{"id":9361,"date":"2019-04-22T14:39:28","date_gmt":"2019-04-22T14:39:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/?p=9361"},"modified":"2025-07-01T14:28:30","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T14:28:30","slug":"all-in-the-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/2019\/04\/22\/all-in-the-family\/","title":{"rendered":"All in the family"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It could have been worse. Their parents could have made them\u00a0hold hands (or even smile). But after each game during last year\u2019s Auggie football season, the parents of the team\u2019s four sets of siblings lined the eight players up for a Kodak moment<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe loved the tradition, but there was a bit of that \u2018Come on, mom\u2019 feeling, especially when they made us take a photo before our last game,\u201d said wide receiver Nick Heenie \u201919<\/strong>, whose not-so-little brother, Frank Heenie \u201923<\/strong>, protects the Auggie line. \u201cWe were all so in the zone that we look mean, but that couldn\u2019t be further from the truth. It was such a special year and an honor to play with brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rounding up the octet was easy, especially after home games, when those same parents\u2014led by the Heenie family\u2014prepared meals for 80 players and their families. Head Football Coach Frank Haege<\/strong> said the team traditionally shares food and fellowship after one home game each year, but the siblings\u2019 parents united the Auggie football family in an unforgettable way during the 2018 season.<\/p>\n

\"Four
Courtesy Photo, [L to R] Front row: Tyler Hanson \u201919, Christopher Lemke \u201919, Nick Heenie \u201919, Mustafa Adam \u201918. Back row: Adam Hanson \u201923, Paul Lemke \u201923, Frank Heenie \u201923, Shihab Adam \u201922<\/figcaption><\/figure>\u201cIt was such a joy to coach four sets of siblings last year”\u2014Head Football Coach Frank Haege<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cIt was such a joy to coach four sets of siblings last year, particularly since I have twin boys, and I played football with my brother,\u201d said Haege, whose 9-year-old son, AJ, spends so much time with the team that he maintains an Auggie locker. \u201cOur team always feels like family, but we were especially close last fall. It reinforced that Augsburg is where students learn to be part of something bigger than themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Coaching four sets of siblings at one time was unprecedented for Augsburg Athletics, but siblings are not uncommon. Haege estimates he has coached eight sets of siblings during his 15-year tenure. In addition to football, siblings have competed on several teams recently: The Wilson twins dominated the wrestling mat, the Everett sisters commanded the lacrosse field, and the O\u2019Conner brothers scored big on the ice.<\/p>\n

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Relatives on the roster<\/h3>\n

The list of sibling alumni who have played together at Augsburg could ll a football roster, not to mention the generations of families with Auggie pride running through their veins. An example: Athletic Director Jeff Swenson \u201979<\/strong> wrestled and coached for 25 years at Augsburg. His sister, Marie (Swenson) Hechsel \u201990<\/strong>, played volleyball. Her son, Matt Hechsel \u201915<\/strong>, wrestled, and her daughter, Stephanie Hechsel \u201919<\/strong>, played volleyball.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Augsburg women\u2019s ice hockey\u2019s Megan Johnson \u201919<\/strong> also is playing out a family legacy. Her grandfather, Bob \u201cBadger\u201d Johnson, attended Augsburg for a year before transferring to the University of Wisconsin\u2014Madison, where he secured seven NCAA Men\u2019s Ice Hockey Championships. Her father, Mark Johnson, was a member of the fabled \u201cMiracle on Ice\u201d 1980 U.S. Olympic team and coach of the 2010 U.S. Olympic women\u2019s silver- medal hockey squad.<\/p>\n

Megan\u2019s brother, Chris Johnson \u201910, \u201914 MAL<\/strong>, slapped the puck around for Augsburg and later served as men\u2019s ice hockey assistant coach for seven seasons. It was during that time Megan picked Augsburg over the University of Wisconsin, where her grandfather, father, and two other siblings played. Although the colors of their jerseys differed, every member of the Johnson family has donned No. 10.<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s Ice Hockey Head Coach Michelle McAteer<\/strong><\/a> said that although Megan no longer has a sibling at Augsburg, members of the team are like family. Third- and fourth- year student-athletes have begun to mentor newcomers, calling each other big and little sisters, respectively.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThese mentor relationships are lasting, and it\u2019s an intentional effort players established to support each other on and off the ice,\u201d McAteer said. \u201cAs a two-time team captain, Megan has been integral in helping us foster that sense of togetherness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Family legacies are part of the game<\/h3>\n

To Haege and others, the influx of legacy families and sibling teammates is no coincidence. Augsburg draws families, he said, because the campus feels like a family and students know they will gain a solid education and passionate sense of vocation. Older siblings often make recruiting easy, Haege said, by \u201ctalking up the program naturally,\u201d as they share their good experiences with siblings.<\/p>\n

Mustafa Adam \u201918<\/strong> said having his younger brother, Shihab Adam \u201922<\/strong>, on the football roster was \u201ca dream come true.\u201d But he doesn\u2019t have one brother on the team. \u201cI have 80,\u201d said Mustafa, a two-time team captain and nominee for Mayo Clinic\u2019s 2018 Comeback Player of the Year Award, which honors college football players who have returned to the field of play after overcoming major life challenges.<\/p>\n

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Mustafa sat out his first year at Augsburg when the cancer he beat in high school returned just prior to signing on at Augsburg. He played the entire 2016 and 2017 seasons, but the disease returned at the conclusion of his second season, in which he finished second in tackles (93) in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.<\/p>\n

He underwent chemotherapy and had to have his right ear amputated to prevent the cancer from spreading. In Fall 2018, he returned to the eld and played in all 10 games.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it pained Shihab and all my teammates to see me go through this disease, but having a little brother only further motivated me to keep my head up and stand strong throughout this whole process,\u201d said the linebacker from Wisconsin. \u201cEnvisioning the football field was truly the driving force behind my will to fight. I was willing to persevere through anything to accomplish my dream to play college ball, and my willingness to fight inspired many of my teammates to look inside themselves to find their \u2018why.\u2019 Going through this\u2014together\u2014has created lifelong bonds and friendships.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAugsburg\u2014even beyond the field\u2014is a tight-knit community, where everyone looks out for one another. Teachers care about your education and are always willing to provide you with extra academic support. At Augsburg, they truly care about you as an individual, and they will do whatever they can to ensure that you succeed inside and outside of the classroom.\u201d
\n\u2014 Linebacker Mustafa Adam \u201918<\/strong>, a three-time cancer survivor who studied business and economics and plans to go to medical school<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Siblings and teammates keep each other on track<\/h3>\n

Nick Heenie \u201919<\/strong> said growing close to dozens of teammates from different states, cultures, and life experiences has broadened players\u2019 worldview. The football team\u2019s inclusive culture, Nick said, has inspired him to explore and appreciate Augsburg\u2019s setting in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the Twin Cities.<\/p>\n

The Heenies room with brothers linebacker Xavier Hanson \u201923<\/strong> and defensive lineman Christopher Hanson \u201919.<\/strong> \u201cSo our moms always know where to get ahold of us,\u201d Frank added. Wrestling twins Aaron Wilson \u201921<\/strong> and Alex Wilson \u201920<\/strong> also share a residence, not to mention a major\u2014biology. The two are rarely apart.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started wrestling in kindergarten. Alex started a year later, and we both dreamed about wrestling at Augsburg as kids,\u201d said Aaron, whose proudest moment was being ranked nationally alongside his brother. \u201cWe knew it would make us the best versions of ourselves on and off the mat. Augsburg\u2019s small class sizes have allowed me to make meaningful relationships with my professors and pursue research of my own.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Candid
Demey Everett \u201920, left, and her sister Delaney Everett \u201918<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lacrosse player Delaney Everett \u201918<\/strong> is equally ambitious, with plans to own an accounting rm. Having sister, Demey Everett \u201920<\/strong>, by her side has pushed the mid elder to achieve in competition and in the classroom. Head Lacrosse Coach Kathryn Knippenberg<\/strong> has had a front row seat to the dynamic duo\u2019s inspiring support.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe two are in sync on the field, and their intuitive play challenges the rest of the team to follow suit,\u201d said Knippenberg, who is in her sixth season at Augsburg. \u201cTheir majors are different\u2014biology and accounting\u2014but Augsburg\u2019s impressive academic programs were able to support both their interests. Not many schools in the area offer lacrosse along with such diverse academic options.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s to quadruplets in 2021\u2019<\/h3>\n

The Kordah brothers are a few years beyond graduation, and these stories of campus life and sibling bonds call up fond memories for the former Augsburg soccer players. Lekpea Kordah \u201915<\/strong> is raising two kids while working as a high school administrator and as a certified tax professional. Barinedum Kordah \u201917<\/strong> works in health care administration in the Twin Cities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Adulthood keeps them from kicking the ball around together, but they do find time to talk about the \u201cgood old days as Auggies,\u201d while they watch professional soccer, Barinedum said. Campus, he added, became home to them after their nine-member family migrated from Nigeria.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned some of my greatest lessons at Augsburg. On the field, my brother taught me to never give up and to work with intensity,\u201d said Barinedum, a defender who majored in exercise science and minored in psychology. \u201cCoach [Greg] Holker<\/strong><\/a> taught us to consider details, which was tough because I wanted to just get out there and play. That study of each opponent and the game itself helped us outsmart our opponents and waste less energy than if we were always trying to beat them athletically.\u201d<\/p>\n

Haege knows the Kordah brothers, as most coaches and players do. That\u2019s how it works at Augsburg, he said. Players\u2014 siblings or not\u2014don\u2019t only support their team, they are among the loudest fans at all Auggie contests.<\/p>\n

Whether that sense of support stems from family connections or not, Haege doesn\u2019t make that call. He does, however, predict the trend will continue. \u201cHere\u2019s to looking at quadruplets in 2021,\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] It could have been worse. Their parents could have made them\u00a0hold hands (or even smile). But after each game during last year\u2019s Auggie football season, the parents of the team\u2019s four sets of siblings lined the eight players up for a Kodak moment \u201cWe loved the tradition, but there was a bit of that <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":278,"featured_media":9434,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,7],"tags":[88],"class_list":["post-9361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-athletics","category-featured-stories","tag-spring-summer-2019"],"wps_subtitle":"Augsburg athletes enjoy competing alongside siblings","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/278"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9361"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13723,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9361\/revisions\/13723"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}