Note: Hope Athletics will profile student-athletes from all 22 of its varsity sports throughout the 2015-16 school year and highlighting their pursuits and achievements in the classroom.
Story by Dean Holzwarth and photo by Alan Babbitt
Sarah Sheridan knew from a very young age the career path she wanted to follow.
The record-setting Hope College diver fondly recalls being in elementary school when she announced to her classmates that she wanted to become a teacher when she grew up.
"I remember as a little second grader doing a project and saying that I wanted to be a teacher," Sheridan said. "It grew from there. I had a physics teacher in high school that really got me excited about teaching physics."
Sheridan, who attended Richmond High School in Richmond, Indiana, is now a physics and education major at Hope. She also is minoring in mathematics education.
Sheridan developed a passion for teaching through several mentors during the course of her early years in school. They helped instill a desire to help others learn and become better people.
"Part of it was I loved school, but I had really great teachers," Sheridan said. "One of my biggest memories was my second and third grade teachers. They had a way of caring about students, and since then I've realized how much of an impact you can have on students way past education. Affecting change and being a role model of significance."
Sheridan is a four-time, NCAA Division III All-American finished national runner-up on the 3-meter board and third-place on the 1-meter board last season. They were the best finishes in school history on both boards.
Also last spring, Sheridan was named to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-America NCAA Division III Women's At-Large Teams. She earned third-team recognition by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Sheridan has successfully balanced academics and diving throughout her collegiate career. She is a three-time Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Academic Honor Roll Recipient.
The Flying Dutch begin the 2015-16 season on Saturday, Oct. 24 at the MIAA Relays at Calvin College.
Sheridan said being surrounded by a supportive team enables her to manage her time.
"Doing both does take a lot of time and commitment, but when you have a group like a team who are behind you it helps with balancing everything," she said. "I can go to my people in all parts of my life. You create friendships that last forever."
Sheridan is looking forward to beginning student teaching next spring.
She doesn't know which school she'll be assisting but is eager about taking the first step in the process.
"I'm excited because they can prepare you so much, but until you get into the classroom it's not quite real," Sheridan said. "I'm excited to get a chance to be with students and really teach."
Sheridan also has been involved in mentoring young people outside of school. She's worked with a youth group at Second Reformed Church in Zeeland since her freshman year.
In addition, she's been a part of the physics department, assisting teachers in grading and help sessions.
Head coach John Patnott believes Sheridan's experiences will help her flourish as an educator.
"She knows what to do as an athlete and what you have to do as a student athlete in school," Patnott said. "She can communicate that to students, and she is one of the most disciplined people that we have here.
"She's not fearless, but when you see up there she looks like it. If she lands perfectly flat, she'll do it five times until she gets it right. She's quite high stress, but she handles it well. When she's feeling stress she rolls right through it and does well."
Click below for links for previously published Hope student-athlete profiles:
Women's Golf: Britni Gielow
Women's Soccer: Anna Krueger
Volleyball: Jayne Kessel
Men's Soccer: Sam Barthel
