Dordt Men’s Basketball celebration highlights servant leadership and lasting impact of former coaches

Dordt University recently hosted a Men’s Basketball Alumni Celebration to recognize Rick Vander Berg and Len Rhoda for their contributions to the Dordt men’s basketball program and Dordt University as a whole. The event brought together 100 attendees, including alumni and coaches, for a weekend of reflection and celebration.

The festivities included breakfast, a campus tour, observing basketball practice, and a lunch where both coaches and former players reflected on their basketball experiences at Dordt. The event concluded with basketball games, where both the men's and women’s teams won against Mount Marty.

The celebration also featured alumni testimonies, including stories of Coach Vander Berg’s tireless service. One shared memories of Vander Berg driving the bus and taping players’ ankles, all before a game even started. “He was just willing to do the work—whatever was necessary and without asking for anything in return, Coach Vander Berg would do it,” adds Lindbergh.

While Coach Rhoda was serving as a basketball coach, there was a need for a tennis coach. “At the time, Dordt could not afford the position, so Coach Rhoda stepped up and volunteered to serve as the tennis coach,” says Lindbergh.

As Dordt University continues their fundraising efforts for the Rozenboom Family Athletic Center, the celebration of these coaches’ legacies underscores the ongoing commitment to excellence and servant leadership within the Dordt athletic community. That commitment is now known as The Defender Way. “The foundational verse of the Defender Way is Romans 12:1, ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers and Sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God,’” says Keizer. “Coach Vander Berg and Coach Rhoda lived out this verse in everything they did here at Dordt University.”

“While we didn't have The Defender Way written on a piece of paper, these two coaches were instrumental in the formation of so many young men and women who attended Dordt, which summarizes The Defender Way,” adds Keizer. “They lived lives of service in their work, and this celebration really reflected just how much of an impact they have made. Our hope is to continue to find ways to recognize the impact of coaches and leaders within the athletic department who paved the way for our current programs.”

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.