Earlham athlete has senior seasons taken away from him
RICHMOND, Ind. (BVM) 鈥� Jordan Christian was a two-sport athlete at Earlham College. Through his 铿乺st three years at the school, Christian was a punter for the football team in the fall, and a pitcher for the baseball team in the spring. He was looking to 铿乶ish off his collegiate athletic career strong, until his 铿乶al seasons in both sports were taken away from him.
Christian is a Richmond, Ind. native who grew up playing football, basketball, and baseball. By the time he attended Richmond High School, he decided to focus speci铿乧ally on football and baseball, both of which he has played since he was just 4 years old.
After graduating high school in 2016, Christian decided to stay home and attend Earlham College to major in computer science while minoring in global management. Additionally, he planned to continue his athletic careers in football and baseball.
Growing up right by the school, Christian always knew that Earlham would be a good choice for him academically.
鈥淕rowing up with Earlham in my backyard, I had always known that academically they were a really good school. I wanted to go to a place where I could feel that I knew my professors really well, and develop relationships while still getting a prestigious education,鈥� Christian said.
Christian has family history at Earlham, as his grandfather attended the school and played football for the Quakers. He also already knew Earlham baseball coach Steve Sakosits from growing up in Richmond. Pair that with the opportunity to be able to play two sports, and the 21-year-old was sold on Earlham athletically as well.
鈥淚 wanted to play both football and baseball and Earlham was the only place that was really able to give me that opportunity. Combine that with the academics and it being right in my backyard…it was an easy choice,鈥� Christian added.
Through his 铿乺st three years at the school, Christian excelled in both sports. During his freshman football season, he broke the record for longest punt in Earlham history, with an 83-yard boot. In baseball, the pitcher came in as a freshman and helped the Quakers win the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference for the 铿乺st time in school history.
He would continue as punter for the Quakers鈥� football team over his sophomore and junior years as well. However, the team went winless each of Christian鈥檚 three seasons, and was not drawing enough players needed for a successful program. For those reasons, among others, Earlham announced before the team鈥檚 铿乶al game in November 2018 that it would be discontinuing its football program. It was certainly tough news to hear for Christian and other teammates alike.
鈥淥bviously I was extremely frustrated. The board did what they felt was best for the school,鈥� he explained.
Christian did entertain the possibility of transferring to another school so he could play one more year on the gridiron, but decided it would not be worth it academically. Through several factors, Earlham decided canceling football was in the best interest of their school, and unfortunately there just wasn鈥檛 anything the punter could do about it. However, he does think eventually the sport will be back at Earlham.
鈥淚 do believe that someday football will make its way back. A good football program can boost any campus鈥� morale…it鈥檚 a big thing for the school if you have a good football program,鈥� Christian said.
While unfortunate, the pitcher still had his senior baseball season to look forward to. Without football in the fall for the 铿乺st time in 16 years, the 21-year-old put all his focus into preparing for the baseball season. Transitioning from starting pitcher as a freshman to reliever as a sophomore and junior, Christian was slated to be the team鈥檚 closer this year.
The Quakers did begin their season 7-3, which included a series win against a nationally ranked team where Christain would pick up his first save of the season. But then the unthinkable would happen, something all too familiar for the two-sport athlete, as the remainder of his senior baseball season would be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March.
Christian had just gotten out of math class when he went to check his phone and saw the cancelation. With games scheduled for that weekend and a spring trip to Florida in the works the following week, the news was tough to take.
鈥淚t was a lot of shock and disbelief. No student ever expects their senior years to end the way that mine have,鈥� Christian said.
Thankfully, the Earlham baseball team would at least give the squad and their seniors a proper send off. The same day the season got canceled, the team went out and had their last practice. The next day, they organized a senior day scrimmage before campus officially shut down.
鈥淲e had a mini senior day and made the best out of a bad situation,鈥� Christian said.
It was a nice bit of closure for the team and a special tribute to the seniors, especially Christian, who will unfortunately never be honored with a true senior day after his years of competing in both sports.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 something every student athlete looks forward to. Not just it being their last game, but just a proper send off. Senior night is always something special and something every person will remember, but the fact we weren鈥檛 able to have that was heartbreaking for all of us,鈥� Christian said.
In an ever changing whirlwind of a senior season, one thing has remained constant for Christian – his coaches and teammates.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e meant everything, both coaches and my teammates in both sports…there was always somebody that was able to pick me up when I was feeling down. College is an emotional roller coaster. I don鈥檛 think I would鈥檝e been able to make it four years without having this group of people around me,鈥� Christian mentioned.
Like many across the country, Christian is happy to see the NCAA grant senior athletes in spring sports an extra year of eligibility. However, he personally will be moving on from collegiate athletics come fall.
Christian will be attending graduate school at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, a top university in the country for computer science graduates. The 21-year-old will study cyber security, and hopes of working in that 铿乪ld for the government some day.
With a bright future ahead of him, Christian will move forward after what was a disappointing senior year. However, he believes he will always be able to look back at the years he has spent at Earlham and be proud of what he accomplished.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great four years. It鈥檚 something I can look at and say that it鈥檚 made me a better person,鈥� Christian said. 鈥淭here have been a lot of ups and downs that have made me better able to deal with adversity. At the end of the day I can take all of this and it’s going to prepare me for stuff I鈥檓 going to face in the future. I鈥檓 a big believer that everything happens for a reason and I鈥檒l keep carrying that with me.鈥�
