Tommy Liesveld: Opportunity Of A Lifetime
11/30/2019 3:30:00 PM | Football
When the opportunity to transfer to Michigan State arose, offensive guard Tommy Liesveld jumped at the opportunity without a doubt and never looked back.Â
Not only has he always been a fan of the Spartans, but he has a family full of MSU alums, which made the decision to come play here as a walk-on a no-brainer for the native of Bloomfield, Hills, Mich.Â
"It really is a dream come true. I know people say that, but it really is a dream. I grew up as a Spartan fan. My sister played field hockey here. My dad went here. There's so many alumni in my family. It's really a dream come true," Liesveld said.
Transferring to Michigan State from Saginaw Valley State has given Liesveld endless opportunities and life lessons, but one thing he'll always remember is getting the opportunity to go up against some of the best competition in college football.Â
"When you come to Michigan State, you're going to play against some big time players," Liesveld said. "I want a challenge. I came here every day wanting a challenge and wanting to get better. I love it."
Liesveld has been given the opportunity daily to go head-to-head with guys like Spartan defensive linemen Kenny Willekes and Mike Panasiuk in practice. He takes great pride in learning from two of the best defensive players in the nation.Â
"When people ask me, I can say I went up against that guy when he's in the NFL," Liesveld said. "My first week here, we had one-on-ones and Mike Panasiuk basically just ran me over and that's when I realized 'wow, this is Big Ten football.'"
Football has also given Liesveld the opportunity to build strong relationships with his teammates and engage in meaningful contributions to society.Â
Liesveld participated in a charity event, St. Baldericks, with a few fellow teammates, where he shaved his head to raise money to help find cures for children with cancer.Â
"A couple of my friends on the team like Brian Lewerke, Tyler Higgby, Bryce Wilker, and a few others decided to just do it," Liesveld said. "It's a great cause and you can't do anything better than that. I loved it. I thought it was a great experience."Â
As the chapter of being a student-athlete comes to a close, Liesveld reflects on how his time as a Spartan has given him so many great experiences and knowledge.Â
He will graduate with a degree in economics, where he hopes to use his degree in a career field possibly involving commercial real estate or investing.Â
As far as his Spartan career goes, Liesveld is honored to be given the opportunity of a lifetime.Â
"I've loved every second of it," Liesveld said. "The relationships. The friends I've made. I can truly say they'll last a lifetime. It's an experience that I wouldn't trade for the world."
Â
Not only has he always been a fan of the Spartans, but he has a family full of MSU alums, which made the decision to come play here as a walk-on a no-brainer for the native of Bloomfield, Hills, Mich.Â
"It really is a dream come true. I know people say that, but it really is a dream. I grew up as a Spartan fan. My sister played field hockey here. My dad went here. There's so many alumni in my family. It's really a dream come true," Liesveld said.
Transferring to Michigan State from Saginaw Valley State has given Liesveld endless opportunities and life lessons, but one thing he'll always remember is getting the opportunity to go up against some of the best competition in college football.Â
"When you come to Michigan State, you're going to play against some big time players," Liesveld said. "I want a challenge. I came here every day wanting a challenge and wanting to get better. I love it."
Liesveld has been given the opportunity daily to go head-to-head with guys like Spartan defensive linemen Kenny Willekes and Mike Panasiuk in practice. He takes great pride in learning from two of the best defensive players in the nation.Â
"When people ask me, I can say I went up against that guy when he's in the NFL," Liesveld said. "My first week here, we had one-on-ones and Mike Panasiuk basically just ran me over and that's when I realized 'wow, this is Big Ten football.'"
Football has also given Liesveld the opportunity to build strong relationships with his teammates and engage in meaningful contributions to society.Â
Liesveld participated in a charity event, St. Baldericks, with a few fellow teammates, where he shaved his head to raise money to help find cures for children with cancer.Â
"A couple of my friends on the team like Brian Lewerke, Tyler Higgby, Bryce Wilker, and a few others decided to just do it," Liesveld said. "It's a great cause and you can't do anything better than that. I loved it. I thought it was a great experience."Â
As the chapter of being a student-athlete comes to a close, Liesveld reflects on how his time as a Spartan has given him so many great experiences and knowledge.Â
He will graduate with a degree in economics, where he hopes to use his degree in a career field possibly involving commercial real estate or investing.Â
As far as his Spartan career goes, Liesveld is honored to be given the opportunity of a lifetime.Â
"I've loved every second of it," Liesveld said. "The relationships. The friends I've made. I can truly say they'll last a lifetime. It's an experience that I wouldn't trade for the world."
Â
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