in our favor. My junior year it was awesome to see everyone on the offense and the defense on the same page and firing on all cylinders. It was the coolest game that I have ever played in. We won that game and witnessing how every fan and player was so excited was an amazing experience. This year is hopefully going to produce the same result, with the Cardinals coming out on top.

Player Perspectives: Zach Baldacci

This edition of player perspectives features senior captain Zach Baldacci. Zach has started at left tackle the last two years for the Cardinals and made the switch from the defensive to the offensive line prior to his junior season. In his piece, Zach discusses the season thus far, how the Cardinals prepared for Millikin this weekend and what he and the team hopes to achieve the rest of the season. Zach, a native of Tinley Park, is a 2006 graduate of Andrew High School.

The season didn’t start exactly perfect for us. We lost our opening game of the season to a good Ohio Northern team that we felt like we should have beat. That was definitely a tough loss to swallow, but, it doesn’t mean we can’t achieve the goals we have set as a team for this season. I think as a team we learned our lessons from that game and have been better since. We gained back confidence the next two games with wins over Benedictine University and Olivet College. It was nice to get these wins at home for our fans. This upcoming weekend we start our conference play with Millikin University and we are all looking forward to this part of the season. This is what the team has worked so hard for on a daily basis through the whole off-season. Millikin will definitely be a great challenge for us as our first conference opponent. They are a tough team that plays hard. It is a game that we like because a physical game is our style of play and it will take a total team effort to get the victory. This week of preparation for Millikin went very well. Both sides of the football have put a lot of time in the film room to look at the strengths and weaknesses of this team and have transferred the knowledge to the field. I also think our scout team guys have been doing an awesome job simulating Millikin’s offense and defense all week. We had three good practices this week and are very much ready to start our CCIW conference schedule.

Our most important goal right now is to win the CCIW for the fourth year in a row. The CCIW is a very strong conference and it will not be an easy task for us. Most of our road games in the conference this year will be long distance. We will see how the team handles the heavy traveling. I don’t think it will be much of a problem as we play pretty well on the road. Another important factor is for us to stay healthy. We have absorbed some pretty big blows on the defensive side of the ball with Matt Wenger and Derek Sulo being out. I feel confident in the younger guys stepping up and believe we won’t have a problem playing at a high level for the rest of the year.

I would like to say thanks to all of our fans coming out so far to our first two home games and we will need your support throughout conference play. We look forward to seeing you out there for the rest of the year. GO CARDS!

Player Perspectives: Alex Haan

This edition of Player Perspectives features Freshman Quarterback Alex Haan. In his piece, Haan discusses the first week of Spring Practice, his experiences during recruiting and what he plans on accomplishing during the Spring and the upcoming season. Haan, a native of Homer Glen, Illinois, is a 2008 graduate of Chicago Christian HS.

After the first week of spring ball, I think things are going really well for me and the team. Coming together for 16 practices can only make the team better; it’s a great way to show all the hard work we have put into the off season. Getting out on the field is great because it keeps us up to speed with the knowledge of the game and gives us a chance to compete for a starting job. Spring practices are really good for recruiting and getting kids to come out for the football program because we can show the kids how we run practice and give them a feel for what our program is all about. We show that we work very hard each practice, but we also have fun while doing it.

The winter term went well academically. I decided to take four classes during my winter term to stay busy. Throughout the winter term I ate lunch with a recruit almost every day. During the recruiting overnights I hosted three recruits including a recruit from Connecticut. I had a great experience with Dom Sulo on my overnight recruiting visit so I feel like every other kid who decides to take an overnight visit here deserves the same.

Some of my personal goals are being the number two quarterback behind Aaron Fanthorpe throughout spring ball as well as the upcoming season. During the summer I want to improve my 225 max from 15 reps to 20 reps and my max squat 315 from 8 reps to 12 reps. Next season as a team I think we have all the tools and players to make it deep into the playoffs. I believe that if we stay healthy we can compete with any team in the nation.

I am going to Switzerland this summer with the team and I could not be more excited. Going out of the country with all my best friends and also playing football will be an unbelievable experience. Coach Spencer has done a great job setting up fun activities throughout each day. I think that Switzerland will be an unforgettable and I am really looking forward to the summer trip.

Player Perspectives: Derek Sulo

This edition of Player Perspectives features Junior Defensive Back Derek Sulo. Sulo, a three year starter in the Cardinal defensive backfield, earned CCIW First Team honors as a junior in 2008 as well as a spot on the D3Football.com’s North All-Region Third Team. In his career, Derek has accumulated 124 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions, 25 pass breakups and 3 fumble recoveries. Sulo and his classmates have won three consecutive CCIW Championships and are poised to win a fourth in 2009. In addition, they have also made it to the second round of the Division III NCAA playoffs three years in a row. In his piece, Derek discusses being recruited by North Central, his early seasons, playing alongside his brother Dominic, and his goals for himself and the Cardinals in 2009. Derek is a 2006 graduate of Mt. Carmel High School.


I went on a few visits to opposing CCIW schools, and I had a great time. However, those other schools were missing something. That is when my brother introduced me North Central College. He told me that he had just met a crazy white haired guy named Coach Wienke. He told me that I had to come for a visit to see what the school and guys were like. I did what he told me, and came for an overnight visit with a bunch of other recruits. It was a great night, but more importantly the people were great. After that visit I told myself that I want to be a Cardinal, and the rest is history.

In my first season with the Cardinal football team I was fortunate enough to come in and contribute right away. I got to know everyone really fast, but mostly the juniors and seniors. Guys like Chris Bazant, Tim Bellazzini and of course the rest of my teammates didn’t treat me as a freshman, but as a friend. There was nothing more memorable than winning the CCIW championship with a group of guys who worked so hard. I believe that those guys set the standard for the next season and eventually our undefeated CCIW championship this last year. Off the field there are so many opportunities that the school offers. One of my most memorable experiences off the field happened just recently. I was nominated to go to a Regional Division III Leadership Conference. I got a chance to meet a lot of new people, and I learned a lot about myself as well.

The team has always been very connected with each other. I believe that everyone is treated like a person and an individual, not just a freshman or a number. You can always pick out the football guys in a crowd because we are loud and proud of whom we are.

I have been watching my brother Dominic succeed in athletics since grade school. It really is fun to watch him play because I know how much time and effort he puts into football. I am to a point in my athletic career, where I don’t even need to look up to see him; I just listen to the crowd cheering. I know every time that he gets the ball on offense he has a chance to score, and I think that is why he has been so successful. He is easily one of the hardest workers on the team. The benefits of going to school with my brother are endless. First off, I know that I will always have some sort of competition wherever I go. There are too many benefits to talk about, but I know that there will always be someone who knows were I have been and where I want to go.

I would like to help lead the Cardinals past the second round of the playoffs. A fourth consecutive CCIW championship is a very realistic goal as well. As far as personal goals, I would like to contribute in any way possible. I want to achieve first team CCIW honors as well as all-region. No matter what happens, I want everyone to know about our new tradition at North Central.

Each year we have improved, but we haven’t been able to get over the hump of the second round. I myself am putting everything I can into my final season as a Cardinal. I believe that we as team need to work hard to reach our ultimate goal. Once we can get everyone to buy in to the program you will see North Central in Salem, Virginia where we belong.

Player Perspectives: Nick Swanson

This weeks edition of Player Perspectives features Senior Defensive Back and Team Captain Nick Swanson. Swanson was a three year starter in the Cardinals defensive backfield where his very productive career culiminated in 165 tackles, 6 interceptions, 15 pass breakups and 4 sacks. During his time at North Central, Nick was apart of four playoff qualifying teams and three CCIW conference champion teams, all of which he played an instrumental part in. Swanson and his teammates posted the best record over a four year span in North Central football history (38-9) and recently capped off the first undefeated regular season and 11 win season in school history. In his piece, Swanson reflects back on his four year playing career at North Central College, where the program has gone in his time with the school and what he feels it means to be a Cardinal football player. Swanson, who will graduate in the Spring with a degree in chemisty, is a 2005 graduate of Sandburg High School.

What does North Central College Football mean to me? After four years of playing football here, that is the question I started asking myself more and more frequently as my final season drew to a close. I guess the best way to go about answering this is to start from the beginning. When I first came to camp my freshman year I remember very well being intimidated by the older guys. It had nothing to do with the way the older guys treated me, I have no complaints about the seniors they were amazing to me. It was something else that intimidated me about those guys. Players like Tennerelli, Lenny and Bellz were different. The thing that set them apart from just another big guy playing football was the confidence they carried everywhere. That was what I wanted, that swagger, the confidence that comes with playing North Central Football. As an underclassman I didn’t know how to get that “chip on my shoulder” as Coach Wienke calls it, but over time and through training, I finally earned that swagger I saw in those guys 4 years ago.

When I was asked to write this I was asked to pick out the funniest thing that I remember from my football career, honestly, I couldn’t pick out just one story. I’ve had a lot of great times on the field as well as off. My favorite times of the day during the football season (except the games) have to be the times when everyone is sitting around just hanging out. For example, before practice when everyone is listening to music in the locker room, usually the worst dancers on the team try to impress everyone despite their lack of ability. Another perfect example would be after practice when everyone is tired and beat up and the feeling of just being around guys that you know that are working for the same goals as you are.

What is the largest change in NCC football in my four years? Coach Thorne got a TV show, evidence that North Central’s football program is rapidly becoming elite in Division III football. When people would ask what school I go to, and I would reply NCC, people would usually just nod and pretend like they knew where I was talking about. Recently, it seems like more of the people I meet have heard of the school. How do I feel about my success as a North Central College Football? Since being at NCC we have won 38 games, in my senior year we went 11-1 going undefeated in the regular season for the first time in the schools history. Needless to say, my four years have been surreal. These numbers have come from one place, the work ethic of the players. Enduring a season of Coach Wienke’s lifting packet reminds you that you need a special sort of drive or you will not make it here. I could not be happier about where I have been with this team or the records that we have completely shattered along the way.

What will I miss most? I will miss being close to all of these guys, after football is over everything changes. Everyone gets jobs, they have separate lives, they live in different places, and you really need to make an effort to see the people you want to see or before you know it you won’t even know those people anymore. Even in a school this size it is difficult to see everyone that you saw everyday for 4+ hours during football. I will miss preparing for a game; I loved studying the other team, looking for different tendencies that will give you the mental edge. Any meathead can lift weights and run and hit someone, but the truly good players study the game. I really loved the mental part of the game; I felt like that really made football special.

Player Perspectives: Kane Thompson

This edition of Player Perspectives features sophomore linebacker Kane Thompson. In his piece, Kane discusses the transition between freshman and sophomore year at North Central as well as the importance of academics and his experiences playing for back to back conference champion teams. This past season Kane recorded 17 tackles and 2 pass breakups, as well as a blocked kick. Kane is a 2007 graduate of Aledo High School in Aledo, Illinois.

Football at North Central College has been as fun as it has been challenging. Starting off as a freshman last year proved to be a major transition period in my life; I had to maintain my schedule, football, class work, etc. My freshman year did, however, serve as one of the more enjoyable times of my life. My conversion from freshman to sophomore has since been even more pleasant. I’ve participated in North Central’s first undefeated season, enjoyed another conference championship, had another postseason run, and experienced a senior class unlike any other. I believe the team chemistry at North Central College has built our program into a winning one.

A major difference between freshman and sophomore year is the understanding of personal expectations. Coming into the 2007 season at North Central, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. As a sophomore, I am able to fully understand the expectations of coaches on and off the field. I know where I stand in order to play, and I know what I need to do in order to find myself on the field.

Academics are essential at North Central College. I am currently majoring in Athletic Training and Pre-Physical Therapy. I’ve experienced a major transition from the classes I was taking last year to the classes I’m in this year. The classes I took were mainly general education requirements. Conversely, this year I’ve had a stronger focus of classes in my major. These classes are far more challenging, but they are also more enjoyable. I’ve learned that there are more things at North Central College other than to play football and meet new people. Academics should come first because we’ll all be out in the real world someday. Football at North Central College has helped me to focus on serious goals within my life.

Player Perspectives: Nate Vandermyde

This edition of Player Perspectives features freshman quarterback Nate Vandermyde and his experiences during his first season with the Cardinals. Vandermyde is a 2008 graduate of Morrison High School in Illinois.

In college, the competition for playing time was tougher than what it was in high school and that was a major adjustment. There were plenty of freshman games so, there were chances to play; it’s just that you have prove yourself in a game situation. The same went for varsity; you have to show the coaches that you are ready to play at that level. The majority of my time was spent preparing the varsity for game day, but there was time at the end set aside for us younger guys to prove ourselves. The coaches had a chance during that time to see our skills. They can also see how well we are doing through film, because the practices are filmed and the freshmen games are filmed as well. There is a higher level of commitment than what was required in high school.

For me the transition between high school and college was tough. College is a lot faster and everyone is on the same level. There is a lot more to learn in college than in high school when dealing with an offense. A lot of variations in formations, numerous passing plays, and certain footwork that goes along with the plays were frustrating to learn at first. The transition academically was somewhat tough but was not that bad. There are just papers that have to be written that cause a high amount of stress.

Class and athletics for me was not that hard to juggle. It got stressful at times but overall I found I could handle it; you just have to manage your time well. We have mandatory study table hours that we have to log so that’s a good time to get the majority of your homework done. During those study tables there are tutors readily available for just about any subject. You can always schedule a time to meet with your teachers to go over the subject material as well.

Our lifting program, I think, is really beneficial. It is time consuming but you have to lift in order to keep up with the other competition for your spot. The lifting helps ease the transition into college football because everyone on the football team is huge when you first come in; at least that’s how it felt for me.

Through lifting and memorizing the plays my goal is to get more playing time some way or another, whether that is at quarterback (where I am right now), special teams, or wherever it works out for me.