Student leaves example to follow

Blooming Prairie’s John Rumpza will be leaving for Winona State this fall, and he will leave quite the legacy behind. 
Rumpza participated in football, basketball, baseball, band and school musicals at Blooming Prairie, all the while excelling academically. 
On Wednesday, Feb. 4, Rumpza signed a letter of intent to play football with Winona State last Wednesday, and in the samw week, Rumpza received a AAA award. The scholarship is awarded to two students from each district who display excellence throughout their high school years academically, athletically and in the arts. 
“It’s a little bit of everything,” said Rumpza. “All three are things I take pride in.”
Not only do fans, family and friends know Rumpza as a major asset to sports teams, but Rumpza also played the lead role in the show, “South Pacific” last fall, as well as performing in several other shows in past years. Most importantly, Rumpza has excelled in the classroom, maintaining a 3.99 grade point average. 
“You have to find a way to balance them all. It’s tough when you take your athletics very seriously, but obviously the academic part has to come first. You have to do your best at whatever you’re doing.”
In one story, shared by the school music instructor, Kari Bottin, Rumpza returned the day after a state football game to give a wonderful performace as the lead in the school musical “South Pacific.”
“Even as the pressure for football increased, he handled his presence and pressure on stage with absolute grace,” said Bottin. “He comes prepared for everything he takes part in and he is a wonderful and bright student to work with.” 
Rumpza said his success is also due to a very competitive spirit, as well as extremely driven coaches and teachers. 
“They’ve set me up very well for college,” Rumpza said of Blooming Prairie coaches and teachers. “They’ve prepared me for football, and to do well in my academics as well.”
“John is such an asset to our arts department and while he is better known for his performance on the field, he will be greatly missed on the stage at Blooming Prairie High School,” said Bottin.
Rumpza will major in Secondary Education - Mathematics, and will red-shirt his first football season. He hopes to be the backup quarterback  in his second season, and be the starter by his third year, although technically he will still be a sophomore athletically. 
“The coach thinks I’m very similar to their quarterback right now, and he’s been very successful. So I’m hoping to do just as well, if not better, than he’s done,” said Rumpza.
Rumpza went into his college search knowing he wanted to play football, and though he only received one football scholarship, he says that had less to do with his decision than the college itself. 
“The football coaches are great. They  have the academic program I wanted, and I really liked the campus,” said Rumpza. 
Rumpza hopes to one day coach full-time on the collegiate level, but plans on teaching and coaching to build experience.