For Dordt University senior linebacker and long snapper Isaac Kacmarynski, the decision to continue his football career at Dordt was about more than finding a place to play football. It was an opportunity to grow, develop meaningful relationships and discover a deeper purpose that would extend well beyond the playing field.

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A native of Pella, Iowa, Kacmarynski arrived at Dordt with some familiarity with the program. His older brother, David, had played for the Defenders, and Isaac had followed his career both in person and online. Initially, however, following his brother to Dordt wasn't necessarily part of the plan.

"Originally, that kind of scared me away from Dordt. I didn't want to follow in his footsteps," Kacmarynski recalled.

That perspective began to change during the recruiting process. Conversations with Dordt coaches focused on more than football, including questions about the program's pillars, character and the impact those principles could have on his life.

A campus visit provided another important piece of the decision. Kacmarynski stayed overnight with future teammate Ian MacDonald, spent time with players and coaches, and began to see what made Dordt different.

One conversation with head coach Joel Penner particularly resonated with him.

"When Coach Penner brought us all together, he kind of pitched this idea of flourishing," Kacmarynski said. "That was very intriguing to me, that there was more out there in both football and in life than I'd experienced. My experience here kind of put me on a trajectory to experience that."

Kacmarynski arrived at Dordt with a strong football background. His father played college football, his older brother had experienced the college game, and former Dordt teammate Dan Jungling, also from Pella, helped him prepare for the transition.

Jungling offered advice about what to expect, helped him work through portions of the playbook and provided insight into how to prepare for the college game. 

The transition still required an adjustment.

"Once I got on campus, we got moving really fast," Kacmarynski said. "We put in a lot of defensive plays, and there was a lot to learn. The whole next level of things moves faster, there's a lot more to learn and a lot more to be responsible for."

A former quarterback and linebacker at Pella Christian, Kacmarynski settled into a role on the defensive side of the ball at Dordt. His quarterback background has occasionally helped him understand what an offense is trying to accomplish, but much of his development has come from learning the responsibilities and details of playing linebacker.  Before the snap, his responsibilities begin with getting the defense aligned properly, identifying offensive formations and making sure the defensive line understands its assignments.

From there, his attention turns to the offensive line and the movement of the players in the backfield.

"I try to look through the offensive linemen to the backfield," he explained. "So when they move, my eyes move from the quarterback to the running back. If they're moving the same direction, I have a pretty good idea of where it's going."

The mental responsibilities of playing linebacker extend beyond reading an offense. Kacmarynski also appreciates the trust and communication required to lead a defense on the field.

Defensive coordinator Brandon McCormick provides the initial direction and calls, but players have opportunities to make adjustments based on what they see from the opposing offense.

"It's a very empowering feeling," Kacmarynski said. "We have different checks that we can run depending on how many guys are out there, what their strengths are, if they're more pass-receiving threats or more run threats."

Getting all 11 defenders on the same page can be challenging, but Kacmarynski finds satisfaction in the responsibility.

"Once we do it and you build that connection with guys and you get it right, it's very, very rewarding."

His football responsibilities also include an additional specialty. Kacmarynski developed into a long snapper during his time at Dordt, a skill he did not perform in high school.

While game-day opportunities are limited, the preparation is extensive. He estimates that he gets approximately 100 repetitions of both punt and place-kicking snaps during specialist periods and before or after practice.

The work is largely behind the scenes, but it is another example of the preparation and attention to detail required to contribute to a college football team.

Kacmarynski is studying kinesiology and physical education at Dordt and has identified strength and conditioning coaching as his career goal.

He is currently exploring master's degree programs where he could continue his education while serving as a graduate assistant and learning from an established strength and conditioning staff.

His interest in the profession comes partly from an appreciation for how the human body works and how athletes can improve through training. But his experience at Dordt has also helped him recognize that coaching involves much more than developing physical abilities.

"Strength and conditioning has always been really interesting to me, just learning about the body and learning how to improve different qualities," Kacmarynski said. "But something I've learned here is the impact of a coach and how a coach can make a big impact."

He has come to understand that effective coaching isn't simply about designing a program or selecting the right exercises.

"It's not necessarily just the program or the exercises you do, but the connections that you build and how you develop your athletes throughout that program is really beneficial and exciting to me."

That perspective has helped shape his vision for the future, whether he eventually coaches at the collegiate or high school level.

He wants to be the kind of coach who makes a difference in the lives of the athletes he works with, developing relationships and helping young people grow beyond their athletic abilities.

When Kacmarynski reflects on his four years at Dordt, he recognizes how much his perspective has changed. His understanding of coaching has expanded, but his growth has also come through the everyday responsibilities of becoming an independent adult.

College has presented opportunities to make decisions about his faith, relationships, career and how he spends his time.

"Having those decisions to make my own has really deepened my beliefs about those things," he said. "Maybe reconsider things I used to think were true, and now I have a much deeper belief in those things."

That personal growth has become one of the most meaningful parts of his Dordt experience. He also recognizes the importance of the people who have influenced him along the way. When asked what advice he would give a high school senior considering Dordt, Kacmarynski didn't hesitate to identify the importance of relationships.

"The biggest piece of advice that I would give them is find good people," he said. "Find people that understand you, that you can speak into your life, whether that's professors or even peers, and then spend time with those people because they're going to take you where you want to be."