Tag Archives: Wyoming High School Wolf Pack

Wyoming football team learning, growing under new coach’s guidance 

City of Wyoming, Education, Sports, , ,
The Wyoming High Wolves on the field, in the team’s opening-season game and a WKTV featured game. The team will again be featured with WKTV coverage this week. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Wyoming High School head football coach Irvin Sigler III would likely call it an “opportunity” not a “challenge”, but he had to know his team was going to have some growing pains this season after he took over the program midway though the summer.

 

With new coaches and a new system, the Wolves experienced some competitive, and not-so-competitive, games as it opened the season 0-5 including tough losses to OK Gold Conference powers Grand Rapids Christian and East Grand Rapids.

 

But with Sigler’s first win leading the Wolves last week, a 33-21 home win against conference foe Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, the coach thinks his team is close to flourishing in the new system.

 

Wyoming head coach Irvin Sigler (WKTV)

“There’s always that question in the back of your mind, and this game definitively answered it for us,” Sigler said, in an interview with WKTV. “We understand now what it takes to win a game and how to accomplish that.  (It was a) major milestone as far as I am concerned.  Something we really had to work at.

 

“The most important thing we did (against Middleville T-K) was battle through adversity. We had a lot of tough situations, some self-imposed with turnovers, and yet found a way to stay together and figure out how to win.”

 

Wyoming has experienced its share of “tough situations” so far this season.

 

After staying close until late in its season opening game, a 28-6 loss to Holland, and the Wolves (1-5, 1-3 in the OK Gold Conference) played three of their next four games on the road with a 20-16 home loss to Wayland being their most competitive contest.

 

After another road game this week, against another conference power — South Christian (5-1 2-1 in OK Gold) — Wyoming will close the season with two more home games, a non-conference tilt against Greenville (3-3, 1-3 in OK White) and a conference game against Forest Hills Eastern (3-3, 2-1).

 

And Sigler expects his team will continue to grow within the new system and strive to be competitive week-in and week-out, for several reasons.

 

The first reason is that his team is learning from their sometimes-hard lessons, both on and off the field.

 

“I tell our kids that a football game is a microcosm of life,” Sigler said. “There will be great things that happen and really tough things. We’ve got be resilient in the face of both. We’ve got to handle both situations with equal grace.  Learn how to do that, and you learn how to navigate in life.”

 

Another reason for optimism is that he has players getting back from injury and players who have set an example for the rest of the team, win or lose.

 

He said that senior Donnie Buentello and junior J’Darious (JD) Jones, both running backs, have gotten healthy and “are starting to play really well. Donnie is a very quick and shifty runner, JD is a more of a one-cut and slash type player.  The compliment each other very well.”

 

He also said the offensive line has solidified as senior Elijah Harden has moved into the right tackle position and “started playing really well”, as has senior tight end Grant Nabors.

 

On the defensive side, Sigler praised junior Rush Bash, the team’s leading tackler, as a “big hitter” who is getting comfortable in the new defensive scheme. He also pointed out senior defensive ends Sean Dewent and Travis Wright — “As these two go, our team goes, (and) both had great games against TK. Both … do a great job as leaders on our team.”

 

Sigler made special point of pointing out senior offensive and defensive lineman Jackson McClure: “Playing both ways on the offensive and defensive line, he’s had a great season and his strength and durability have allowed him to be a two-way player in the toughest of positions.”

 

The final reason Sigler sees optimism for his team to finish this season and in the future is the work being done at the junior varsity level.

 

“Our JV team has had a really difficult year,” Sigler said. “They’ve not had the numbers for a game every week — yet they have really toiled to get better and have given a great deal to our program. It’s hard to practice on weeks when you know that you won’t have a game. Yet these guys have really done special work and we feel they are going to have a great contribution to our future.”

 

That future starts with the teams remaining three games of this season.

 

The Wyoming against South Christian game, to be played at Byron Center Friday, Oct. 6, is the WKTV featured football game of the week and will be broadcast the night of the game on Comcast Channel 25, usually at 11 p.m., and repeated on Saturday at 11 a.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

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

 

Wyoming High names Hope College’s Sigler as new football coach

City of Wyoming, Education, Sports, ,
New Wyoming High School football coach Irvin Sigler, at his introductory press conference Tuesday, June 20. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Wyoming High School’s new head football coach will be Irvin Sigler III, a Michigan Man who comes to the school after most recently serving as the offensive coordinator at Division III Hope College, Wyoming Public Schools announced today at a mid-day press conference.

 

Sigler was a graduate assistant at University of Michigan in the early 1990s while earning his master’s degree.

 

Sigler will succeed as Sam Becker, who left Wyoming after two years to take the head coaching position at Kenowa Hills High School. Becker took over a Wolves program that had a combined 1-17 record in the two years prior and led them to records of 3-6 in 2015 and 5-4 in 2016.

 

From left to right, Nate Robrahn, Wyoming high principal; Ted Hollern, Wyoming Public Schools athletic director; Irvin Sigler, new Wolves head football coach; and Dr. Thomas Reeder, WPS superintendent. (Supplied.)

“Coach Sigler provides us the opportunity to build upon work already started rather than to start over,” Wyoming Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas Reeder said in supplied material. “He will take the program to an even higher level.”

 

Sigler will be the high school’s dean of students as well as leading the Wolves football program.

 

“As I told the kids this morning,” Sigler said at the press conference. “There are three things I strive to do, when I work with young people: Number 1 to be a great roll model, two to be a great teacher, and three to be the kind of coach that gets the best out of every player. That’s my goal, here, and I intend to do it for a long time. I intend to make a home here at Wyoming.”

 

Sigler has coached at both the high school and collegiate levels.

 

Prior to Hope College, he was an assistant head football coach and assistant track coach at Grand Rapids Christian schools, from 2013-15.  He served as head football coach at Jenison High School from 2008-12. His prior coaching experiences include Kell High School in Marietta, Ga., Grandville High School from 1998-2004, and Cadillac High School from 1993-97.

 

In addition to his head coaching duties, Sigler has experience teaching both physical education and Social Studies.

 

“Outside of getting an excellent football coach, one of the things that is most exciting is the additional things that Coach Sigler brings to the table,” Wyoming Public Schools Athletic Director Ted Hollern said in supplied material.

 

“It is a tremendous opportunity for our community and all our kids,” Hollern said at the press conference. “Some of the initiatives that he has done in the past that he will bring to Wyoming, will be absolutely terrific, especially in regards to his leadership programs … academic programs he plans on bringing, that he has brought to other schools, that he plans on bringing to Wyoming high school. … And one of his biggest goals is for the opportunity to teach young people to become great citizens.”

 

Sigler’s coaching accomplishments, in addition to his time at U-M, 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.

 

Sigler’s wife Erin is a sixth-grade teacher at Bauerwood Elementary in Jenison. They have four children: Tyler, Caden, Sydney and Riley.

 

Leading the Wolf Pack

Area Education, Local Faces, Our Cities, , ,
Students say the student section has created excitement and unity.
Students say the student section has created excitement and unity.

Energy from Student Section Spreads through High School

by Erin Albanese, School News Network

 

Wyoming High School seniors Darren Dannah and Mitch Hendrickson know how to work a crowd.

During every Wyoming Wolves girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball home games they lead a lively group of their “peer a cheer” section where they dance, chant, and board the now famous “Roller Coaster” ride.

“Buckle up!” they shout as the Wolf Pack of about 100 students pretends to secure shoulder harnesses, making a loud “whoosh” sound. They then move in sync, arms up, as if they are on a wild roller coaster ride filled with dramatic twists and turns.

The students cheer on the home team.
The students cheer on the home team.
Seniors Darren Dannah (in front) and Mitch Hendrickson (in hat) started the Wolf Pack student section.
Seniors Darren Dannah (in front) and Mitch Hendrickson (in hat) started the Wolf Pack student section.

Darren, a football player, and Mitch, a bowler, have begun what they hope continues as a tradition at Wyoming High School. Students join forces to cheer, revving up the teams and crowd, and bringing a heightened sense of unity into the school day.

“We’re getting our players hyped, getting energized and it shows on the court,” Darren said.

“Everybody can show up; nobody’s left out,” Mitch said.

The effort is totally student-led, with word on the night’s theme for each game traveling through the student body. The Wolf Pack has become a sea of pink, purple, white and neon. They’ve been pajama-clad teenagers and Hawaiian tourists in colorful shirts and leis.

The students received recognition from Mlive as one of the Top 10 best student sections in the state.

Darren and Mitch spoke excitedly, often in unison, to describe the fun. They said the Wolf Pack has created a bond among students, giving them something positive to do together. It is their way to give back.

Students gather before a girl’s varsity basketball game.
Students gather before a girl’s varsity basketball game.

“It’s a legacy. That’s exactly what it is,” Darren said.

During the recent girls’ district game against West Ottawa, the high school students cheered the team on, with elementary and middle school students joining them in chants and dances. Wolf Pack pride has spread throughout the district.

“It’s well-known throughout the entire school that not only are these kids talented, they are nice,” said Wyoming Athletic Director Ted Hollern.

The Class of 2015 has shown great leadership, he said, showing spirit without being negative about the opposing team.

“It’s striking how many compliments we get from alumni and parents,” Hollern said. “We are all very proud. This is one thing they can do to have fun and look forward to, and give back to the school and the people that care about them.”