GRANDVILLE, Mich. — The high school football season begins on Thursday in Michigan.
There's also a new chapter being written at Calvin Christian High School.
The Squires have hired Steve VanDam to be the newest head coach. VanDam was originally hired to be the defensive coordinator, once Bob Nichols was hired as the head coach of the Squires back in December.
A few months later, VanDam was promoted to head coach.
If anyone knows what it is like to be a Calvin Christian Squire, it's VanDam. He graduated from the school back in 1999.
"I walked the halls at Calvin," VanDam said. "To be back at my hometown school is very exciting for everybody. It's been great. The kids are great. The community is great. I couldn't ask for a better school and a better community to be a part of."
Calvin Christian definitely wants to win. The Squires went just 1-8 in 2022. The last time Calvin Christian won more than one game in a season was in 2016 when the Squires went 6-4. They hope that changes under VanDam.
"He's bringing the energy and the guys respect him," Calvin Christian senior quarterback Paul Boma said. "One thing that we were missing last year was respect. We just want to work hard for him. Work hard for the team."
The Squires think VanDam is the guy to right the ship.
"He's completely changing the culture," Calvin Christian senior lineman Josiah Campbell said. "Last year was a down season. We didn't feel into it. Coach VanDam has brought the energy back. We're still working on it, definitely, but it feels a lot better."
The Squires open up the 2022 season on Friday against St. Louis.
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