ProRodeo Sports News - April 20, 2018

COLLEGE

JugglingAct

Young cowboys balance rodeo and college duties

BY MATT NABER P roRodeo, college rodeo, classes and work are a lot of balls to have in the air, but Parker Kempfer, Zach Jongbloed and Zach Hibler have this juggling act mastered as they excel on both levels of rodeo competition while finishing their degrees and working. “The biggest thing is staying focused and taking care of classes during the week,” Kempfer said. “The weekends are hectic fromThursday to Sunday. I’m pretty unorganized, I can remember things pretty good off the top of my head, but I take school very seriously. I don’t like bad grades, so I’m pretty conscious of everything going on and when traveling on the road I’ll take my books with me to study.” Jongbloed’s in the same boat. “I have a calendar that lists all the rodeos where I’m going, and I try to get through the week day by day depending on what tests I have that week,” Jongbloed said. “It’s easy to forget the things you have to do when you have so much going on.” For Hibler, competing at the pro level allows him to enter college rodeos with more confidence. “College rodeo is a good step so you’re not going from high school rodeo to pro,” Hibler said. Taking classes online makes balancing academics and two rodeo schedules easier for Hibler. Plus, he has the bonus of competing in the South where college rodeos tend to happen at the same time as ProRodeo competitions. “College has provided an opportunity for me to rodeo and get a great education as well, and helped prepare me for the ProRodeos,” Kempfer said. Jongbloed’s classes aren’t online, so he attends class Monday through Friday and then practices each afternoon, roping calves four or five days a week and steer wrestling two or three days a week. “It’s very time consuming, especially with school,” Jongbloed said. “The hardest part is staying motivated to stay on top of my school work. I’ll be up until 10:30 or 11 p.m. doing school work and then have class every morning at 8 a.m.” Family, friends and coaches all played a role in each of the cowboys doing well in college and ProRodeos. “College gets your confidence up and then ProRodeos are the best because it gets you around the guys who have been there and won that, and everyone is helpful, and they’ll encourage you along the way,” Kempfer said. “It’s a different energy and

Parker Kempfer is leading the national college standings for saddle bronc riding and is 10th in the PRCA RAM Rodeo Permit Standings – all while going to school full time. Mike Rastelli photo

Zach Hibler is leading the PRCA Resistol Rookie Standings for bareback riding and is second in the national college standings among bareback riders. James Phifer photo

ProRodeo Sports News 4/20/18

ProRodeo.com

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