From a pregame meal to unwashed undergarments, every athlete has a routine they consider to be sacred. Sophomore point guard Chad Gutschenritter prefers to warm up without shoes. 

The ritual is a new one for Gutschenritter, as he first did this before the first Iowa Conference game of the season, and it appears to be working. He is averging 18.8 points per game, a 43.8 percentage from the field, is shooting 74.7 percent from the free throw line and is dishing out 3.6 assists per game through six conference outings. 

Gutschenritter started his collegiate career at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo. After one semester, he transferred to Des Moines Area Commmunity College (DMACC) to knock out some general education credits and begin a fresh recruiting process. 

The time spent at Truman State was not wasted, Gutschenritter said. 

“The experience from Truman really gave me a new perspective on college basketball,” he said. 

Playing college hoops has been a dream for the Waukee High School graduate since he can remember. Simpson proved to be the perfect fit for him in two ways: teammates and location. 

Gutschenritter competed against Valley High School graduate Tyler Anderson during the pair’s, Central Iowa Metropolitan League (CIML) days. The two were teammates at Truman State before becoming roommates and teammates for the Storm.

“I really wanted him to come here because I played with him at Truman, and he is a great player and teammate. It’s pretty much like playing with someone that I played with in high school,” Gutschenritter said. 

Being closer to home meant being closer to his biggest influence – his father. With Gutschenritter’s hometown of West Des Moines a half-hour drive away, his dad can bring that encouragement to many of his games. 

Gutschenritter looks to the legendary Magic Johnson for an on-court role model. Johnson played for the Los Angeles Lakers form 1979-96 and holds the National Basketball Association (NBA) record for average assists per game in a career with 11.8.

Gutschenritter is a record holder himself for career assists at Waukee with 419.

When the sports management major is not in the classroom or on the hardwood, he enjoys spending his time with friends and playing NBA 2K14. His team of choice is the Denver Nuggets, with whom he proclaims to beat sophomore teammate Leif Olson on a very frequent basis. 

Although the season has been unimpressive according to record, Gutschenritter has seen growth and improvement as a team. He looks forward to games ahead and to next season with his young collection of teammates. 

Gutschenritter gets the chance to warm up in socks eight more times this season with Meek Mill bumping in his headphones. Each time before taking the court, he will lace up a worn-out, ripped pair of Kobe’s and continue to battle at the point for the Simpson College Storm. 

The Storm face  Luther on the road in Decorah for another Iowa Conference contest Saturday, Feb. 1. Tipoff is set at 4 p.m.