Sports Camps

Welcome

Download a PDF of the Pilot Club brochure (7.4 MB download, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Thank you to our generous Pilot Club members!

Over 500 Members In 2008!

With 17 varsity sports and close to 300 student–athletes, the Bethel athletic department continues to grow and expand. The Pilot Club has been a great tool to support and sustain the athletic programs at Bethel College.

Financial gifts comprise a large portion of the athletic department’s overall budget with the Pilot Club playing a large part in athletics fund-raising. Pilot Club gifts may be designated to a specific sport or to the general athletic fund.

“It is great to see how many people have invested in the lives of our students at Bethel College," says Mike Lightfoot Director of Athletic Development. "Their gifts really make a direct impact on our programs and the lives of our students. The costs of transportation and day to day operations have “sky rocketed” and the Pilot Club has been one way we can continue to strive for excellence in the athletic department. We need our Bethel community and friends of the College to partner with us. We cherish our legacy in developing those student-athletes that God has brought to our campus.”

The Pilot Club membership has grown in the past two years to over 500 members with contribution levels ranging from $50 up to $1,000.

The Pilot Spirit

The glass-front cases in the lobby of the Wiekamp Athletic Center are filled with trophies—from national and conference championships, post-season play, tournament titles, and individual coach and athlete honors awarded over 45 years of Bethel College athletics.

But one award that is the culmination of the prevailing spirit of the Pilots came in 2004 with the Sports Ministries Award recognizing Bethel as the nation’s top school in sports ministry. Presented by the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association, the award honors the program that most exemplifies spiritual outreach through athletic ministries.

“Giving back to the community and the world is a large part of our mission,” says Bethel Associate Athletic Director Mike Lightfoot. “God has blessed our athletic teams and the work they do in so many ways. It is our responsibility to continue to use athletics as a tool to help those in need.”

At Bethel, it really is about the spirit of the game.

Unity and Growth

The same spirit that launched Bethel’s intercollegiate program in 1958 with one team is now 16 sports strong with more than 280 student-athletes. With support from the college, commitment of coaches and dedication of student-athletes, Bethel athletics has charted a course from fledgling program to one of national prominence. The true spirit that binds Bethel athletes is their devotion to sport and learning, faith in God and commitment to serving the larger world around them. This spirit has guided the Pilots to:

A Ripple Effect

The vitality of Bethel athletics has not gone unnoticed. More than 50,000 people attend events at Bethel’s athletic facilities each year. Thousands more keep pace with the Pilots via live radio and television broadcasts and Webcasts. And we’ve become a flagship athletic venue, hosting events of national stature.

Pilot alumni are just as successful in navigating off the field. Their experiences as Bethel student-athletes continue to steer their lives and the lives of others around the nation and the world through athletics, education and the ministry, just to name a few.

For further information on the Pilot Club and ways to contribute to the Bethel athletic department, contact Mike Lightfoot.