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playing football at grand rapids christian high (go eagles!)

Playing football was an important part of life for me from rocket league (which is

what they called the kids football program in grand rapids at the time) all the way thru high school. I might have

played in college as well but calvin didn't have it (& still doesn't..doesn't

look like they ever will). Here's a few rare photos of me , #31, in action...must have been taken by my dad during the 1983-

Go Eagles !

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84 season, my junior year. I managed to make all-city honorable mention my…

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senior year.... This was during the city-league era (now GRCH is in a different

league) when it was composed of Ottawa, Catholic Central, Union, Creston, & West Catholic (was there another team

or two ?) …

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…. Bill "Moose" Holwerda was our coach at the time (RIP) and the assistants

included Pettinga, Vanderkamp, Frieswyk, and a few others. Our biggest

player was Steve Korhorn...he played both ways , noseguard & center, and I

think he made all-state his senior year. Also there was Steve Griffeon at …

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tailback, Scott Brill at lineback, Eric Spearman (fullback), Paul Laninga (def

end) (RIP), Rick Byle (defense, RIP), and many others...lots of great teammates

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and friends…

Final score, we BEAT West Catholic, 12-7 ! a big upset ! one of

the bright spots of the season

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Our quarterback, Jim Timmer, throws a pass!Our quarterback, Jim Timmer, throws a pass!Our quarterback, Jim Timmer, throws a pass!Our quarterback, Jim Timmer, throws a pass!

(pic courtesy of our senior yearbook)(pic courtesy of our senior yearbook)(pic courtesy of our senior yearbook)(pic courtesy of our senior yearbook)

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KEEP the FAITH !

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I kept this clip from the Ottawa game because it was

“historic” personally for me, having grown up playing

rocket football with Mike Waalkes who was now the

quarterback for Ottawa. So we were friends but now

rivals & wanted to beat eachother. They mention a few

of my tackles but I wished they mentioned that I also

intercepted my old pal ! Nonetheless, they DID win,

but at least only barely …we gave them a good scare !

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“I NO LONGER

LIVE, BUT

CHRIST LIVES

IN ME…” Galatians 2.20

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CANNONSBURG ? ..

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We are the LIGHT of the

WORLD, let our LIGHT

SHINE…!

Matthew 5.14-16

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“God's voice thunders in

marvelous ways;

He does great things beyond our understanding.”

Job 37:5

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I kept this clip from the Ottawa game because it was

“historic” personally for me, having grown up playing

rocket football with Mike Waalkes who was now the

quarterback for Ottawa. So we were friends but now

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rivals & wanted to beat eachother. They mention a few

of my tackles but I wished they mentioned that I also

intercepted my old pal ! Nonetheless, they DID win,

but at least only barely …we gave them a good scare !

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these are the ONLY photos I have of ME playing football at Grand Rapids

Christian High, 1983-84 and/or 1984-85 . These may be from '83-84 , in fact,

because they must have been taken by my dad...and that would have been

before we moved to California before my senior year of '84-85. …

I actually returned from a summer in California to finish my senior year in

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Michigan with the friends & classmates & teachers & coaches I loved &

cherished so much. So, as you can see, I am #31, and played strong safety... ..

I played football in Grand Rapids from

“I give you a “I give you a “I give you a “I give you a

new new new new

commandmentcommandmentcommandmentcommandment

…to LOVE ONE …to LOVE ONE …to LOVE ONE …to LOVE ONE

ANOTHER…”ANOTHER…”ANOTHER…”ANOTHER…” John 13.34John 13.34John 13.34John 13.34----35353535

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rockets thru metro to jv & varsity, and made All-City Honorable Mention. I was

a decent player but poor vision (and lack of contact lenses or glasses at the time) hampered my ability. Our team was also decent, not great, but not lousy either...

We won more than we lost, and knocked off a few favorites a couple of

times, much better than the senior team a few years prior that went without any

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victories. Our coach was Bill "Moose" Holwerda (RIP) who was also the owner

of a sporting goods store (Holwerda Snoap),…

and assistant coaches Pettinga, Vanderkamp,Frieswyk, et al. Our starting QB was Jim Timmer (his dad was a PE prof at Calvin, maybe that helped him get the nod). Our starting tailback was

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Steve Griffeon (star athlete, 3 sports) who lived a few blocks from our house

in Alger Heights…

Our fullback for a while was Eric

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Spearman...tough kid, I think he got injured halfway thru the season. Steve Korhorn was our biggest player , and

played both ways...noseguard & center...our only teammate to make all-state, but he never played beyond high

school...

And lots of other good

teammates...Scott Brill, Dave Engelhard, Shane Holwerda, Rick Byle (RIP), Paul

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Laninga (RIP),Doug Kosters (RIP), Kurt Jelsema (RIP) and the list goes on (and

too many rip's :( . Here's to '85 !

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Our team photo, but I returned too late to be included in the picture .

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this was from my junior year

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Go Eagles !

“Let us NOT grow

WEARY in DOING

what is RIGHT…” Galatians6.9

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Our kicker, Mike Terhorst !

Actually, basketball cheerleaders not

football, but we still love them !

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“IF ONLY I

MAY

FINISH the

RACE & the

MINISTRY !