For many young men and women, college is about getting away from home and growing into an adult while fleeing the parents for the first time. But what about those who decide to stick around their hometowns for some of the most important formative years of their lives? More specifically, what about those Seward natives who neglect the opportunity to venture away, see the world and experience something fresh and new?
A host of current standout Bulldogs and Seward natives decided to stay home to attend Concordia. The list includes Trey Barnes, Allie Brooks, Maria Deeter, Seth Fitzke and incoming freshman Brevin Sloup, among others. They’re having their cake – and eating it, too. Let us explain.
Says Gene Brooks, the father of Allie and Concordia’s Vice President of Student Affairs and Athletics, “People grow up here, but they don’t know what it’s like. They don’t know about the Concordia experience. They have a gold mine sitting on their front step and they don’t recognize it. College is a time to spread your wings and fly. You don’t necessarily think staying home gives you that freedom. They find out at Concordia that they have an opportunity to fly like they never believed.”
Barnes, Brooks, Deeter and Fitzke are each all-Great Plains Athletic Conference performers with Barnes being an All-American in two sports. All had aspirations at one point of going elsewhere for college. Now they have a hard time seeing themselves anywhere else.
They’re at home, though it doesn’t necessarily always feel that way. That’s a good thing. They’ve spread their wings and thrived athletically and socially. Here are their stories.
Allie Brooks
Gene Brooks points out that Allie probably has the record for shortest move to college. Less than 100 yards separated Allie from her dorm at David Hall and the front door of her parents’ house. Gene helped load Allie’s belongings into his truck, then drove less than 60 seconds on move-in day. Sometimes when she does laundry, Allie simply walks right through the yard to the house of her parents, who both work at Concordia.
Yikes, way too close to home, right? Says Allie, “At first I definitely thought it was much too close. I remember the first time I did laundry I walked across the yard next to David. Then I walked it back. It was a really strange feeling. It’s also not that weird. Concordia itself is like its own little world. It doesn’t even really feel like I’m in Seward when I’m on campus.”
Seward is home to Allie, though she spent grades four through 11 in Sioux Falls, S.D., where her father served as a head track and field coach. The family relocated back to Seward in time for Allie to finish up her high school career at Seward High. “I did not want to move back at all,” admitted Allie, who had grown accustomed to life in Sioux Falls.
Throughout most of her senior year at Seward High, it seemed Allie would likely skip town for college. She fell in love with the campus at Concordia-Irvine in California and considered a couple GPAC schools such as Dordt and Norhtwestern. She also planned to give up on pole vaulting, something she’d done since five years of age. That changed when she suffered a torn ACL that senior season.
“If I wouldn’t have torn my ACL I probably wouldn’t still be doing track,” Allie said. “In a way I’m glad that happened. It’s kind of a blessing in disguise. I decided not to go to Concordia-Irvine really last minute. I signed with Concordia-Nebraska the May before my freshman year. A lot of other schools don’t have the community and Christ-centeredness that Concordia has. That really attracted me to it.”
While sidelined with the injury, Allie realized how much she missed pole vaulting. A light bulb clicked on and her passion for the sport burned like never before. She set out to prove that she could qualify for the national championships while still on her way back from the ACL tear – and she did it. In late May she competed as a member of the first-ever female Bulldog national championship team. Says Allie, “I’m really honored I got to be part of it.”
Not a bad freshman year of college for someone who at one time didn’t see herself sticking around her hometown.
“I’m really glad I chose Concordia-Nebraska,” Allie said. “It was an awesome first year. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Trey Barnes
When the Barnes family moved from Bertrand, Neb., to Seward, Trey worried. He was just about to enter seventh grade and would be headed to a significantly larger school district. Says Trey, “I was nervous about that, but I got here and made friends right away. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be once I got to know people.”
It’s safe to say Barnes has successfully endeared himself to the community. He’s perhaps the most well-known Concordia athlete in Seward having risen to star status on the football field in 2015. The All-American has gone from skinny high school senior to well-built college senior, terrorizer of quarterbacks (10 sacks in 2015) and an All-American in the shot put.
After switching Nebraska towns as a youngster, Barnes felt comfortable remaining in Seward. That doesn’t mean he didn’t weigh other options and other athletic offers. Trey admits, “When I was in my younger years of high school, I said, ‘I’m never going to go to Concordia. Why would I want to stay in my hometown?’”
Though he’s still in his hometown, the dynamics have changed considerably. Trey will see his parents when it’s time to do laundry again. (It’s not easy managing one washer and dryer with four roommates). But he likes the freedom and independence he’s afforded right in his own backyard.
“I can’t even tell I’m in Seward,” Barnes said. “It’s such a different atmosphere, especially that freshman year. You live in the dorms and you don’t even know you’re in Seward. If I want to, I can stay away from my parents. I like doing everything on my own.”
Barnes says one of the biggest positives he’s found in attending Concordia is the professors, who are willing to provide one-on-one attention. It’s the kind of special touch that makes Concordia different than the bigger schools. It just hasn’t felt the same when Barnes has taken classes in Lincoln.
Barnes went from knowing almost nothing about Concordia in junior high school, to swearing he’d never stay home for college to helping sell other alums such as Brevin Sloup on the virtues of the school located on Columbia Avenue.
Maria Deeter
Maria Deeter is that girl who grew up in town, but kind of didn’t. She journeyed to Lincoln Lutheran every day for high school and frequently played club soccer in Omaha. Said Deeter, “I was never really in Seward besides sleeping because I was always driving or playing soccer.” Even so, her parents (Concordia alums) were deeply ingrained in the community and four older siblings each attended Concordia.
But unique opportunities, through the game of soccer, were presented to Maria, who gave consideration to small NCAA Division I schools such as the University of South Dakota and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
“Ultimately I just wanted to go to a small school with a Christian environment,” Deeter said. “I’ve always been a home body so I wanted to stay close to home but also get to be my own person. It was a good compromise. It just felt right after a lot of thought.”
Deeter looked especially comfortable late in her first season for head coach Greg Henson’s squad. She became an all-conference player as the Bulldogs made another run to the GPAC championship game. She even garnered all-region honors, an impressive feat for a rookie performer.
Getting Deeter to stay in Seward was a big deal for Concordia women’s soccer. As someone who drew DI interest, Deeter naturally caught attention throughout the 2015 season that saw the Bulldogs retool with a younger roster. As the hometown girl, you also better be ready for the ribbings that come with that status.
“I was worried about that at first when I came here, but now it’s just all fun jokes,” Deeter said. “I can handle it. My roommate would even ask, ‘Maria, can you listen to a full song when you drive home?’ I’m like, ‘You know, it depends on the song because I live so close to home.’”
Proximity to home does not eliminate some of the typical adjustments that come with shifting from high school to college. But Deeter was more than the ‘typical’ freshman.
“The transition the first semester was kind of tough getting used to everything,” Deeter said. “Once I settled in I think soccer really helped. It kept me busy. I really enjoyed it. The people I’ve met and the friendships I’ve built just in one year have been really fun to see. I’m counting down the days for the season to start. I’m pumped.”
Seth Fitzke
The parents of Seth Fitzke live four blocks from the Concordia campus. The Fitzkes have been a fixture in Seward since arriving prior to Seth beginning sixth grade. Says Seth, “The first day we moved here I hated it. It was just the normal thing for a little kid having to move. Actually within the first week I remember telling my mom that I really liked it here and I didn’t want to move again.”
Fitzke has held true to his word. He developed a close bond with head football coach Vance Winter and expressed a desire to play with Barnes beyond high school. While Fitzke is still rehabbing after tearing his ACL during spring ball, his career arch has taken on a similar trajectory as that of Barnes. Fitzke, like Barnes, is a physically imposing athlete who rose to the status of first team all-conference honoree in 2015 as a tight end adept at both pass catching and blocking.
He’s also had experiences from a social perspective that back up Barnes’ testimony. “You meet a lot of new people,” Fitzke said. “I do still hang out with my high school friends a lot. We’re all really close. At the same time, I have a totally new set of friends also. That part of it makes it seem like you’re not in Seward.”
But there are plenty of reminders that he’s still in the place the Kansas-born Bulldog calls his hometown. It’s not uncommon for him to bump into a former high school coach or receive a congratulations at the local Walmart for scoring a touchdown in a recent game.
“It’s a cool experience,” Fitzke said. “People who watched us in high school can still watch Trey and I play. Your high school coaches congratulate you and you get text messages from people in the community. I definitely take a lot of pride in being a Seward native.”
Now ready to enter his fourth year at Concordia, he also carries immense pride as a Bulldog. If any Seward High School alum has reservations about staying home and attending Concordia, Fitzke is here to put them to rest. He’s another resource for future Bulldogs such as Sloup.
Fitzke the sixth grader may have struggled with the move to Seward, but the town, the community and Concordia grow on you
“I guess I’m stuck,” Fitzke joked. “I stayed here. I’m glad I did it. I don’t regret it.”
Brevin Sloup
Brevin Sloup represents a new wave of Seward High School alums at Concordia. The freshman-to-be got hooked early on. He remembered watching the 2004-05 Bulldog men’s basketball team that made a thrilling run all the way to the national championship game. Sloup wants to help head coach Ben Limback’s program reach great heights again. Just as important as joining a storied basketball program, Sloup cited the unique atmosphere centered upon Christian character as a primary reason for his decision.
Not only that, Sloup would miss the family cattle farm, located just outside of town near Staplehurst, if he were to venture elsewhere. Sloup is small town all the way. “I like it a lot,” Sloup says of Seward. “I tell people, if I can, I’m going to try to stay here as long as I can. I know a lot of people. There’s that small town connection and there’s enough to do. I’m not a big city kind of guy. I don’t like going to Lincoln much. I like being able to go out to the country.”
As a slender 5-foot-10 guard, Sloup is not quite the big strong farm kid you may have envisioned, but he’s made a name for himself in Seward and locally with his big-time play as a Bluejay. Next week Sloup will play in his third all-star game of the summer. Plus he’s shown his commitment to Concordia hoops by being a regular at open gyms.
Sloup’s level of excitement about his upcoming college experience is clearly evident in the passion with which speaks. Other GPAC schools showed him love, but he’s done the research. Concordia is right for him for so many reasons. He trusts what the likes of Barnes and Fitzke have told him. “They say you’ll be right here in town, but you can really get away if you want to,” Sloup said. “That’s special. You can get that away-from-home thing, but you’re close if you need to come back for anything. That was never a problem for me – staying in town. I never thought of that being a negative.”
Like the aforementioned athletes, already established Bulldogs, Sloup relishes the chance to continue to play in front of family, friends and a community that rooted for him all along the way while watching him grow up before their eyes.
Says Sloup, “I always thought that would be kind of cool to play in Seward and to hopefully be on that level where that 2005 team was at. I hope we can eventually get back to that. That would be really cool.”
NOTE: Several other Seward natives also make up Concordia athletic rosters.
For many young men and women, college is about getting away from home and growing into an adult while fleeing the parents for the first time. But what about those who decide to stick around their hometowns for some of the most important formative years of their lives? More specifically, what about those Seward natives who neglect the opportunity to venture away, see the world and experience something fresh and new?
A host of current standout Bulldogs and Seward natives decided to stay home to attend Concordia. The list includes Trey Barnes, Allie Brooks, Maria Deeter, Seth Fitzke and incoming freshman Brevin Sloup, among others. They’re having their cake – and eating it, too. Let us explain.
Says Gene Brooks, the father of Allie and Concordia’s Vice President of Student Affairs and Athletics, “People grow up here, but they don’t know what it’s like. They don’t know about the Concordia experience. They have a gold mine sitting on their front step and they don’t recognize it. College is a time to spread your wings and fly. You don’t necessarily think staying home gives you that freedom. They find out at Concordia that they have an opportunity to fly like they never believed.”
Barnes, Brooks, Deeter and Fitzke are each all-Great Plains Athletic Conference performers with Barnes being an All-American in two sports. All had aspirations at one point of going elsewhere for college. Now they have a hard time seeing themselves anywhere else.
They’re at home, though it doesn’t necessarily always feel that way. That’s a good thing. They’ve spread their wings and thrived athletically and socially. Here are their stories.
Allie Brooks
Gene Brooks points out that Allie probably has the record for shortest move to college. Less than 100 yards separated Allie from her dorm at David Hall and the front door of her parents’ house. Gene helped load Allie’s belongings into his truck, then drove less than 60 seconds on move-in day. Sometimes when she does laundry, Allie simply walks right through the yard to the house of her parents, who both work at Concordia.
Yikes, way too close to home, right? Says Allie, “At first I definitely thought it was much too close. I remember the first time I did laundry I walked across the yard next to David. Then I walked it back. It was a really strange feeling. It’s also not that weird. Concordia itself is like its own little world. It doesn’t even really feel like I’m in Seward when I’m on campus.”
Seward is home to Allie, though she spent grades four through 11 in Sioux Falls, S.D., where her father served as a head track and field coach. The family relocated back to Seward in time for Allie to finish up her high school career at Seward High. “I did not want to move back at all,” admitted Allie, who had grown accustomed to life in Sioux Falls.
Throughout most of her senior year at Seward High, it seemed Allie would likely skip town for college. She fell in love with the campus at Concordia-Irvine in California and considered a couple GPAC schools such as Dordt and Norhtwestern. She also planned to give up on pole vaulting, something she’d done since five years of age. That changed when she suffered a torn ACL that senior season.
“If I wouldn’t have torn my ACL I probably wouldn’t still be doing track,” Allie said. “In a way I’m glad that happened. It’s kind of a blessing in disguise. I decided not to go to Concordia-Irvine really last minute. I signed with Concordia-Nebraska the May before my freshman year. A lot of other schools don’t have the community and Christ-centeredness that Concordia has. That really attracted me to it.”
While sidelined with the injury, Allie realized how much she missed pole vaulting. A light bulb clicked on and her passion for the sport burned like never before. She set out to prove that she could qualify for the national championships while still on her way back from the ACL tear – and she did it. In late May she competed as a member of the first-ever female Bulldog national championship team. Says Allie, “I’m really honored I got to be part of it.”
Not a bad freshman year of college for someone who at one time didn’t see herself sticking around her hometown.
“I’m really glad I chose Concordia-Nebraska,” Allie said. “It was an awesome first year. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Trey Barnes
When the Barnes family moved from Bertrand, Neb., to Seward, Trey worried. He was just about to enter seventh grade and would be headed to a significantly larger school district. Says Trey, “I was nervous about that, but I got here and made friends right away. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be once I got to know people.”
It’s safe to say Barnes has successfully endeared himself to the community. He’s perhaps the most well-known Concordia athlete in Seward having risen to star status on the football field in 2015. The All-American has gone from skinny high school senior to well-built college senior, terrorizer of quarterbacks (10 sacks in 2015) and an All-American in the shot put.
After switching Nebraska towns as a youngster, Barnes felt comfortable remaining in Seward. That doesn’t mean he didn’t weigh other options and other athletic offers. Trey admits, “When I was in my younger years of high school, I said, ‘I’m never going to go to Concordia. Why would I want to stay in my hometown?’”
Though he’s still in his hometown, the dynamics have changed considerably. Trey will see his parents when it’s time to do laundry again. (It’s not easy managing one washer and dryer with four roommates). But he likes the freedom and independence he’s afforded right in his own backyard.
“I can’t even tell I’m in Seward,” Barnes said. “It’s such a different atmosphere, especially that freshman year. You live in the dorms and you don’t even know you’re in Seward. If I want to, I can stay away from my parents. I like doing everything on my own.”
Barnes says one of the biggest positives he’s found in attending Concordia is the professors, who are willing to provide one-on-one attention. It’s the kind of special touch that makes Concordia different than the bigger schools. It just hasn’t felt the same when Barnes has taken classes in Lincoln.
Barnes went from knowing almost nothing about Concordia in junior high school, to swearing he’d never stay home for college to helping sell other alums such as Brevin Sloup on the virtues of the school located on Columbia Avenue.
Maria Deeter
Maria Deeter is that girl who grew up in town, but kind of didn’t. She journeyed to Lincoln Lutheran every day for high school and frequently played club soccer in Omaha. Said Deeter, “I was never really in Seward besides sleeping because I was always driving or playing soccer.” Even so, her parents (Concordia alums) were deeply ingrained in the community and four older siblings each attended Concordia.
But unique opportunities, through the game of soccer, were presented to Maria, who gave consideration to small NCAA Division I schools such as the University of South Dakota and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
“Ultimately I just wanted to go to a small school with a Christian environment,” Deeter said. “I’ve always been a home body so I wanted to stay close to home but also get to be my own person. It was a good compromise. It just felt right after a lot of thought.”
Deeter looked especially comfortable late in her first season for head coach Greg Henson’s squad. She became an all-conference player as the Bulldogs made another run to the GPAC championship game. She even garnered all-region honors, an impressive feat for a rookie performer.
Getting Deeter to stay in Seward was a big deal for Concordia women’s soccer. As someone who drew DI interest, Deeter naturally caught attention throughout the 2015 season that saw the Bulldogs retool with a younger roster. As the hometown girl, you also better be ready for the ribbings that come with that status.
“I was worried about that at first when I came here, but now it’s just all fun jokes,” Deeter said. “I can handle it. My roommate would even ask, ‘Maria, can you listen to a full song when you drive home?’ I’m like, ‘You know, it depends on the song because I live so close to home.’”
Proximity to home does not eliminate some of the typical adjustments that come with shifting from high school to college. But Deeter was more than the ‘typical’ freshman.
“The transition the first semester was kind of tough getting used to everything,” Deeter said. “Once I settled in I think soccer really helped. It kept me busy. I really enjoyed it. The people I’ve met and the friendships I’ve built just in one year have been really fun to see. I’m counting down the days for the season to start. I’m pumped.”
Seth Fitzke
The parents of Seth Fitzke live four blocks from the Concordia campus. The Fitzkes have been a fixture in Seward since arriving prior to Seth beginning sixth grade. Says Seth, “The first day we moved here I hated it. It was just the normal thing for a little kid having to move. Actually within the first week I remember telling my mom that I really liked it here and I didn’t want to move again.”
Fitzke has held true to his word. He developed a close bond with head football coach Vance Winter and expressed a desire to play with Barnes beyond high school. While Fitzke is still rehabbing after tearing his ACL during spring ball, his career arch has taken on a similar trajectory as that of Barnes. Fitzke, like Barnes, is a physically imposing athlete who rose to the status of first team all-conference honoree in 2015 as a tight end adept at both pass catching and blocking.
He’s also had experiences from a social perspective that back up Barnes’ testimony. “You meet a lot of new people,” Fitzke said. “I do still hang out with my high school friends a lot. We’re all really close. At the same time, I have a totally new set of friends also. That part of it makes it seem like you’re not in Seward.”
But there are plenty of reminders that he’s still in the place the Kansas-born Bulldog calls his hometown. It’s not uncommon for him to bump into a former high school coach or receive a congratulations at the local Walmart for scoring a touchdown in a recent game.
“It’s a cool experience,” Fitzke said. “People who watched us in high school can still watch Trey and I play. Your high school coaches congratulate you and you get text messages from people in the community. I definitely take a lot of pride in being a Seward native.”
Now ready to enter his fourth year at Concordia, he also carries immense pride as a Bulldog. If any Seward High School alum has reservations about staying home and attending Concordia, Fitzke is here to put them to rest. He’s another resource for future Bulldogs such as Sloup.
Fitzke the sixth grader may have struggled with the move to Seward, but the town, the community and Concordia grow on you
“I guess I’m stuck,” Fitzke joked. “I stayed here. I’m glad I did it. I don’t regret it.”
Brevin Sloup
Brevin Sloup represents a new wave of Seward High School alums at Concordia. The freshman-to-be got hooked early on. He remembered watching the 2004-05 Bulldog men’s basketball team that made a thrilling run all the way to the national championship game. Sloup wants to help head coach Ben Limback’s program reach great heights again. Just as important as joining a storied basketball program, Sloup cited the unique atmosphere centered upon Christian character as a primary reason for his decision.
Not only that, Sloup would miss the family cattle farm, located just outside of town near Staplehurst, if he were to venture elsewhere. Sloup is small town all the way. “I like it a lot,” Sloup says of Seward. “I tell people, if I can, I’m going to try to stay here as long as I can. I know a lot of people. There’s that small town connection and there’s enough to do. I’m not a big city kind of guy. I don’t like going to Lincoln much. I like being able to go out to the country.”
As a slender 5-foot-10 guard, Sloup is not quite the big strong farm kid you may have envisioned, but he’s made a name for himself in Seward and locally with his big-time play as a Bluejay. Next week Sloup will play in his third all-star game of the summer. Plus he’s shown his commitment to Concordia hoops by being a regular at open gyms.
Sloup’s level of excitement about his upcoming college experience is clearly evident in the passion with which speaks. Other GPAC schools showed him love, but he’s done the research. Concordia is right for him for so many reasons. He trusts what the likes of Barnes and Fitzke have told him. “They say you’ll be right here in town, but you can really get away if you want to,” Sloup said. “That’s special. You can get that away-from-home thing, but you’re close if you need to come back for anything. That was never a problem for me – staying in town. I never thought of that being a negative.”
Like the aforementioned athletes, already established Bulldogs, Sloup relishes the chance to continue to play in front of family, friends and a community that rooted for him all along the way while watching him grow up before their eyes.
Says Sloup, “I always thought that would be kind of cool to play in Seward and to hopefully be on that level where that 2005 team was at. I hope we can eventually get back to that. That would be really cool.”
NOTE: Several other Seward natives also make up Concordia athletic rosters.