By: Izzy Friedriechsen
Previous senior, Jon Hawkins was on the Hamilton varsity football team and then went on to play for Olivet College. He was captain of the team, started on both offense and defense, made Holland sentinel 2nd team all-area and 1st team all-conference. He is well known and also won homecoming king.
He was asked to talk a little bit about his current football career and his past at Hamilton. Jon said that the biggest difference between high school and college football is the speed of the game. He said that the physicality is more intense as well, but the speed is what makes it hard for him to get playing time at Olivet. “Everything happens faster, the lineman engage with you much faster, you have to read the play faster, shed blocks faster, and beat your man in the pass rush faster.” This is important for adapting to college football from your average varsity football team.
At Hamilton, the relationships with one another are very important, and one of the main reasons for them is sports teams like the football team, this is what Jon said he missed about the team at Hamilton, “Something I miss most about playing high school ball is I loved the guys I played with, I had been playing with most of them since middle school.” He, along with many other players value their relationships as much or maybe even more than they value the game itself.
Jon talked about what he thought was the biggest struggle in college football. He said that it would have to be learning how to go up against players who are bigger, stronger, and more experienced than you. As a freshman, a lot is expected of the players at a college level and it can be tough to come into. Jon said, “I remember during fall camp my first defensive drive against a 5th year left tackle was awful. I knew nothing about leverage and using my hands and I got thrown around almost every play that drive. After that, I learned to keep him away from my body and not lean into him as much as before.” College football is definitely harder than high school, but with strength and grit, it can be a great life-changing experience.
Jon spends most of his time outside of football doing homework. He has 2-4 classes and he says, “The amount of time I spend doing homework is unreal.” He also hangs out with his friends to go out to eat, go to the gym, or just hang out in someone’s dorm. Being a college athlete is definitely not easy but it is an unforgettable experience. It teaches you hard work, dedication, teamwork, time management, and much more. The commitment is intense, but it is worth it for the rewards. These include being part of something bigger than yourself and having your teammates to rely on. It will help you grow not just as an athlete, but as a person. There are lessons on and off the field that will stay with you long after college.
Jon is looked up to by many high school athletes for his friendly personality, dedication to his sport, and being a hard-working individual. There is no doubt that he can handle college football and have a great time doing it! He was asked to give high school players a piece of advice and he answered, “Learn to enjoy practice, camps, HEAT workouts, etc. the reason I say this is because when you are in football practice, nothing else matters but football practice. You don’t need to worry about the test you failed, or the girlfriend problems, or your family problems, the only thing you need to worry about is doing your job in whatever’s in front of you.”