Grayling Plays On as Healing Continues

December 15, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The Grayling community was rocked by a two-vehicle collision in 2013 that resulted in the deaths of a coach, a golfer and another passenger in the other vehicle, as well as numerous serious injuries, while the boys golf team was driving to a tournament. 

As the community began to heal, the team played the rest of the 2013 season for classmates who could not. Last spring, more than 30 golfers came out as the team fell just one place short of making the MHSAA Finals but sent an individual, Jake Hinkle, to the Lower Peninsula Division 3 tournament at Grand Valley State University.  

In a few short months, Grayling's boys golf team will again begin the journey to play at the Finals as a team, backed by a community that continues to rally. 

The NBC Golf Channel tells this incredible story below:

Mentor of Many (Kalamazoo Gazette)

April 17, 2012

Longtime Plainwell coach and athletic director Jack Streidl died Monday at age 93 and after nearly a lifetime of serving his community's athletic programs in a variety of roles.

The Kalamazoo Gazette's Scott DeCamp recounts the contributions of the Menominee native and Western Michigan grad who won more than 200 football games and was present as the school's stadium was named after him in 2008. 

Remembering a legend: Plainwell teacher/coach Jack Streidl 'always saw the best in people'