RIPON, Wis. - Steve Feyrer-Melk '86 lettered all four years in football, and three years in track & field at Ripon College. A three-time First Team All-Conference wide receiver on the gridiron, Feyer-Melk was selected to the Division-III All-American Second Team as a senior. Also an individual conference champion in the long jump for Ripon's track & field team, Feyrer-Melk still ranks among the top 10 in Ripon Football history in several different categories. He was inducted into Ripon's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.
"After striving for excellence both on and off the field during High School, it was a welcomed next step when I received the opportunity to continue my personal growth and development at the collegiate level," Feyrer-Melk said. "Attending other colleges or universities was an option, but Ripon was a natural fit to gain exceptional opportunities in both academics and athletics."
Thirty-five years after his graduation, Feyrer-Melk still holds the school record for career receptions with 196. He also ranks third in receiving yards (2,852) and is tied for ninth in receiving touchdowns (19), while his 27 consecutive games with a reception is the fourth-longest streak in program history. He still holds two of the top seven single season reception marks in program history and is tied for the school record for single game receptions (13), while also being one of just seven Ripon players to record more than 1,000 yards receiving in a single season, accomplishing that feat as a senior. In Feyrer-Melk's final three seasons, he finished in the top three in the MWC in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns each year.
"As I developed and grew at Ripon College, it became very apparent that athletics would be my springboard for future success. My involvement with the best athletes from all over the state and country, while working with coaches that always had my best interest in mind, made me a better athlete, student, and person," Feyrer-Melk said. "The Ripon College athletic experience prepared me for the rigors of successfully earning a masters and doctoral degree, for elite coaching at the collegiate and high school levels, and for the founding of a powerful business that serves others."
Like most freshmen, Feyer-Melk didn't play much initially, often standing glued to Head Coach Larry Terry's side, hoping the coach would catch a glimpse of him and be nudged to put him in the game.
"A few games into my freshman season, I continued my usual position in the shadow of our head coach, when Assistant Coach Bob Gillespie stepped up and said, 'Coach T, let's put 'Fire' in and see what he can do,' Feyrer-Melk recalled. "That began four years of many great memories and the rest is history."
Feyrer-Melk's true love of the game always shone through, as his favorite memories don't consist of an actual game, or even a practice. It's what happened after some practices that he holds most dearly.
"Practicing daily on the football field wasn't always my favorite thing to do, except for the Friday before a game," Feyrer-Melk said. "Following the usual short practice on that day, myself and teammates Dave Olenchek, Michael Crain, Bill VanLannen, and Eric Monahan would stay on the field and play a fierce game of two-on-two. Now THAT was fun!"
Coach Terry not only served as Feyrer-Melk's football coach, but he also coached him in track & field, where Feyer-Melk won the 1985 MWC Long Jump Championship with a leap of 22-02. He earned All-Conference honors twice in track & field, while setting school records in the long jump and sprint events, which have since been broken.
"I'll always remember Coach Terry's stern direction, sincere interest in me as a whole person, and his infectious positive attitude," Feyrer-Melk said. "I would have followed him into a burning building and his impact remains with me to this day."
Feyrer-Melk currently lives in Scottsdale, Ariz. where he is Director of Lifestyle Medicine at Optimal Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Center, while also serving as Chief Science Officer for Nudge, LLC. In addition to his bachelor's degree from Ripon, Feyrer-Melk has also earned his M.Ed. in Exercise Physiology from Bowling Green and a Ph.D. in Exercise Science and Wellness from Arizona State University. A highly-sought after Consultant and leader in the field, 'Dr. Steve' has a successful history practicing within a cutting-edge medical business and serves as a Certified Health Coach for patients within his practice, as well as for clients throughout America.
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