In Memorium

Bill Holwerda was a 1946 graduate of Grand Rapids South High, where he was a 3-sport star athlete. Included in his high school highlights were playing in front of over 17,000 fans at Houseman Field on Thanksgiving Day of 1945 against Catholic Central as his team’s top running back, and being an All-State hurdler in the spring. He went on to play both football and basketball at Hope College, serving as captain of both squads during his time there.

After graduation, Bill landed a teaching job at Caledonia High School. He immediately joined the coaching staffs of both football and basketball, and by his 3^rd year was head coach of both sports. Eventually he decided that teaching was not what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, and he opened Holwerda-Snoap Sporting Goods in 1956.

In 1964 he was asked by the South Christian community to begin their new football program, the first Christian school in Michigan to have football. He coached at South Christian for 3 years before moving on to GR Central Christian to start their program, staying through the 1984 season. These are the 2 oldest Christian school football programs in the state, and Bill led each of them through their beginning steps.

While the goal each week was to win on the field, Coach Holwerda looked at a bigger picture. His goal, most important to him, was to positively impact young men’s lives through the sport of football. He would point to the Christ-led lives of the young (and now not so young) men whom he had the opportunity to coach–teachers, businessmen, fathers, husbands, church leaders, now all making contributions to Christ and community.

In the words of former Principal Jim Stapert, “Coach Holwerda exemplified characteristics that can simply be defined as fruits of the Spirit: patience, understanding, and wisdom. Coach Holwerda always connoted words like steady, solid, a true gentleman, and above all, Christian. Thanks, Coach Holwerda–you were special; you taught us a lot; you exemplified beautiful virtues; our lives are enriched because of you.”

“As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.  My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long….” Psalms 71: 14-15a