August 17, 2004
JEFF PETTINGA RESIGNS AS BASEBALL COACH/JIM TIMMER JR. NAMED HEAD COACH
After a 27-year run, Jeff Pettinga has resigned as head baseball coach at
Calvin College. The 62-year old Pettinga will remain as an assistant professor
in Calvin's Health, Physical Education, Recreation Dance and Sport
Department. Pettinga will be replaced as Calvin's baseball coach by one of
his former players, Dr. Jim Timmer Jr.
"The decision to resign was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever
made because I love the game of baseball so much," said Pettinga. "But I
also have a strong desire to spend more time with my wife Arlene and the rest
of my family. Several of my (14) grandchildren live in West Michigan and I'm
looking forward to being around them more."
Pettinga is also encouraged that one of his former players will be stepping
into his former coaching position. "I'm leaving the Calvin baseball
program in good hands and that makes this decision a little easier," said
Pettinga. "I think very highly of Jim Timmer Jr. and I have no doubt that he
will do a tremendous job as the next Calvin baseball coach."
Over 27 years as Calvin's baseball coach, Pettinga compiled an overall
won-loss record of 346-476 and a record against MIAA opponents of 204-184.
During his tenure, Calvin captured four MIAA titles and advanced to the NCAA
III Tournament three times, most recently in 2000 and 2002. Under his
leadership, Calvin hit the 20-win plateau for the first time in school history
and proceeded to gain 20 wins or more four times including three times over the
last five years.
"The MIAA championship teams were certainly highlights," said Pettinga.
"In particular, the 2002 team stood out because it was a team that had
great heart and chemistry."
Over the years, Pettinga also developed non-conference rivalries with Division
II GLIAC opponents such as Grand Valley State, Saginaw Valley State and
Northwood while also facing strong NAIA opponents such as Aquinas and Spring
Arbor on a regular basis. In 2002, Calvin took the opportunity to travel down
to Division III powerhouse Marrietta College where the Knights took on the
Pioneers in a non-conference doubleheader. "I never ducked anyone when it
came time to putting together a non-conference schedule," said Pettinga.
"I was always a firm believer in playing against the best competition
available and I know our guys looked forward to that challenge year after
year."
A 1991 Calvin graduate, the 36-year old Timmer recently completed his first
year as an associate professor in the Calvin Health Physical Education
Recreation Dance and Sport Department where he also serves as men's golf
coach. Timmer Jr. spent the previous nine years at Baldwin Wallace College in
Berea, Ohio.
At Baldwin-Wallace, Timmer served as an assistant professor in the Division of
Health and Physical Education. He also served nine years as assistant men's
basketball coach, eight years as assistant baseball coach and one year as the
head men's golf coach. Among his duties as assistant baseball coach were
working with the varsity infielders and serving as head coach of the junior
varsity team.
As an assistant baseball coach at Baldwin-Wallace, Timmer worked underneath
veteran head coach Bob Fisher. "Jim Timmer is ready to be a head baseball
coach," said Fisher. "He showed us during his time here that he had all of
the qualities you would want in a head coach. Our players liked him very much
and I am sure that the players at Calvin will like him as well."
After receiving his bachelor's degree from Calvin in 1991, Timmer earned a
Master's degree of Science (1993) and a Ph.D. in sports administration (1995)
at the University of New Mexico.
Timmer is also a 1986 graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School. As a
prep athlete, he was a three-sport standout in football, basketball and
baseball where he received All-City accolades in all three sports over the
course of his high school career.
Timmer and his wife Kathy (Hulst) are parents of three children, Anna,
Christian and Gabrielle. His wife is a Holland Christian High School (1986)
and Calvin College (1990) graduate and a former member of the Calvin women's
basketball team.
The relationship between Pettinga and Timmer Jr. spans many years as Pettinga
was a former classmate and teammate of Dr. Jim Timmer Sr. at both Grand Rapids
Christian High School and Calvin College. Both individuals graduated from
Calvin in 1963 and later served as faculty colleagues at Calvin.
After teaching and coaching at Grand Rapids Christian High School, Pettinga
joined the Calvin Physical Education Department in 1976 and took over as
baseball coach in 1977. During that time, Timmer Sr. would often take his son
Jim to Calvin baseball games. In 1984 and 1985, Pettinga was the head football
coach at Grand Rapids Christian and Timmer Jr. was his quarterback. In 1987,
Timmer became Pettinga's starting shortstop as a freshman at Calvin when
Pettinga's returning all-conference shortstop - Jim Schipper - was forced to
move to first base because of a sore arm.
While a student at Calvin from 1987-1991, Timmer was a four-year member of the
baseball and basketball teams. In baseball, he was a first team All-MIAA
selection in 1987 at shortstop and was a second team All-MIAA selection at the
position the next three years. When not playing shortstop, he was a part of
Calvin's pitching staff. A point guard in basketball, Timmer was a member of
three Calvin teams that reached the NCAA III Tournament including Calvin's
first team to reach the NCAA III Final Four (1990).
As a fifth-year senior at Calvin in 1991, Timmer served as a student assistant
coach on the Calvin men's basketball team and then received Calvin's
Bere' Memorial Award, given to Calvin's top senior male
student-athlete.
"I have had a long relationship with Coach Pettinga," said Timmer. "I
have the utmost respect for him and I am honored and humbled to have the
opportunity to continue the fine tradition he has established."
Timmer's Calvin baseball roots run deep as his father was an All-MIAA
infielder for Calvin in 1962 while his younger brother Dr. Jeff Timmer was a
three-time All-MIAA selection from 1993-to-1995 and is currently a physical
education instructor at Keene State University in New Hampshire.
Timmer Jr. takes over a Calvin team that finished 15-25 overall a year ago but
is just two seasons removed from its 2002 MIAA Championship season when the
Knights finished 28-11 overall and 16-2 in the MIAA to finish one game ahead of
rival Hope in one of the most heated baseball races in league history.
Several veterans are slated to return this spring including 2002 MIAA MVP Jim
Deters - a two-time first team All-MIAA pitcher and shortstop Josh Vriesman, a
first team All-MIAA selection in 2002 and a second team All-MIAA choice in
2004. "Coach Pettinga has put together a solid foundation. The cupboard is
certainly not bare," said Timmer. "When you have a returning
all-conference shortstop and pitcher, you've got a good place to start."
Calvin men's athletics director Kevin Vande Streek offered words of praise
for Timmer. "We are very pleased to fill the baseball coaching position from
within our own ranks with an individual who has a wealth of baseball
experience," said Vande Streek. "As a teacher and coach with a strong
Christian perspective, he fits exactly what we are looking for at Calvin
College."
Vande Streek also had words of praise for Pettinga. "We are very
appreciative for the many years of service Jeff Pettinga has given to the
Calvin baseball program," said Vande Streek. "He has served as a fine
Christian mentor to hundreds of young men during his tenure and his leadership
will be missed. "
One of the individuals that Pettinga mentored was Mark Uyl who is currently an
assistant director at the Michigan High School Athletic Association and a
former athletics director at both Caledonia High School and Middleville High
School. "I've known Jeff Pettinga since I was 10 years old, attending his
summer baseball camps," said Uyl who was a four-year starter at first base
for Calvin from 1993-to-1996 and a captain on Pettinga's 1996 team that
finished 22-12 overall. "He was just a super guy to play for. He was always
straightforward and offered you his honest assessment. He had a huge impact on
me and was a big part of what my Calvin experience was all about both as a
student and as an athlete. I could not have played for a better person than
him."
MORE QUOTES FROM JIM TIMMER JR.
ON CALVIN'S BASEBALL FACILITIES: "I think Calvin has one of the finest
small college baseball facilities in the Midwest and Coach Pettinga deserves a
lot of credit for that. He has put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into
grooming our field into the best facility it can be. I feel very fortunate to
be able to work with baseball facilities like we have at Calvin."
ON COACHING IN THE OHIO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE AT BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE:
"Coaching in the OAC was a great experience. The level of baseball in our
conference was highly competitive. You've got a school like Marietta that
has won national championships and had several players go on to professional
baseball. Heidelberg and Otterbein have also been very successful at a
regional level recently as have several other teams in the conference."
ON SMALL COLLEGE BASEBALL IN WEST MICHIGAN: "Collegiate baseball in West
Michigan is outstanding. Grand Valley was in the Division II national
championship game last year, Grand Rapids Community College just won its second
national championship, Aquinas has a storied tradition and Hope has been
extremely successful in our league and at the Division III level. That
presents a challenge when you're recruiting locally because there are so many
great options for a student-athlete to choose from but it is also a challenge I
am looking forward to."
ON HIS RECRUITING PHILOSOPHY: "Calvin has a national reputation which helps
us bring in players from many different areas of the country. We will continue
to recruit players from around the country but our primary philosophy will be
to focus on recruiting players from West Michigan. I feel that West Michigan
has an outstanding talent base of players and we certainly intend to recruit
players locally first and foremost. I believe there is a strong interest
locally in the things that Calvin College stands for."
ON THE STRENGTHS OF CALVIN COLLEGE FROM A BASEBALL PERSPECTIVE: "Calvin has
a wonderful Christian atmosphere and offers an outstanding education. We also
offer a solid baseball experience. When you put all three things together,
that's a difficult combination to beat."
MORE QUOTES FROM BALDWIN-WALLACE BASEBALL COACH BOB FISHER
ON TIMMER'S BASEBALL KNOWLEDGE: "Jim has an excellent grasp of the game.
He is an outstanding instructor and has a very appealing way of teaching the
fundamentals."
ON TIMMER'S BIGGEST STRENGTH: "The thing that impressed me the most was
his one-on-one coaching skills. He is a very good communicator and is
excellent at building relationships. "
Jeff Pettinga at Calvin College
Year Overall MIAA
1978 6-12 4-8
1979 5-15 4-8
1980 11-18 8-4 (co-champions)
1981 6-20 6-6
1982 11-18 4-8
1983 5-25 3-9
1984 17-15** 11-1 (champions)
1985 19-16 8-4
1986 18-15 8-4
1987 14-16 7-5
1988 9-25 7-5
1989 12-20 8-4
1990 14-18 6-6
1991 14-20 9-3
1992 8-18 5-11
1993 14-18 7-9
1994 17-18 9-8
1995 17-18 9-9
1996 22-12 11-7
1997 14-20 9-9
1999 11-24 9-12
2000 21-16** 14-4 (champions)
2001 21-16 12-6
2002 28-11** 16-2 (champions)
2003 8-27 4-14
2004 15-25 6-12
Totals 346-476 204-184
(.421 overall); (.526
MIAA)
*Pettinga was on sabbatical leave during 1998 season
**denotes NCAA III Tournament appearance
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Mon Aug 16 23:20:25 2004
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