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Hope for Humanity Award recipient Jerry Root ’75: Orange and Blue Podcast
Inspired by Colossians 1:16, Jerry Root ’75 has loved to meet and get to know Hope College student-athletes and coaches over the past 17 years.
A former college athlete and youth coach himself, Root enjoys talking sports with anyone, especially Hope College teams. Yet, he revels even more in digging deeper with individuals, learning who they are and walking alongside their faith journeys.
Jerry Root ’75
Root’s calling to minister at Hope the past 17 years has garnered the appreciation of hundreds and, now, the college’s H-Club “Hope for Humanity” Award.
The volunteer associate chaplain of athletics will be honored during a reception at the college’s kinesiology office on Monday, April 14, and during the Hope Athletics HOPEYs awards ceremony that evening at DeVos Fieldhouse.
Root is a special guest on the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast series that is airing during NCAA Division III Week across the country.
Sports and the Christian faith
Root played basketball for the Flying Dutchmen, transferring to Hope from Grand Rapids Junior College long before the transfer portal became en vogue like it is today. He graduated from Hope with a degree in education and worked in the field for 33 years before retiring.
In 2008, Root began volunteering as an athletics chaplain at his alma mater.
A curious and caring nature, modeled by his loving mother growing up, drew Root to teaching and coaching, then ministry. God’s words in Colossians make balancing sport and Christian faith possible, Root said.
“One of my favorites Bible verses I share a lot is Colossians 1:16. It talks about us being made by God and for God,” Root said. “It so fits into the athletic life of training and eating properly. To translate this into ‘I have this body. I have this platform. I have this message.’ Athletics does mesh quite nicely with our Christian faith.”
Three more Orange and Blue Podcast episodes will be available this week:
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By Alan BabbittInspired by Colossians 1:16, Jerry Root ’75 has loved to meet and get to know Hope College student-athletes and coaches over the past 17 years.
A former college athlete and youth coach himself, Root enjoys talking sports with anyone, especially Hope College teams. Yet, he revels even more in digging deeper with individuals, learning who they are and walking alongside their faith journeys.
Jerry Root ’75
Root’s calling to minister at Hope the past 17 years has garnered the appreciation of hundreds and, now, the college’s H-Club “Hope for Humanity” Award.
The volunteer associate chaplain of athletics will be honored during a reception at the college’s kinesiology office on Monday, April 14, and during the Hope Athletics HOPEYs awards ceremony that evening at DeVos Fieldhouse.
Root is a special guest on the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast series that is airing during NCAA Division III Week across the country.
Sports and the Christian faith
Root played basketball for the Flying Dutchmen, transferring to Hope from Grand Rapids Junior College long before the transfer portal became en vogue like it is today. He graduated from Hope with a degree in education and worked in the field for 33 years before retiring.
In 2008, Root began volunteering as an athletics chaplain at his alma mater.
A curious and caring nature, modeled by his loving mother growing up, drew Root to teaching and coaching, then ministry. God’s words in Colossians make balancing sport and Christian faith possible, Root said.
“One of my favorites Bible verses I share a lot is Colossians 1:16. It talks about us being made by God and for God,” Root said. “It so fits into the athletic life of training and eating properly. To translate this into ‘I have this body. I have this platform. I have this message.’ Athletics does mesh quite nicely with our Christian faith.”
Three more Orange and Blue Podcast episodes will be available this week: