Pettinga, Jeff (2016)

A 1959 graduate of GRCH who coached a variety of sports at both the high school and college levels. Jeff earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Calvin College and Masters Degree from Michigan State University. Among Jeff’s favorite memories at GRCH are of “…teaching and coaching with dedicated and passionate teachers and coaches who daily demonstrated Christian faith and equally strong love for students and athletes alike. I learned so much from these people and I am forever grateful for my twelve years at GRCH and the succeeding years of coaching the football team.”

While a student at GRCH, Jeff participated in cross country, and basketball. A few years later Jeff returned to the school system in which he grew up, teaching Physical Education at East Christian in 1965 and continuing through 1977 after the schools combined. During his many years of coaching, he impacted lives while coaching tennis, wrestling, JV and varsity football, including 3 years as head coach. Jeff also served as the varsity baseball coach, with his teams capturing City League championships in 1970 and 1977 during his 11 years.

In 1977, Jeff moved on to teaching and coaching at Calvin College. He was the head coach for the wrestling program for 5 seasons. Jeff’s greatest passion in coaching was baseball, and he was the head baseball coach at Calvin for a remarkable 27 easons. His teams won the MIAA Conference Championship in ’80, ’84, ’00, and ’02, testimony to excellent coaching over a lengthy period of time. Jeff led his ’84, ’00, and ’02 teams to berths in the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

“Coach P”, as Jeff was affectionately called by his athletes, always put others at ease with his infectious laugh and booming voice. Jeff and his wife Arlene have five daughters (Jeff said that God has a strange sense of humor), Lisa Udell, Cindy Groot, Julie DeShetler, Debra Legters, and Laurie Guikema, all of whom are GRCHS graduates.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13