Name – Paul Van Grinsven
UW-Stout graduation year – Spring 2015
Major – Plastics Engineering
Sport(s) Played – Indoor/Outdoor Track & Cross Country
Years Played – Fall 2010 – Spring 2015
Hometown (High School) – Little Chute, WI
Currently Reside – Menomonie, WI
Give us a brief synopsis of your life since graduating from UW-Stout?
Since graduating, I've continued to live in Menomonie, and I work at a plastics company called Nolato Contour located in Baldwin, Wis. At Nolato, I've taken on several roles that include Project Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, and Value Stream Manager (Production Manager). I've competed in the Minneapolis triathlon, and did the Green Bay half marathon, where I enjoyed every minute of competing. I've also grown my passion for camping, backpacking, going to the boundary waters, and traveling.
How are you using your Stout education in your occupation? In your daily life?
I
Paul Van Grinsven, Abbie Pospychala, Jessica Petruzates
and Joe Van Grinsven on a recent camping trip.
'm using my knowledge and hands on experience from my plastics degree to develop and progress my skill-set professionally while working at Nolato. We are a medical device and industrial product manufacturer, where we utilize the injection molding process and equipment (along with various secondary operations and equipment) to make our products. The "hands on" nature of Stout's curriculum has really helped me jump right into work out of school, and it allowed me to be comfortable working in real life scenarios. The drive and discipline I developed as a student athlete has also helped my mindset in many aspects of life, and this has helped me excel in my career. I would take it one step further and say that it's not just me that has seen that work ethic and mindset carry over into work. So many of my collegiate teammates are doing really well for themselves, and I think there is a direct correlation between their success at work and their time as a blue devil athlete. It is so cool to see many of my friends doing well for themselves.
Why did you choose to be a collegiate student-athlete at UW-Stout?
All throughout high school, I knew I wanted to get a degree that emphasized on math and science, but at the time I wasn't 100 person sold on competing in sports at the collegiate level. Shortly after coming to the realization that I wanted to be some sort of engineer, my family and I happened to be passing through Stout's campus. I knew Stout offered a variety of engineering programs so we decided to stop by. I reached out to (cross country head coach) Matt Schauf who was just entering his second or third year of coaching, and he met with us. It wasn't long into the meeting that I could see his passion and excitement toward the sport. His energy really got my attention and I felt like that was unique compared to the other colleges I had visited. He made me feel like I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself. That is what sold me on wanting to take on sports at the collegiate level – specifically at Stout.
What did you like most about competing in collegiate athletics?
Looking back, there were countless things that I took for granted while being on the team and competing. The thing I liked most was developing friendships and memories with my fellow teammates, coaches, and competitors. Competing was very important to me, and proving to myself and others that I could do something was important. But, that wasn't what kept me coming back. It was about being a part of something bigger than myself. Setting goals as a collective group and holding each other accountable to reach the goals together. The personal goals I had for myself were needed, however nothing was more powerful than the fear of letting my team down. I truly valued the friendships I made along the way and the unique experiences I got to partake in such as traveling the country to race.
What is the greatest lesson you learned from being a collegiate student-athlete?
Never give up. Never give up on your dreams/goals no matter how low you think you've hit. If you think you've hit rock bottom, keep pushing. I hit rock bottom and my athletic career was at jeopardy for some careless things I did my sophomore year. At the time, my morale and attitude were at an all-time low (I was pretty close to giving up), however it was a blessing in disguise because that year forced me to make a decision. Either I could give up or learn from it and move forward. I chose the latter of the two, and it forced me grow up and gave me a new perspective about being on a team and competing. Without that year and the conscious decision to change I would not have achieved what I did, and ultimately the team might not have.
Who was the most influential person(s) in your athletic career?
This is the hardest question for me to answer, because it was never just one person – it has always been a collective group of each and every person that I've interacted with in sports. My past and present (at the time) coaches, teammates, family, friends, and competitors all influenced me to be the best I could be. They were the ones that kept me pushing forward every day.
Which former Blue Devil student-athletes are you still in contact with? (If so, who?)
On a regular basis – Tim Nelson, Jacob Olsen, David Linsmeyer, Tony Cass, Logan Gullickson, Sean O'Brien, Schauf, (head track and field coach) Kyle Steiner, and (of course) my brother. We all formed a special bond with one another and it is so easy to pick up where we left off. I see several others less frequently, but it is always a pleasure running into a fellow alumni from time to time.
How would your teammates describe you as a person and as a student-athlete?
Hard working. As a team captain, I always did my best to put an honest effort into each and every day – whether it be a rest day, recovery run, long run, workout, or race. I would like to believe that I was someone that led by example, and I tried to display my passion and work ethic into school and sports.
The men's cross country program was starting to qualify to nationals on a somewhat regular basis. The track team was sending individuals to nationals. What was the camaraderie like? What made that era of teams so special?
It was the whole team (men and women) backing each other up and showing endless support throughout the entire year. We held each other accountable and supported each other no matter what the result was. The thing that made it so special (specifically the 2014-15 season) was the bond we all formed. We all seemed to be marching to the same beat of the drum, and all of our goals/expectations were 100% aligned. We had a mission that year and everyone on the team believed in that mission. When we qualified for Cross (country) nationals, it was a culmination of all the blood, sweat, and tears over several years that finally paid off. It was the most gratifying experience I've had so far. It wasn't just the current team that was able to accomplish this, but it was the previous classes and teammates that led us to that point as well. The upperclassmen when I was a freshmen really set the pace (no pun intended) and expectations for the years to come. We all set our personal goals to the side and put the team goal (making it to Nationals) as the No. 1 priority. I think that is something special that is difficult to come by.
What are some of your career highlights?
Cross Country:
Making it to nationals as a team in Fall, 2014.
Becoming All-Region in Fall, 2014.
Track:
Qualifying for Outdoor Nationals Spring 2014 (Steeplechase) and Spring 2015 (Steeplechase and 5K)
Qualifying for Indoor Nationals Winter 2014-2015 (5K)
National Runner-Up in the Steeplechase Spring 2015
What are some of your most memorable or favorite sports moment(s) at UW-Stout?
Making it to nationals as a team in cross country. That is a day I will remember the rest of my life. See details above.
What are some other activities you were involved in on campus (or off campus) while in Menomonie?
SAAC
You and your younger brother Joe did not compete together while in high school, but were able to be on the same teams in college. What was that like to compete along with your younger brother?
There are so many great things that made 2014-2015 an unforgettable year (one of the greatest years in my life) – qualifying for cross nationals as a team, qualifying for my first indoor national meet, and becoming All-American in the steeplechase, graduating and successfully securing job after college - the list goes on. However being able to compete with Joe tops the list. It was a pretty special year for me being able to practice and compete with Joe. We grew our friendship and respect towards each other a lot that year and became so close to one another.
