Mr. Jim Woudstra, High School Athletic Director and Dean of Students
Personal Profile
I was born in 1952 in Orange City, Iowa. In the family tradition going back to the Netherlands, my father was a butcher. From junior high through college, I worked alongside my father, grandfather, and uncle in Woudstra’s Meat Market. My mother’s roots were in Illinois; she grew up south of Momence. I recall many family reunions on the farm and also visits to family on the south side of Chicago. I played sports during every season in high school, including cross country, basketball, baseball and track. In college I participated in basketball and track, played in two NAIA national basketball tournaments and ran in the college division 400 m relay and high jumped at the Drake Relays. After college I played basketball professionally for six years in the Netherlands. I met my wife, Jo Ann, in college. We have 3 children: Mieka – now married and living in Spirit Lake, Iowa with her husband, Anthony Stecker and our 4 grandchildren, Annika (5), Adrie (3) and twins, Ethan and Dylan (5 months), Lee – also married and living with his wife, Carmen, in Fort Worth, Texas, and Larae, currently a senior in Nursing at Bethel College in Indiana. My wife and I enjoy a variety of physical activities together including biking, golfing, rollerblading, tennis and walking. We also enjoy relaxing together with good books or a TV movie. Our deepest regret is that we live 8 hours away from our grandchildren.
Professional Profile
I attended Orange City Christian School, Unity Christian High School and Northwestern College, all in Orange City, Iowa. My college major was Health, Physical Education and Recreation with minors in Math and Biology. I earned my Master’s Degree from South Dakota State University in HPER with an emphasis in Athletic Administration. Since graduating from college, I have taught 1 year at Denver Christian HS, CO, 2 years at the Rotterdam International School, NL, 1 year at the International School of The Hague, NL, 3 years at Waupun HS, WI, 2 years at Dordt College, IA, 2 years at Central Valley Christian HS, CA, and 12 years at Sterling College, KS. I have coached football (1), track & field (4), softball (5), baseball (2) and basketball (24), served as athletic director for 2 years at Central Valley Christian HS and department chair at Sterling College for 10 years. I came to Timothy Christian HS in the fall of 2000 as athletic director and dean of students, the position I currently hold.
Philosophical Profile
Education is about preparing young people for a life of service in God’s kingdom. It is about helping them understand and develop a personal relationship with Christ. It is also about helping them develop the potential they were created with. I believe the involvement in the lives of young people is why I felt called to become an educator and coach. Whether I am teaching in a classroom, coaching a team, preparing a field for the next game, supervising fans during a contest, talking to a student who has been removed from a class or supervising a group of students in Saturday School, my position involves working with or for young people and their families. My current position as Dean of Students allows me to develop relationships with kids who have discipline problems. I hope that I can help a student who has been involved in an incident understand why it is unacceptable but also that it can be forgiven and a life lesson learned. As athletic director I have the opportunity to work with coaches who have committed considerable time and energy to working with student-athletes who represent Timothy Christian as members of our athletic teams. My goal is to help our coaches grow in their positions and help our students achieve their physical potential. Each aspect of my position is an opportunity to serve young people, help them grow and mature and prepare them for future kingdom service