When  Marco Laenen sat down for Thanksgiving dinner in the United States, he wasn't sure what to expect. He had recently arrived from Germany, and the holiday was new to him. But when Dordt teammate Nolan Karel and his family invited Marco and several of the team's other international players into their home, the hospitality they showed made a lasting impression.

"In Germany, Thanksgiving isn't something we celebrate, and it's not common to invite people outside your family to those kinds of gatherings," Laenen said. "But Nolan's family welcomed us right in. It felt like being with family again, and I'll always be thankful for that."

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Since that first Thanksgiving, the Karels' invitation has become a tradition—one of the many ways Laenen has experienced the community that defines Dordt soccer. For a player who came from across the Europe, those connections have meant a great deal.

"I'm a very family-based person," he said. "Leaving home was hard, but I've found family here, too—teammates, coaches, and people who genuinely care. That's what makes Dordt special."

Laenen grew up near Dortmund, Germany, in a household full of energy and support. He has a twin brother, an older sister, and parents who encouraged his early love of soccer—a passion that began, he says, "basically since I could walk." Like most German boys, he grew up with the sport as a way of life.

After high school, Laenen knew he wanted to study engineering, but he wasn't planning on leaving Germany until an agency introduced him to the opportunity to study and play in the United States. Dordt quickly stood out.
"I got offers from a few schools, but Dordt felt different," he said. "It had the right academic program for me and a faith-based community that I could see was genuine. That made the choice easy."

Adjusting to life in Iowa was a necessity, but Laenen remembers teammates stepped in to help early. After arriving in Sioux Center, he and another German roommate were greeted by upperclassmen.

"Our goalkeeper then, Mitchell Dryden, drove us to Walmart so we could get everything we needed—towels, food, all the basics," he said. "That might sound small, but when you've just landed in a new country, it means a lot. It showed me what kind of people I'd be surrounded by."

Over his four years at Dordt, Laenen developed into a steady presence on the field. His play reflects the game he grew up with in Europe, where, as he puts it, "the technical and tactical side is everything."

But his senior season brought a new challenge: injury. Watching from the sideline instead of contributing on the field late in the season hasn't been easy, yet Laenen has used the setback to lead in new ways.

"It's tough not being able to help the team the way I want to," he said. "But I can still support them—encouraging, giving advice, staying positive. I've learned that leadership isn't only about what you do on the field."

"Being here has changed me," he said. "It's deepened my faith and helped me see what it means to live out Christ in everything—soccer, school, relationships. I've learned to appreciate time with people more, to be thankful for what I have."

When he graduates in May with a degree in civil engineering, Laenen's family will travel from Germany (and Sweden, where his girlfriend lives) to celebrate. After a trip through Florida, he'll return home to begin a master's program—but he admits leaving Dordt will be bittersweet.

"Every time I go back to Germany, it feels like I have two homes now," he said. "Dordt and the people here have given me so much. It's not just where I studied—it's where I found another family."