A match of minds and feet
Faculty and students find common ground on the soccer field
For a few students and faculty members, textbooks are cast aside for cleats on Wednesday afternoons, and lesson plans give way to passes and shots on goal.
At the heart of campus, Augustana faculty, staff and students come together on the green for something refreshingly simple — a pickup soccer game that blurs the line between teachers and students.
The idea started over the summer when Zachary Schulte, assistant professor of chemistry, and George Nasr, assistant professor of mathematics, were shooting hoops during a pick-up basketball session organized by another professor.
Between games, conversation drifted to another shared interest: soccer.
“Zach came up to me and said, ‘Hey, that was fun. What if we did that on campus with students?’” Nasr said. “I completely forgot about it until one day he walked by my office and said, ‘Hey, we need to do this thing.’ And that’s how it started.”
The first official game took place on Sept. 10, with a turnout that surprised both professors. Students arrived with cleats, energy and enthusiasm.
“A lot of them were in one of my classes,” Nasr said. “I had no idea they were super into soccer, so it was really cool to connect with them in that way.”
The group draws players from all buildings on campus, ranging from professors of history, English, psychology and economics to students from a range of majors.
Nasr said the group is also open to first-year students, who can attend games and then write a reflection for credit in their First-Year Seminar class — something he hopes will encourage them to get involved on campus early and connect with faculty in a relaxed setting.
Teams mix students and faculty, ensuring the matches are about community rather than competition. Nasr said they wanted the games to be accessible to everyone, from skilled players to complete beginners.
“If you have cleats and shin guards, great,” Nasr said. “But if you don’t, please don’t feel like you can’t play. We want this to be open and friendly for anyone who just wants a fun outlet during the week.”
For Schulte, the matches are a reminder that exercise and laughter can be just as valuable as lectures.
“Students can get caught up in the checklist of college life — classes, grades, career goals,” Schulte said. “This is a chance to just live in the moment, move around, laugh and connect. It’s healthy for both body and mind.”
That opportunity to connect appeals strongly to students like Avery Jibben, a finance, accounting and business triple major, who joined after hearing about the games from Schulte through the Ultimate Frisbee Club.
For Jibben, the matches offer a welcome break from the classroom and a chance to reconnect with a sport he’s played most of his life. “It’s nice getting to know professors that way,” he said. “They really get into it.”
What stands out most, though, is how the games change the dynamic between students and faculty. “It’s a whole different vibe,” Jibben said. “You’re talking to them not about school but about the game. It makes you realize they’re just people too.”
That “different vibe” is exactly what Schulte and Nasr had hoped to create — a space where students and professors can interact as teammates rather than teacher and student.
“It’s just an opportunity to engage with our community in a way we normally don’t,” Nasr said. “We spend so much time interacting in classrooms or offices. This is a reminder that we’re all people who like to move, laugh and just enjoy being part of Augustana.”
As of Oct. 21, Nasr and Schulte decided that the games will be placed on hold until the spring due to the recent change in weather.
At that point, the two professors hope to see the matches continue to grow, fueled by simple joys — a shared goal, a good laugh and a reminder that even professors can make a slick pass now and then.
