Written and Media by Ransom Cochrane.
This week’s My Journey Spotlight goes to none other than Connor Earleywine. Earleywine is currently a senior here at Greenville. A little insight about Earleywine: he was born August 30th, 1994 in Olney, Il. Earleywine grew up and spent most of his life in Flora, Il where he then transitioned to the great Greenville College. He currently is on the football and cheer team. Earleywine has played football for a total of twelve seasons, and just recently picked up cheerleading while being here at GC.
Photo by Greenville College.
But how did Earleywine end up choosing GC? Well, Earleywine first came into contact with Coach Mingo, who is not at GC anymore, when he recruited Earleywine as a linebacker for the Greenville Football team. But why did he pick GC out of all the others schools? “Out of all the offers I received it was the best one, and I could grow as a player,” said Earleywine. Earleywine came on a requiting visit to Greenville’s campus and what stuck out to him the most was how competitive the football team was.
Once Earleywine was committed to coming to GC, he could not wait to transition and get started with the football team. It was the number one thing Earleywine was looking forward to. Earleywine enjoyed the Greenville campus and knew he would strive as a student athlete, but his excitement for playing football was far greater. Coming into his freshman season Earleywine set several goals: to give it all he had, make the team better, be a great student athlete, and set an example to others. Earleywine has surpassed his goals. Earleywine today in his senior year devotes his time to helping the current panther football players lift and get better in the off-season.
In an interview with Earleywine, one question that came up was how hard it was to transition from home only being an hour away. His response was “transitioning was not hard for me, being I grew up in a small town helped, it felt like home”. Earleywine is majoring in exercise science and hopes to leave Greenville College and find an athletic training program, where he can flourish and use his degree.
Being Earleywine’s last year here at Greenville College great memories will be taken with him, while many bad ones will stay. But what were Earleywine’s favorite memories about Greenville College? Earleywine’s favorite memories about Greenville College were all the away football games, from as far as Minnesota to Wash U, and most recently winning the Christian Cheerleading of America CCA National and Grand championship with fellow football buddies. But what will Earleywine miss most about Greenville? Earleywine stated “being able to run out on the field with my panther brothers and all of the many friends I have made during my four years at Greenville”. Earleywine is getting ready leave Greenville for the last time, but will he miss Greenville like all those before him? Yes and No said Earleywine. He is ready to start the next chapter in his life, and will bring many cherished memories from Greenville with him.
