The University of Akron Athletics
In Their Own Words - George Van Horne Alumni Postcard
Akron Athletics wants to hear from YOU!
Send us a postcard! Share your story as a Zips' student-athlete and Alum.
Challenge your former teammates and classmates to send us postcards on all of Akron's Zips' social media platforms.
You can upload your own video challenges on your own Twitter (preferred) or other social media accounts, if you do so, please include #ZipsRiseTogether and #ZipsAlumniPostcardChallenge in your social media posts so we can highlight your efforts. Additionally, please visit GoZips.com/AlumniPostcard to complete an online postcard.
George Van Horne (1994-98, men's baseball)
What makes you most proud to be a Zip?
The words family and grit come to mind. We were and are always there to support one another in good times and in bad times. No matter what, we would work hard to overcome adversity and rise to the top. People may have always viewed us as underdogs and maybe we liked the moniker, but we knew we would outwork and out play anyone on or off of the field.
How are you and your family doing during this time?
We are blessed. This is probably the longest stretch I have been home from traveling since starting a family. We have enjoyed lunch and dinner together every day. We live close to parks and can get out to exercise. We are all missing our respective sports and friends. Zoom parties and neighborhood physically distant games help. We played charades with the neighborhood when the weather was nice.
Any messages of hope or inspiration for fellow Zips out there during our current stay-at-home orders?
Find something to be thankful for each day. The smallest things can make the biggest difference. No matter where we are, we are all in this together. Pick up the phone and call someone you have not talked to in awhile. You might make their day and they might make yours.
Do you have any work from home tips that you have learned while quarantined?
Set a routine and stick to it. Once you leave your home office for the day, do not go back. Create office hours.
What is your current job, title, ect. that are keeping you busy these days?
Senior Associate Athletics Director for Development and Marketing at The University of Akron
What was/were the deciding factors(s) that brought you to Akron?
My first year in college I went to a junior college in Waco, TX where I grew up before moving to Ohio in 1987. The baseball was really good, but the academics were not challenging. I knew that I needed to get my college degree and pursue passions other than baseball. I looked for a school that had a good academic program in the area I wanted to study and Akron was one of the best in the country. I liked the coaching staff and my initial impression of Akron. It was not too far from Perrysburg, Ohio, that my mom and dad could come and watch me play, or I could get home on a free weekend for a home-cooked meal.
What was/were your first impression(s) of Akron?
I liked the proximity of all of the buildings on campus. I really enjoyed the academic side with lots of great professors like Dr. John Green, Dr. Stephen Brooks and Dr. Bill Lyons who were great teachers and took the time with their students.
What makes being a student-athlete at Akron unique?
The proximity of all of our sports facilities on campus. Very few schools have such a great layout. It makes for getting to know the other sports student-athletes even easier. It is probably one of the best layouts in Ohio if not in the country.
What are your favorite memories on court, field, etc.?
Winning the 1996 MAC Championship is pretty close to being number one on the list. I think a lot of my favorite memories are off of the field and just hanging with the guys from the team at our houses and a lot of the student-athletes from other sports. We were all there together. Many great memories.
One of the best aspects of being a student-athlete is teammate camaraderie. Give us an example from your experience as a student-athlete.
When we were in school at Akron we did not have the nice residence halls the students enjoy today. We lived in the houses around campus. 278 Wheeler and 323 Park Street were two of the houses we lived in. We spent a lot of time with everyone at our houses.
What is your personal success story?
I have been fortunate to make my career at The University of Akron. What I learned as a student-athlete is to not take anything for granted. You have to work hard and try to bring your best attitude and effort to work every day. I have tried to do that to bring the best experience to our student-athletes, coaches, fans and co-workers every day.
What is your view on the difference between playing and competing?
Anyone can play a game. At the Division I level, all students want to compete and try to earn a championship. To really compete, you have to bring your best to practice and competition every time. You have to be mentally prepared to do so and not just go through the motions. I really miss playing catch on the baseball field, but what I miss most is competing against another team who has the same passion and desire you may have and beating them because of the grit you bring to the field every day.
Being a student-athlete has high physical demands, but also requires mental toughness as well. What have you done to develop both?
Early in my career I was not very mentally tough. In baseball you would have said I was a million dollar arm with a 10-cent head. I was probably my own worst enemy in that regard. When I was injured I had to put in more time and effort to try and get better and get back to playing. This adversity made me mentally tough and I know now, there is no challenge cannot overcome if I keep a positive mindset. Challenge is just a fill-in word for opportunity.
Send us a postcard! Share your story as a Zips' student-athlete and Alum.
Challenge your former teammates and classmates to send us postcards on all of Akron's Zips' social media platforms.
You can upload your own video challenges on your own Twitter (preferred) or other social media accounts, if you do so, please include #ZipsRiseTogether and #ZipsAlumniPostcardChallenge in your social media posts so we can highlight your efforts. Additionally, please visit GoZips.com/AlumniPostcard to complete an online postcard.
George Van Horne (1994-98, men's baseball)
What makes you most proud to be a Zip?
The words family and grit come to mind. We were and are always there to support one another in good times and in bad times. No matter what, we would work hard to overcome adversity and rise to the top. People may have always viewed us as underdogs and maybe we liked the moniker, but we knew we would outwork and out play anyone on or off of the field.
How are you and your family doing during this time?
We are blessed. This is probably the longest stretch I have been home from traveling since starting a family. We have enjoyed lunch and dinner together every day. We live close to parks and can get out to exercise. We are all missing our respective sports and friends. Zoom parties and neighborhood physically distant games help. We played charades with the neighborhood when the weather was nice.
Any messages of hope or inspiration for fellow Zips out there during our current stay-at-home orders?
Find something to be thankful for each day. The smallest things can make the biggest difference. No matter where we are, we are all in this together. Pick up the phone and call someone you have not talked to in awhile. You might make their day and they might make yours.
Do you have any work from home tips that you have learned while quarantined?
Set a routine and stick to it. Once you leave your home office for the day, do not go back. Create office hours.
What is your current job, title, ect. that are keeping you busy these days?
Senior Associate Athletics Director for Development and Marketing at The University of Akron
What was/were the deciding factors(s) that brought you to Akron?
My first year in college I went to a junior college in Waco, TX where I grew up before moving to Ohio in 1987. The baseball was really good, but the academics were not challenging. I knew that I needed to get my college degree and pursue passions other than baseball. I looked for a school that had a good academic program in the area I wanted to study and Akron was one of the best in the country. I liked the coaching staff and my initial impression of Akron. It was not too far from Perrysburg, Ohio, that my mom and dad could come and watch me play, or I could get home on a free weekend for a home-cooked meal.
What was/were your first impression(s) of Akron?
I liked the proximity of all of the buildings on campus. I really enjoyed the academic side with lots of great professors like Dr. John Green, Dr. Stephen Brooks and Dr. Bill Lyons who were great teachers and took the time with their students.
What makes being a student-athlete at Akron unique?
The proximity of all of our sports facilities on campus. Very few schools have such a great layout. It makes for getting to know the other sports student-athletes even easier. It is probably one of the best layouts in Ohio if not in the country.
What are your favorite memories on court, field, etc.?
Winning the 1996 MAC Championship is pretty close to being number one on the list. I think a lot of my favorite memories are off of the field and just hanging with the guys from the team at our houses and a lot of the student-athletes from other sports. We were all there together. Many great memories.
One of the best aspects of being a student-athlete is teammate camaraderie. Give us an example from your experience as a student-athlete.
When we were in school at Akron we did not have the nice residence halls the students enjoy today. We lived in the houses around campus. 278 Wheeler and 323 Park Street were two of the houses we lived in. We spent a lot of time with everyone at our houses.
What is your personal success story?
I have been fortunate to make my career at The University of Akron. What I learned as a student-athlete is to not take anything for granted. You have to work hard and try to bring your best attitude and effort to work every day. I have tried to do that to bring the best experience to our student-athletes, coaches, fans and co-workers every day.
What is your view on the difference between playing and competing?
Anyone can play a game. At the Division I level, all students want to compete and try to earn a championship. To really compete, you have to bring your best to practice and competition every time. You have to be mentally prepared to do so and not just go through the motions. I really miss playing catch on the baseball field, but what I miss most is competing against another team who has the same passion and desire you may have and beating them because of the grit you bring to the field every day.
Being a student-athlete has high physical demands, but also requires mental toughness as well. What have you done to develop both?
Early in my career I was not very mentally tough. In baseball you would have said I was a million dollar arm with a 10-cent head. I was probably my own worst enemy in that regard. When I was injured I had to put in more time and effort to try and get better and get back to playing. This adversity made me mentally tough and I know now, there is no challenge cannot overcome if I keep a positive mindset. Challenge is just a fill-in word for opportunity.
