Tag Archives: Wyoming high football

Search for next Wyoming high football coach begins as ‘Coach’ Sigler Jr. steps away

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Going Local, Local Faces, Sports, WKTV Journal Sports Connection, ,

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Wyoming Public Schools Athletic Director Ted Hollern could not give a specific timeframe for replacing Wolves head varsity football coach Irv Sigler Jr. — who resigned his coaching position last week after four seasons — but there is a sense of urgency.

The Wolves need a head coach “as soon as possible,” Hollern said this week to WKTV. “We need him now.”

Sigler, who will continue as Dean of Students at Wyoming High School, spent four seasons coaching the Wolves as part of a 30-year coaching career including work at Cadillac (1993-1997), Grandville (1998-2004), Kell High School in Marietta, Ga., (2005-2007) and Jenison (2008-2012). Prior to coming to Wyoming, he served as the offensive coordinator at Hope College.

“I just decided this is a good time after 30 years of coaching,” Sigler said this week to WKTV. “There are some other things I’d like to do. I’m not completely done coaching but this is more of a pause. I love working at (Wyoming high) and look forward to it every day.”

And his work at Wyoming high is certainly appreciated by the Wolves community.

Wyoming High School AD Ted Hollern. (WKTV)

“Just want to say how grateful Wyoming Public Schools is for everything (Sigler) has done for our kids … and I know people out in the community do also,” Hollern said. “He has done a tremendous job, there is no question about it.”

As far as the process of hiring a new head football coach, Hollern said “right now, we are reaching out to our stakeholders, to get as much input as we possibly can. The kids, the parents, the coaches … to find out what they want in the leadership of our football program.”

Then they will post the job and start the interview and hiring process.

As Sigler steps away for the sidelines, for however long, he does so with appreciation for his four seasons leading the Wolves.

“I want to thank everyone in the Wyoming community, school district, teachers administration and especially the young men who’ve played in our program,” Sigler said in a reported statement last week. “Our coaching staff has served with honor and dignity — our assistant coaches are the finest people.

“It has been my honor to be a Wolf. I spent a lot of time in thought and prayer, and this is a good time to turn the page.”

Wyoming was 1-4 this 2020-21 season, and lost two weeks of games in the middle of the season due to pandemic issues. Earlier in 2020, Sigler was honored as the West Michigan Officials Association Coach of the Year in 2019.

“I feel very honored, but it is truly a reflection of our program, players and assistant coaches,” Sigler said to WKTV about the Coach of the Year honor. “It is more significant than any award I’ve received in coaching. … It means so much to me, because officials have the chance to see coaches at our best and our worst. To know that I’ve earned the respect of this group of men tells me that we are doing things right as a team and program.”

Sigler’s other coaching accomplishments include MHSAA Regional Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2003 while at Grandville, the MHSFCA Community Service Award in 2009. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Adrian College in 1990 and his Master of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan in 1992.

In 3rd year of new program, Wyoming Wolves show improved offense, senior leadership

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Sports, WKTV Featured sports,
Wyoming quarterback Matthew Berg (11) reacts to a Wolves touchdown in a game at Northview Sept. 6. (Curtis Holt)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

In the third year of Wyoming High School football coach Irvin Sigler’s reboot of the Wolves program, the coach and his team are probably disappointed with their win/loss record in the tough OK Conference Gold.

But the Wolves’s offensive mindset is showing impressive improvement, the team opened their new field in equally impressive fashion, and Sigler’s 2019-20 senior class continues to show the leadership he wants.

Sigler talked to WKTV this week about his Wolves, currently 3-5 (1-4 in conference) with a Friday, Oct. 25, game at East Grand Rapids remaining on the season. And he started with his team’s ability to stay focused and positive after a 1-4 start to the season.

“Our coaching staff and players believe in each other,” Sigler said. “Trust is a critical part of building a team. We have a great time on the practice field and a relentless belief in what we are doing. It’s truly a team effort. Most importantly our players know that they are loved by our coaches.”

That belief in the system led to two impressive wins in weeks 6 and 7 — a 57-51 overtime win at Holland West Ottawa on Nov. 4 and a 47-0 win over Wayland on Nov. 11 as the Wolves opened their newly refurbished field at the high school.

But the team’s scoring outbursts in those two wins were only two signs of the increased offensive prowess of the Wolves. Even in losses, the offense has been scoring points.

As evidence, Wyoming scored 158 points in nine games in 2017-18, Sigler’s first season as head coach, and 132 in 2018-19 — but the Wolves have totaled 279 points in eight games so far this season.

The Wyoming offensive line, from the Wolves game at Northview Sept. 6. (Curtis Holt)

“We’ve got some very skilled guys on our offense,” coach said. “The four Parks have really been a key. We moved DeMari and Marion to running back after some injuries and they blossomed. Monte is an excellent receiver and Deion helps lead our offensive line.

“Mahki Matthews, Payton Lee and Matt Berg have also played very well. The key to everything is our offensive line. Getting Austin Bruce back from an ankle sprain was a big boost.”

De’marion, Diamonte and Dion Parks are seniors, as are Lee and Bruce. DeMari Parks is a junior, as are Matthews and Berg.

Sigler also pointed out several other seniors who have been leaders for the Wolves.

“Logan Cox, Dale Cross and Keeingg Briggs are three guys that come to mind — all have played exceptionally well,” he said. “ Our kicker, Adel Odobasek, has become a great leader in our special teams and has improved greatly.”

But plenty of other underclassmen have played and played well.

Maybe the biggest returner next season, however, will be a return to the Wolves’s new home field — the arrival of which this season was a boost to the team, Sigler said.

“The change in our mindset, with the opportunity to be in the new field, came at a great time,” he said. “While many teams are going through the grind of doing the same thing daily, we had an amazing new facility to jump start our season.”

And he expects that home field advantage, as well as overall program improvement, to carry on in the future.

“We must play our best at home and that is the mindset we are working to build,” Sigler said.

After impressive opener, Wyoming high Coach Sigler likes progress of team, program culture

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Local Faces, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports,
Wyoming High School football practice. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

As his team “went to work” at practice this week in preparation for a high school football Week 2 game at Northview High School, Wyoming high head football coach Irv Sigler Jr. sounded like an X’s and O’s football coach as he talked to WKTV.

He praised his offensive line play in the team’s dominating 59-25 win over Holland opening week. He praised his opponent this week and said his team would need to be better to beat the Wildcats on their home field — a game which WKTV’s Featured Game sports coverage crew will be covering. UPDATE: Due to technical issues, WKTV was unable to video record the game.

But Coach Sigler also went a bit beyond the X’s and O’s by talking about the “culture” of his program, which has a modest 5-13 record in his first two years but may be about to turn the competitive corner.

Coach Sigler. (WKTV)

“We’ve grown a great deal in our ability to practice with purpose, with having a sense of urgency about getting better every day when we come out … the little things are the difference between being good and great,” Coach Sigler said in a WKTV interview. (See the entire interview on YouTube here.) “I describe our kids as lunchbox kids. They come here every day. They got a lunch box and they go to work.”

In their opening night games, Northview defeated Comstock Park 28-7 while Wyoming defeated Holland 59-25 in a game which was began on Thursday night but finished on Friday night due to storms moving through the area.

Wyoming High School football practice. (WKTV)

For the Wolves, junior running back (and linebacker) Cameron (Cam) Simon rushed for just shy of 200 yards and scored four touchdowns, while junior quarterback Matthew Berg passed for three TDs.

Northview, out of OK White, had 10 new starters on defense against Comstock Park but still held the Panthers to a single touchdown. Running back Jakaurie Kirkland had 220 yards on 23 carries. Senior quarterback Dan Frey went 7-of-11 for 72 yards, with two touchdown passes to sophomore Kyler VanderJact.

Northview, last season, was 7-3 including an opening round playoff loss to Grand Rapids Christian, which ended a six-game winning streak. They were 5-1 in OK White and finished second to Cedar Springs, their only conference loss.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.

 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.