Joe Vick ’26, ’28 M.S., grew up with Valparaiso University in his backyard. His childhood took root a short drive away from campus in Kouts, Indiana – half spent on the soccer field, half on the basketball court, dressed in Mustang black and gold. In a blink of an eye, he was graduating from his hometown’s school colors to Valpo Men’s Basketball’s brown and gold.
Like so many other great stories, Joe’s dreams for the future have direct ties to his hometown gymnasium: to one day lead and uplift a team of his own as a collegiate head coach.
If you know Joe, his aspirations to be a coach are a natural manifestation of who he is. “I think wanting to be a coach stemmed from my love for the sport itself at first. But, people have also always told me that I am good at coaching – at different sports camps or during fun activities we would put together for younger kids,” Joe reflects. “I’m a people person. People tell me I’m a people person. And that feedback has influenced me a lot recently, especially during the last few years here at Valpo.” It was this passion for the game – and the people, players, and coaches, who bring it all together – that led Joe to our campus.
While Valpo was a household name growing up, Joe’s journey to our campus was a unique one. By high school, his love for basketball was at its peak and his mom – Julie Vick ’25, who has served in Valpo Athletics for over 10 years – began to introduce him to the Valpo men’s basketball players and coaches she worked with every day. Joe became a familiar face – a connection that would lead former Head Coach Matt Lottich to offer him a rare opportunity years later, at the start of his college search: to continue his basketball career beyond high school alongside Division I college basketball players as a walk-on.
“Of course I said yes. Not very many people get to continue playing their sport after high school. It was a very cool opportunity,” Joe says. After his first year with the team, the program welcomed current Head Coach Roger Powell Jr. ‘16 M.S. back to Valpo, who extended the same invitation to Joe. He’s been a cherished member of the team ever since.
Now – in the middle of his final season, with graduation less than four months away – Joe is looking ahead once again. After he graduates with his sports management degree in May, it’ll be right back to the books as begins his master’s degree in sports administration this fall. He’ll return to the court –though wearing a different uniform.
“Coach Powell has invited me to stay on as a graduate assistant (GA) for Valpo men’s basketball team next year. GAs are like coaches, but with air quotes. It’s the lowest level of team coaching,” Joe explains. And the perfect place to start. As a GA, Joe will have the opportunity to expand a variety of administrative skills, from managing the team’s social media presence to watching films of upcoming opponents to help inform practice strategies.
All the while, he’ll be able to work closely with Coach Powell, who has been a tremendous source of inspiration throughout his time on the team. “Coach Powell pours into his players a lot. It goes beyond basketball. He teaches us stuff about life and how to be better men and better husbands in the world someday,” Joe shares. “Hypothetically, when I’m a head coach someday, I hope my program looks like that. I want to pour into my players not just on the court, but off the court, as well. The game is bigger than basketball; life is so much more than basketball.”
It’s a note of wisdom that Joe wants to share with student-athletes across campus and beyond: “Basketball is a game. It’s just a game. Student-athletes put so much emphasis on their sport because it’s often what they’ve done their whole lives. A lot of times, it’s our end-all-be-all… And if it’s not going the way you want it to, it can be really hard. You can start thinking about yourself negatively, lose confidence, and start to question your ability. So I think it’s very important for mental health to have a seat at the table,” Joe says. “I think taking care of your mental health is the biggest challenge for student-athletes – and honestly society as a whole, outside of college. It’s not talked about enough, so you really don’t realize it until you’re in it, and then you’re shell-shocked; you don’t know what to do because you’ve never experienced that before.
“We’re regular people. Student-athletes are just like everyone else. I don’t think that should have to be said, but in the current sports landscape… We have good days and bad days and mental health struggles, just like everyone else,” Joe continues.
Aside from Coach Powell’s encouragement, being a three-year member of Valpo’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) has been a great source of community and comfort. SAAC is a student-run organization dedicated to enhancing the student-athlete experience – whether that be by lending a listening ear or hosting destress events, like the Beacon Ball. “Being in SAAC really changed my perspective on how student-athletes experience college. I’ve been able to see how much of a voice student-athletes really have and a lot of the everyday challenges we face, like mental health,” Joe says. “When practice starts to feel like a job, SAAC is here to help us take our minds off of it and destress.”
Joe finds one of SAAC’s subcommittees, Life After the Game, to be particularly helpful. After dedicating so much of their life to a sport, many athletes struggle with their identity once their collegiate chapter comes to an end. “I feel like I did this part early on. Coming here as a walk-on, I figured I wouldn’t be continuing on to play in the NBA,” Joe says with a laugh. “But I would say it is still a little bit difficult for me, and is for a lot of other people. This subcommittee helps you transition after your college career, so you know answers to questions like, ‘Who am I as a person?’ and ‘Who am I beyond my sport?’ With SAAC, you can answer those questions with other people who are going through the same thing.”
Aside from SAAC, there are countless other resources on campus for students of all academic backgrounds struggling with their mental health – including our on-campus counseling center. Joe also encourages student-athletes to explore interests outside of their sport – like faith and hobbies – and continue supporting one another, especially at each other’s games. “Student-athletes supporting other student-athletes is really important. We make up a large portion of campus; we know how each other’s games work. Wanting to support each other, showing up to each other’s games, filling up that student section, is key to bringing back crowds to any event – not just basketball,” Joe says.
In the meantime, Joe will still be learning all he can – and meeting the rest of his concluding season with optimism. Being “gritty” is an identity Joe has watched Coach Powell embed in the program over the last few years. (Queue the famous brown and gold gritty chain!) For Joe, “gritty” means intensity, tenacity, and toughness together. “Being ‘gritty’ is a big part of this team’s culture and where this program is headed. I feel like this team is the grittiest team we’ve had since I’ve been here, and it makes me excited for this last season,” he continues. “Outside of wins and losses, I’m here to have a good time and be with my teammates. You don’t get to be on a college basketball team in your 20s again. And I want to enjoy every second of it, no matter what it looks like.”
As a coach, Joe plans to pass on these essential lessons to his future teams. When and where that will be, he doesn’t know. But no matter what, each of his players will know that they are more than a number.
Joe has your back, and we do, too. Follow this Beacon’s footsteps in our sports management and sports administration programs, on the court with Valpo Men’s Basketball, or as a mental health advocate for yourself and others with valpo.edu/student-life/health-wellness.
