Using sports as a way to learn discipline and teamwork, alumni and students shared their passion for their hobbies and how they have matured.
Soccer
Former BYUH student-athlete from Germany, Bastian Büchler, said he has played soccer since the age of 5, and it was an important aspect of his life. His interest in “football” grew as he kept playing, and at the age of 18, he joined the SV Darmstadt 1898 and TS Ober-Roden, which marked his debut in playing at a competitive level.
After graduating from high school, Büchler decided to step up and combine education and competitive soccer by moving to the United States. “When I got the first offer from Coach Dümmar to play for BYU–Hawaii men’s soccer, I never really heard of the LDS Church. During my time at BYU–Hawaii and during the soccer season, I met a lot of amazing people, and I’m thankful for every single one.
“We grew together as a team, and I, as a person, gained a lot of new experiences. I am thankful for the time with this team and for all the friendships this time brought.
“I’m personally not a very religious person and did not choose this university because of my belief. For me, it was important to find a school that has a good academic program, but I also wanted to have a competitive level in the soccer program.”
Büchler said he also took the opportunity to experience a different culture and pursue his degree. “When I first arrived in Hawaii, I felt immediately welcomed. Everyone is super friendly and helpful if you have any problems. People are more laid back, and you can feel the ‘aloha spirit’ everywhere.”
Büchler said planning was essential as a student-athlete. It was important that he scheduled his day to stay on top of assignments and soccer practices. He also said most away games were on the mainland, and it required long travel and adapting to the time difference.
“We traveled to California twice a season and were gone for five days each time. It is important to communicate with your professors to make sure that you get all the material you miss while traveling.”
Jiu-Jitsu
Stefan Huysmans, an alumnus from New Zealand who majored in graphic design and entrepreneurship, is a practitioner of the “gentle art,” Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Huysmans said he was always into martial arts as a child. He grew up watching Bruce Lee and would make his own nunchucks out of household items to try to be like Lee. His interest in Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu started when he was filming a project for his job at the Media Production Center (MPC).
“The place I was filming was right next to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym, and the guy I was filming was headed there after the shoot. He simply invited me to join, and I accepted. After that, I was hooked.”
Huysmans recently graduated and was striving for a year-long internship with MPC. While working, he thought picking up Jiu-Jitsu seemed like a good use of his spare time.
“After training for a while, I found out some friends of mine were also into Jiu-Jitsu, and I would travel to their gyms around the island and train with their people. It was great to go around and see the different training styles and to roll with people in different stages of their Jiu-Jitsu journey.”
“Even though I was still considered a beginner, I was able to ‘roll’ with others and sometimes even tap the higher belts. It showed me that belt colors don't just represent your skill level but also the dedication you put into your training.”
Kelsy Simmons, an alumnus from Utah, said she’s been training in martial arts since the age of 6.
She started with Tang Soo Do and picked up new fighting techniques as she grew older. She trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu along with Huysmans and other students. She earned a blue belt at Casa de Fera Jiu-Jitsu
Simmons expressed her gratitude for martial arts as it has taught her the importance of being a good training partner.
She shared what makes a good partner. “A good rolling partner has nothing to prove. They are there to train, not to show off. They understand that going easy on you will hinder your progression. They also understand that injury is real and avoid it at all costs. They always try their best to win the roll. Remember the primary goal is to train, not to win.”
Softball and baseball
Kylee Chamberlain, a junior from Nevada majoring in psychology, has played baseball and softball for more than 10 years, she said. Chamberlain played for different clubs and teams. She played for Team TFS (The Fast Pitch School) Northern Nevada Organization under coaches Jodi Dolan and Michael Bastian. She said it was the last time she played before moving to Hawaii for school.
Chamberlain said sports taught her about teamwork and working hard for what she wanted to achieve. “It has taught me that anything is achievable if you want it bad enough, and if you work hard enough for it.”
Chamberlain said she picked up softball because her mother who used to play. Chamberlain then went into baseball through softball. She said she loves watching baseball and understanding what happens behind the scenes of every pitch and play.
“I fell in love with pitching. I love the energy of it and the whole atmosphere. My most memorable moment was the last game I played ... I pitched and just was able to fully appreciate every pitch and how it felt to throw the ball and spin it in a way I had practiced so many times. It was almost like a flashback of all the times I had done it before. It was really cool and very special to me.”
