Spring 2023 Bethel Magazine

15 SPRING 2023 of staff and volunteer support to accomplish. Men’s Baseball Head Coach Seth Zartman ‘98, who also manages outdoor facilities, even slept on campus to keep the field clear for tournament play. At one point, the field needed to be cleared mid-game or the tournament could not go on. Natali explains that there must have been at least 30 people on the field with shovels – even the president asked to help. “This was really about stewarding the space we have,” says Natali. “Community is the heart of Bethel.” Pinto echoes this sentiment when he reflects on the success of his team over the course of the season, and looks to the future. “I’ve never seen this level of togetherness and honor [in a team] – honoring relationships, our community, our purpose,” he says. This spring, Bethel Men’s Soccer Team will play the University of Notre Dame, IUPUI and University of Illinois Chicago in exhibition games. * The NAIA serves as the governing body for the athletics programs of 250 small colleges across the United States. Bethel also competes in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association), comprised of 90 schools in the United States. Men’s Soccer Staff Awarded NAIA National Staff of the Year Congratulations to the Men’s Soccer coaching staff for being named NAIA National Staff of the Year. They are (from left to right): Team Manager Charles Lwanga, Assistant Coach Romulo Nobrega, Graduate Assistant Felipe de Moura, Goalkeepers Coach Vern Gingerich, Head Coach Thiago Pinto, Associate Head Coach Mamba Chisoni, Athletic Trainer Doug Cassell and Assistant Coach Eduardo Ferreira. Graduate Assistant Jose Soutulo is not pictured. Top Le f t: Teams compete amid a snowstorm on Bethel's campus during round two of the NAIA tournament. Top Right: Drone footage shows the cleared soccer field on Bet h el's snow-covered campus. Bottom Le f t: Players walk onto the field at the NAIA National Championship. Bottom Right: #30 Andre Sabino plays during National Championship game.