By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
When Wyoming High School’s football team plays its last game at Davies Memorial Field this week, at the current middle school but at what was once Wyoming Park high, those in attendance will have many memories of games and players on the field.
And the Friday, Sept. 20, game pitting the Wolves against the visiting South Christian Sailors will also be filled with memories of the late Jack VerDuin, who rolled up a 243-118-6 record with the Wyoming Park Vikings before the school merged with Wyoming Rogers into Wyoming high in 2012.
The Friday game will be the first part of a two-part, two-home game special event for Wyoming high as the Wolves will honor VerDuin during their last varsity football game at Davies field before moving to the new football stadium for a Oct. 11 home game.
One person who will have special memories, especially at this week’s game, will be Ted Hollern, Wyoming High School Athletic Director, who remembers VerDuin as an opposing coach, mentor and friend.
“I can remember, as a high school student, playing against Jack VerDuin’s teams and how good they were,” Hollern said this week to WKTV. “They were well coached. What a machine they had operating.
“And then (later) … I was at Wyoming Rogers, when he was at Park … to be able to rub shoulders with him. At the time, I was a young football coach … you know, I could pick up on some of his ideas. I was the head football coach at Rogers and he was still coaching here. We shared a lot of time together.”
There will also be many memories by VerDuin’s family and many friends who will be in attendance at the game, set to start at 7 p.m. The Jack VerDuin family will be there as they will be announced as our Honorary Captains for the game.
VerDuin, who died in 2007, coached the Vikings for 38 seasons beginning in 1962. During the years, Wyoming Park won 19 conference championships and the Class B state championship in 1984, a 33-20 victory over Monroe Catholic Central. The Vikings were state runner-up in 1985, falling to Dearborn Divine Child 21-0.
VerDuin is a member of the Wyoming Hall of Fame, Grand Rapids Hall of Fame, Michigan High School Hall of Fame and the Michigan Football Hall of Fame.
Clearly Coach VerDuin and his “Mighty Vikings” built a tradition of excellence — a tradition which Hollern hopes can carry over from the “the house that Jack built” at Davies field to the new football stadium.
“I think of all the players and coaches who have played here, at what was Wyoming Park. How many championships they won. The tradition they had,” Hollern said. “I just think it will be great to remember some of their past, and some of their accomplishments, and then hope that tradition, those accomplishments, kind of springboard into the new place.”
For a story on the new football stadium, and how students and staff at Wyoming high are anticipating its opening, see a School News Network story here.
The South Christian vs. Wyoming Community Night Football Game at Wyoming Junior High will be the WKTV High School Sports Featured Game of the Week, with on-demand video replay available at WKTVLive.org.
(For a WKTV video preview of the game, visit here.)
The game will have a 7 p.m. kick-off, but, among many special events, will have a Jack VerDuin Family Night pregame with a hospitality tent opening at 5:15 p.m. in the north end zone, with all family and friends welcome.
