From Football Player to Father: One Student’s Journey to Success

Story by Madeline Wilson | Photos by Zahn Schultz | Design by Krista Kok | Videos by Helen Nguyen

It’s mid-afternoon and Marcus Schimmelfennig, senior Economics and Sociology major, is running drills at football practice. He’s sweating and beginning to feel the first signs of fatigue after a long day that seems to keep dragging on.

As he looks out on the bleachers, he sees his 5-month-old son, Ikaika Namaka Uli’ Uli O’Kalani Kumai Honu Honu Schimmelfennig, watching him from the sidelines. A smile forms across Marcus’ face as he remembers that when he finishes drills with his teammates, he can go home and spend time with his son.

Most college students experience some form of stress related to the hustle and bustle of balancing academics with adult life. From studying for exams, doing homework and preparing for a presentation, to learning to budget, grocery shopping and doing taxes, young adults face many new challenges while going to college.

However, can you imagine managing your school work, learning to become an adult, playing football and raising a kid all at the same time?

For Marcus, this never appeared to be a daunting task. From the moment he found out that his girlfriend was pregnant, all he could do was look forward to the future. He explains, “Initially there is that shock but after, [you say] ‘what now?’ There’s no second guessing with your kids.”

From that moment on, he says that he decided that he was going to be a father and provide his son with every opportunity and piece of knowledge he had to offer. “There are things that I want to tell him, things that I want to show him. It started out with the choice to keep him,” says Marcus.

Since Ikaika’s birth, Marcus has achieved exactly what he set out to do- show his son the same compassion and love that his parents showed him. Marcus adds that he has seen what great parents act like and he strives to emulate the lessons his parents taught him within his own parenting style. 

Revisiting Childhood

As a child, Marcus’ family moved multiple times across Washington State, during which he was subjected to a lot of change. He explains, “Growing up we had to pick up friends and drop them fast because we were moving so much,” but he and his brothers always maintained a strong connection.

Despite the constant relocation, Marcus’ father, Herman Schimmelfennig, always made sure that his kids stayed together with their mother and that he was always living within a few blocks of their home, according to Marcus. Herman acted as a role model for Marcus as a child, helping him follow in his father’s footsteps.

In one instance, Marcus recalls his dad watching him and his brothers from the sidelines while in Little League Baseball and snapping them into focus. “One thing he coached us was, ‘be comfortable being uncomfortable.’ Once you get comfortable with what you’re doing, you’re stuck.”

Finding Success in Athletics 

This motto of reaching out of one’s comfort zone has resonated with Marcus and is a central force with - in his football career. Before college, he had fielded offers from Division III schools but “spent a year training endlessly without a direction,” he explains. “At the end of the year, some of my buddies were being recruited here and they kept putting my name in their conversations with the coaches.”

He adds that he ended up having a conversation with one of the coaches about his dedication to the program and eventually made the team as a walk-on.

This jump-started his athletic career and led him to be one of the most influential members of the football team, according to many of his teammates.

Jeremiah Vasquez, senior Exercise Science major and teammate of Marcus, says, “He came as a walk-on and potentially became the most well-known person on our team. When you can see that type of work ethic in a person, you automatically draw yourself to it.”

CWU alumni and former teammate, Chaz McKenzie, adds, “He wants to be successful and does what is necessary in order for that to happen. [He is] one of the most determined hard workers I know.” This type of motivation for one’s sport is what many of his teammates say is the factor that sets him apart from other athletes.

However, being tasked with high standards for performance from himself, his coaches and his teammates can be a difficult feat for any student-athlete.

“There is a common misconception that it’s easy to be a student-athlete because once you earn a scholarship, life is easy. This could not be further from the truth,” explains Benny Boyd, former Special Teams Coordinator, Defensive Backs Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for CWU. “In addition to the normal rigors [and] stresses a student deals with, the student-athlete must balance workouts, practices, film sessions, community service [and] the added pressure of competitive college athletics.”

For Marcus there is additional pressure added to the mix. “Adding other responsibilities into that, such as raising a child, makes this task monumental [and] takes special individuals to succeed through these types of obstacles,” says Boyd.

Not only have his fellow student-athletes and coaches noticed his determination and strength, but they have also seen firsthand the type of leader he is. Vasquez explains that the coaches, “gave him the number 44 which has a big meaning. You are supposed to be this leader once you are given that number. The reason he got the number is because he is who he is.”

“44 is significant to anyone who’s a true leader on our defense. Who embodies what it takes to be at a championship level,” explains Defensive Graduate Assistant and Cornerbacks Coach, AJ Cooper. “Caring for his teammates, hard working, passionate, intelligent, dedicated and accountable. It’s what we want our program [and] our defense to stand for and he’s perfect for that job.”

Yet, according to Vasquez, Marcus did not initially embrace this role. “He kept trying to be somebody that he thought the coaches and the players wanted him to be, but he was already that guy.”

Marcus says that, “I watched everyone else struggle through adversity, they still looked to me for energy, life lessons … [what] leaders are there for. But I was in no position to help them the way that I was supposed to.”

This lack of self-confidence is what motivated Marcus to continue working harder to be who he wanted to be. “From then on, everything I did was for them. That feeling of not being able to help is at my identity and as a result … that was my mindset moving forward,” he explains.

Now after many years, Marcus has begun to realize the qualities within himself that make him a leader on and off the field, as he assumed this new role. 

Forming Lasting Bonds

From both his experiences growing up and those since starting college, Marcus has begun to realize who he can trust to follow his lead on the field and support his personal goals off the field as well.

He explains that he trusts the guys within his position group because, “They’ve seen me battle. They know what I’ve been through. They know who I’ve struggled [with].” Marcus adds, “They give you that extra push. It’s not a handout; it’s support.”

While his teammates have supported and trusted him on the field, Marcus adds that his father has been a huge support in his personal life. Herman explains that he is proud of his son’s accomplishments when he says, “In my gut, he has already proven that he has a work ethic like no other.”

This strong work ethic and natural ability to lead a team are just a few of the factors that have helped Marcus become the athlete, student and father he is today. One of the ways he has managed to climb to the top is by never hiding who he truly is.

“The thing that set me and him apart from everyone else was that we weren’t afraid to be ourselves … [and] not everyone likes that,” explains Vasquez on how their friendship began. “We know we can be as weird as we want and since that’s who we truly are, no one can really judge us about it.”

Throughout major life transitions it can be natural for people to change their personality and fall into new routines, but this was not the case for Marcus when Ikaika was born. Although he says that he adjusted his daily schedule to fit daycare into the mix, many other aspects of his life stayed the same.

“At first he obviously had to spend more time [with Ikaika] because he had a lot of other things including football and school. The baby has the freedom to leave the house now, so if he does want to hang out, he will just bring the baby over,” says Vasquez.

Similarly, Marcus explains that when he wants to go hang out with friends and watch a basketball game, he brings Ikaika along for the ride because for him, nothing has changed, he simply now has a baby in his arms.

From his father’s perspective, however, he has changed in many ways since assuming his role as a father. “Even our conversations are a little different. There’s a father speaking when we talk, and I can hear it in his conversation. Every decision has a little more consideration than before,” says Herman. “His relationship with his son is even more priceless … There’s a look in his son’s eyes when he looks at his father, that he himself has always given to me.”

A Father’s Perspective

This look in Ikaika’s eyes is not foreign to Marcus. He says that one of his favorite aspects about his son is that he can sit back, observe and think without needing constant entertainment. Ikaika’s curiosity and desire to watch his surroundings also reminds Marcus of himself when he was younger.

Although there are some changes to Marcus’ life since becoming a father, he strives to keep as much of his previous habits the same and never take the easy way out of situations.

“I’ve taken two classes in my time here where parents have used their kids to try to get out of things. I’m not a big fan of using your kids to get out of stuff,” he says. “I like to find my own way through my problems. Find a way to get it done instead of complaining … do it hard now, that way it’s easier later.”

From his experiences transitioning from being a student-athlete to a student-athlete and a father, Marcus has not let these roles trap him in a box. He still has dreams of working for his favorite brand, Adidas, and discovering new passions along the course of his life.

In order to achieve such goals, Cooper advises Marcus to, “Continue being himself. Continue to provide for his son. Continue to look adversity in the eye.”

Boyd adds, “Continue to be a man of distinction. Walk in your purpose, stay focused, pursue your passions, and keep that giant chip on your shoulder with respect to your work ethic.”

From his experiences, both good and bad, Marcus has learned a lot of life lessons that have proven to be valuable in each distinctive situation he has faced.

For students in similar situations, he explains, “Not everyone is going to stick around forever but you can always learn something from everybody.”

He adds, “Just know, you’re never alone. Someone wants to help you, they just don’t know it and you don’t know who they are.”

Marcus has faced many struggles to find his place but throughout the course of his life, the people who have supported him — his teammates, his family, his son — and his positivity have all impacted his outlook on life and his future successes.

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