23 / 36
“We looked at each other and said, ‘We’re better than this
team. What are we doing? Let’s go win this game’” Mallard
recalls. “We came out and we just slaughtered them.”
CIU scored a couple of quick goals and won the game with a
third goal in the last minute.
“That was the best win for me because it was such a team
thing,” Mallard said. “That’s what we play for. We play for each
other, we play for the people in the stands. Our effort glorified
God that night because of how hard we worked. We gave
everything we had.”
His Future
While Mallard’s playing days are behind him, he’ll be an
assistant coach with the Rams next season as he pursues his
master’s degree in elementary education at CIU. His short-term
goals include sports ministry in Chicago where he has already
directed summer soccer camps.
“Ultimately, that’s what I want to do in Brazil, is start sports
ministries at churches,” Mallard said. “So I need to get some
practice here. Hopefully in seven to eight years I’ll be down in
Brazil, but I’ve got some time here in the United States to learn
more things. I’m not there yet. I’ve got a lot to learn.”
His Final Advice
Now that he and his graduating class have had the opportunity
to influence the culture of CIU men’s soccer, I asked Mallard
what advice he would give to freshmen joining the team. The
themes of humility and Christian brotherhood returned.
“It’s not about you,” Mallard begins. “That’s something I had to
really work through. Be humble in speech.
“We play as hard as we can for 90 minutes, ultimately to glorify
God,” he continues. “As we do that as a team, friendships
become deeper. You are playing for the brother beside you.
But by playing for the brother beside you, you are playing for
God. We really try to do that at CIU. That’s what makes this
place special.”
Mallard pauses.
“I’m really going to miss it.”
RAM FACTS
CIU athletes are
enrolled in 22
different majors.
18
22
Athletes represent
at least 18 different
U.S. states
TOP 3 MAJORS FOR ATHLETES
•
Business & Organizational
Leadership
•
Psychology
•
Teacher Education
The growth of athletics at CIU
(Total athletes by academic year)
2012-13:
40
2013-14:
81
2014-15:
95
2015-16:
106
(Fall semester)
Daniel Mallard in his senior year.
23
ATHLETICS
CIU Today
www.ciu.edu