Not only do the numbers 89 and 22 add up to be more than 100, sophomore wide receivers Dan Achenbach #89, a standout from Anamosa, IA and Mike Foster #22, originally from Baton Rouge, LA, give that much on the field. 
“They’re both hard workers,” Trojan Head Coach Dick Ramsey said about his two wide receivers.
The Trojan football team opened it’s season away from home on Saturday, September 4 against number five ranked Iowa Central Community College. 
“Even though the game ended with a disappointing loss, Achenbach and Foster did a real nice job,” Ramsey said.
During the game against Iowa Central, Achenbach caught three passes for 57 yards, averaging 19 yards per catch.   “It was just a tough game,” Achenbach said.
Teammate, Mike Foster caught three passes for 27 yards, averaging nine yards per catch. 
Head Coach Dick Ramsey said he expects a lot from his sophomore wideouts this season, as Foster looks to again have a banner year. 
“I hope he has a fine year,” Ramsey said. “I want him to go over 500 yards in receiving, as well as provide a big play threat for us.”
The following Saturday, September 11, the Trojans took advantage of their home field against a big rival Waldorf.  NIACC won that game 9-0.
“It was a nice win for us. When we play Waldorf, it’s always a big rivalry,” Ramsey said. “It relieves a lot of pressure to get the first victory.”
After two games, Achenbach led the conference with six receptions for 102 yards, averaging 17 yards per catch, and led the conference in punt returns, averaging 16.5 yards.
Foster wasn’t far behind in the conference with seven receptions for 86 yards, averaging 12.3 yards per catch.
Ramsey said Foster made a real key touchdown catch during the game against Waldorf.
Along with giving more than 100 percent on the field,  Achenbach and Foster portray the roles of leaders. 
“I have to show leadership out there and continue to motivate us to get better,” Foster said.
According to Ramsey, “Both are tremendous leaders on the field and are real coaches on the team and take on the leadership role.”
Achenbach agrees with his coach.
“I lead by example. I try to play hard so the younger guys will play hard,” Achenbach said.
During the off-season, Achenbach was involved in a program that improved his running, called Mercy Acceleration which he did for two months, four times a week. He also lifted weights four times a week.
After NIACC,  Achenbach said he wants to play football somewhere and hopes to see what happens from here.
Foster said he brings excitement to the field, mainly because of his big play ability and offers a variety of reasons for his skills.
“I’d like to thank God and my blue shoes,” Foster said, in referring to the shoes he wears during the game.
After the season is over, Foster said he hopes to graduate and leave NIACC to enroll in a four-year program and continue his football career.
Both receivers should help the Trojans meet their goals for the season and continue to keep the team’s offense on track.

Athletics are on the rise here on NIACC’s campus. 
Currently, NIACC offers competition in a variety of intercollegiate sports including football, baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s basketball. 
In the upcoming year, NIACC will try to add men’s and women’s club soccer, according to NIACC Athletic Director Jerry Dunbar.
After a year of full participation in soccer, plans call for both the men and women to move the program to the intercollegiate level. 
Dunbar said he hopes that when the college is ready to make that move it will benefit both the athletes and the college. 
Club sports are significantly different from varsity sports because the athletes participating don’t have to meet eligibility standards to compete. 
NIACC will start spring workouts for soccer for anyone who is willing to play or has played in high school.
Anyone who wants a chance to compete on a college level will have that opportunity. 
As of now, the soccer games and practice will be held on the field next to the NIACC dorms on the north side of the campus. 
According to Dunbar, the college is considering ways to expand its athletic facilities to better serve all sports on campus. 
That might include a new practice and game field for soccer if needed. 
“This program gives both men and women an opportunity to participate in their sport at the post-secondary level while allowing NIACC to attract new students that have an interest in a growing sport,”  Activities Coordinator Dave Tyner said. 
Bringing soccer to NIACC will add variety for athletes and allow students to participate in the fastest growing sport today.

In the world of sports today, problems always seem to keep cropping up.
Problems between teammates or between players and coaches sometimes make more news than the actual sporting event itself.
Recently, an incident in Marshalltown made some big news.
Rebecca Wildman, a sophomore basketball player, was upset with the girl’s varsity basketball coach.  She wrote a letter to her teammates about her dislike for coach Christopher Rolwes and her lack of playing time.
“We have to do something about this...It is time to give him back some of the (expletive) that he has given us,” Wildman wrote in the letter, according to a Des Moines Register article.
Wildman felt that she and some of her teammates should be getting more playing time, maybe even playing on the varsity team.
Coach Rolwes found out about the letter and asked for an apology. Wildman refused to apologize leading to her dismissal from the basketball team.
Wildman and her mother then filed a lawsuit against Rolwes, the principal, the athletic director and the school district. Wildman claimed that her First Amendment right to free speech was violated.
I find it hard to belive that someone would sue over such an incident. 
Wildman was originally upset with the way the team was run and now it has exploded and gone into the courts.
She should have to suffer the consequences. She disrupted the team and the coach has to do something to settle it and he did what he thought was best.
There are times when players have to learn that things can’t always be their way. The coach is in charge and what he or she says is final.
I’ve had coaches in high school that I didn’t agree with.  Is it too late for me to sue?
I didn’t play much in basketball, but who am I to argue with the coach? Just because I’m unhappy,doesn’t mean he should take out another player to make me happy.
By doing that, it will start all over again. The player that was replaced will feel the same way. What is a coach supposed to do?
Some kind of decision had to be made and I feel that the choice Coach Rolwes made was the right one.

With her on-the-court skills, enthusiasm and a good sense of humor, Natalie Meyer’s abilities have made her a valuable weapon for the Trojan volleyball team this season.
Meyer, a 6’0” sophomore from West Marshall, plays at the outside and middle hitter positions.
In her freshman year, Meyer had 111 kills for a 1.3 average per game. 
Meyer said there isn’t just one area for her to improve on this season, but rather improve “everything.”
 “It’s not just one thing,” Meyer said. “You improve all-around. I just try to work on all my fundamentals.”
In the off-season, Meyer said she worked on those fundamentals with some instructions from Head Coach Rachel McGuire.
“Rachel sent out some stuff for us to do. I lifted and we played a little bit-back yard stuff,” Meyer said.  “I just tried to stay active.” 
Through nine matches this season, Meyer has gone 83-of-93 hitting with 29 kills. She is also 82-of-90 serving and averages 1.16 kills and 1.4 blocks per game.
Through September 23, the Trojans had a record of 7-5 overall and 3-2 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference.
One of Meyer’s most impressive matches came against the Wartburg junior varsity on September 7 when she was 19-of-19 serving. Meyer went 7-of-7 blocking in a victory over Bethany Lutheran on September 1.
“Natalie sees the court very well. That is one of her strengths,” McGuire said.  “She may not be the hardest hitter, but she can place the ball very well.”
Freshman teammate Kate Hensley also said that Meyer sees the court well and that she has good ball placement.
One thing the statistics don’t show is Meyer’s work effort, enthusiasm and humor.
“She’s the player that keeps everyone going. She has good humor and she keeps everyone relaxed,” McGuire said. “She’s an all-around hard worker. I can just about ask anything of her and she will give it her best.”
Hensley also said Meyer has great enthusiasm and “she makes everybody stay relaxed.   She keeps us pumped and ready to play.”
One thing Meyer recalled from the short season thus far is the Anoka-Ramsey Tournament the Trojans played in on September 18.
The Trojans dropped two matches to Iowa Central including the championship match. 
“The first match we weren’t ready for them,” Meyer said. “We played them much better in the championship. We won the second game and we played them much better and came close to winning.”
The Trojans lost the championship match 11-15, 16-14, 12-15.
With McGuire beginning her first season as coach, Meyer said there are no adjustments to the change and team looks to have a successful season.
“Rachel and Joyce (Ruehlow, volleyball coach prior to McGuire) are pretty much the same. We had Rachel as an assistant. There wasn’t really much change at all,” Meyer said. “The biggest goal is getting to nationals. The main thing is to have fun playing. If you can’t have fun, you can’t play volleyball or any other sport.”
If the success continues for the Trojans, having fun just may come a little easier.