Did you catch the UNM fumble recovery against Michigan? That player, No. 35, that’s Sandia intern Charles Steinkamp.
The 21-year-old became a highlight on sports reels of the Aug. 30 game.
With a little more than two minutes left in the second quarter, with the Lobos trailing 17-7, Steinkamp kicked off, Michigan fumbled at the 29-yard line, and Steinkamp recovered, setting the Lobos up for a successful 45-yard field goal. The play marked a momentum shift in a tough game for the Lobos.
“It was really cool,” Charles said. “To be honest, it happened so fast I barely remember. When I looked at the clip, I saw that I just laid there holding the ball for a little bit. I was in shock.”
The Steinkamp family was watching the live broadcast from their home in Los Alamos.
“We had an eruption in our living room when we realized it was Charles,” said his dad, Mike Steinkamp. “When he covered the ball, I was waiting for a pileup of Michigan players coming, but fortunately that didn’t happen. It was fun to watch his reaction as he ran toward the UNM sideline.”
A family affair
Charles is an intern in Sandia’s Prime Contract organization. But if the Steinkamp name sounds familiar in more ways than one, perhaps it’s because his dad Mike is a manager in Computational Aero Sciences. Or maybe it’s because Charles’ two older brothers, George and Arthur, also interned at Sandia not too long ago.
“It was very satisfying for me when they were all here at the same time,” Mike said. “About two years ago you could open the directory, put in the name ‘Steinkamp’ and see four of us listed. That was nice.”
The Steinkamps have more than Sandia in common. This family is an athletic powerhouse. There are six Steinkamp siblings who have excelled in soccer, baseball and football. Four have competed at the collegiate level. The youngest sibling, the only girl, is still in high school.
Charles credits his parents for their athletic talents. His dad once played single-A baseball for the Salt Lake City Trappers, and his mom was a high school track star. Both, he said, have always pushed their kids to reach their full potential.
Juggling life
The work ethic and drive they’ve instilled has helped Charles juggle what has become an especially hectic schedule these days. He recently accepted a full-time internship at Sandia, still goes to school full time, and, of course, plays football.
“Honestly, it’s tough,” Charles said. “I go to work at Sandia from 7 a.m. until noon, I go straight to football, then at 6 p.m. I do my online classes and homework.”
But it also means that Charles has two teams cheering for his success: the UNM Lobos and Sandia’s Legal and Prime Contract division.
“When I sent the video of Charles’ play to members of the division, staff immediately began coordinating a day where we could attend a game to show support,” manager Candle Martinez said.
Charles said the support he’s gotten from both teams has been key. “I love Sandia. I love the culture.”
His experience has also helped him refine his career goals. “I really like working in the legal division. While I considered law school, I’m now looking to get a master’s in business.”
There’s also a more personal aspect that he loves. “One day my dad came over, picked me up, and we went to the Thunderbird Café for lunch,” he said. “I mean, how often do you get to have lunch with your dad at work? It’s super cool.”
A shared discipline
Though football and working in national security at Sandia might seem worlds apart, Charles sees a connection that he credits with helping him grow as a student and person.
“Discipline is a huge thing in football. You must have accountability,” he said. “Working at Sandia brings that too. You learn to be on time. You learn how to be courteous in the way you address people or write an email. That all keeps you disciplined. Being part of this culture translates to the football field. How you do one thing is how you do everything.”
What’s ahead
Charles is on track to graduate with his bachelor’s degree in December. He plans to play football at UNM for another year while pursuing a master’s degree and continuing his internship at Sandia. He said Sandia is certainly on his list of career choices, but he will see where his degree and football take him.
For now, he’s still processing that big game in Michigan.
“That was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. To play in front of so many people, in such an historic venue,” he said. “Michigan is bigger, faster and stronger, but we held our ground.”
The 35-point underdogs closed the spread to 17, and Steinkamp made a play that he can add to his resume. “Everybody I run into now says, ‘Hey, nice play,’” he said. “I even got a text from Jason Sanders to congratulate me. He played at UNM and now plays for the Miami Dolphins.”
Charles is optimistic about what lies ahead.
“There are so many positives to take away and so much hope for the season. That really does start with our coaches,” he said. “Albuquerque deserves to have a winning team. We want to make Albuquerque proud. It’s a special place; everyone on the team knows it. They didn’t know it when they got here, but they know it now.”