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MACOMB TOWNSHIP — Macomb Lutheran North student Jack Kropp will be continuing his athletic career at Adrian College for bass fishing.
On March 11, Lutheran North high school held its annual college athletic signing day. Among the softball, football, and volleyball players was Kropp, who was wearing an Adrian College bass fishing team sweatshirt.
“People are surprised when we talk about it, that that’s a thing,” Kropp’s mom, Laura Kropp, said. “It’s not common.”
Kropp signed his letter of intent that day and is now a part of an exclusive group of bass fishing team high school commits.
“It’s been really cool,” Jack Kropp said. “I’ve wanted to go (to Adrian) for a while. I know that this program is highly regarded in this scene.”
Kropp isn’t just committed to any old college for fishing: He’s committed to the 13th-ranked bass fishing team in the country and the highest ranked collegiate team in Michigan, according to the Association of Collegiate Anglers rankings on April 11.
All of these accomplishments and accolades are from a student who wasn’t able to fish competitively at one point because his high school didn’t have its own fishing team.
After nearly two years without being able to fish competitively, Jack Kropp’s life changed when his family went to the Detroit Boat Show and met one of the founders of New Wave Angler Initiative.
“They do private lessons for kids for fishing, but then they also try to connect kids so that they fish in tournaments when (the kids) don’t have schools (fishing teams),” Laura Kropp said. “They really helped us get connected… We kind of fell on this.”
The New Wave Angler Initiative was founded by Caleb Taylor and is operated by him and Nick Marsh. Marsh is a former Adrian College angler, and Taylor is a current assistant coach at Adrian.
“They’re really a feeder organization for Adrian’s program,” Laura Kropp said. “And Adrian is the only school in the nation that has won Major League Fishing and Bass Master championships. Adrian is one of the top schools in the country for bass fishing.”
The opportunity may have come seemingly out of nowhere, but Jack’s passion and talent for fishing has always been prevalent.
“I learned about (Adrian’s fishing team) when I was maybe in sixth grade. They do summer camps, and I attended one of those camps,” Jack Kropp said. “Then as I got closer to thinking about college, (Adrian) was really the only name I knew.”
Jack has had a passion for fishing his entire life, and now his passion has turned into a rare and unique opportunity to get an education and compete. It’s a full circle moment for the Kropp family.
“I’m always thinking about it, even when I’m not doing it,” Jack Kropp said. “It’s taken over. I love it.”
It’s a sport that you have to be extremely committed to if you want to be great at it. The Kropp family has had a lot of early mornings and will go to an event days in advance in order to prepare properly.
“Well, it starts weeks ahead. We like to leave two days early, that way you can get up there and get ready for the morning,” Jack Kropp said. “Then we have one practice day, scouting everything out. Then, the morning of, we wake up at 3 in the morning to go get fuel and everything,”
Tournament day itself is an experience like no other, and it is one of the things that got Jack hooked on the sport.
“For all of us, we’re excited,” Jack Kropp said. “It’s intense, not nervous, but I’m ready to go.”
Ultimately, his dream of fishing at the next level has come to fruition thanks to the support of his family, coaches, NWAI, and most of all, his passion for the sport.
“Jack has always been super passionate about it and super excited about it,” Laura Kropp said. “If he’s not fishing, he’s watching fishing videos or reading about it. Everything’s fishing.”
Jack Kropp will compete in events throughout the summer.
Visit www.nwai.org to learn more about New Wave Angler Initiative.
