Jeff Chaney
Sports Scene
LOWELL, MI – Noel Dean never takes sole credit for his great accomplishments. He preaches to his Lowell football teams that it’s all about team.
On Friday, Oct. 25, Dean celebrated his 200th career coaching win, when his Red Arrows beat Jenison 49-7. It’s a great accomplishment, considering Dean has accumulated 200 wins and is only 45 years old.
His record in coaching stints at Bendle and Lowell is 200-58.
He acknowledges that getting those 200 wins took a lot of help. “You have to have a lot of good people to have a successful program,” Dean said after his team’s win against Jenison. “Then you have to let them do what they do.”
Dean has done that with a long list of great players like Mark Catlin, Keith Nichol, Gabe Dean, Mike Koster, and Kyler Shurlow.
And he has also done that with his coaching staff, which this year includes Phil Christensen, Mike Curtis, Matt Dood, Jerry Goosen, Jacob Henige, Keith Houston, Bill Ingraham, Jason Katt, Tom Kaywood, Brian Krajewski, Rob McCormick, Juston Miller, and Mark Russell.
“I am fortunate to have had great players, two great communities, and great support staffs,” Dean said. “It’s not just me.”
This year’s team is cut out of the same mold as all of Dean’s teams – disciplined, tough, and athletic.
The Red Arrows accrued several signature wins on their way to 9-0, including victories over Muskegon, East Grand Rapids, and Grand Rapids Christian, the last two coming in overtime.
This week the playoffs start, and Dean and Lowell are used to making deep playoff runs. The Red Arrows have qualified for 15 straight playoff appearances, and in that time, they have two runner-up finishes and three state titles.
“Now we have to live up to stuff, maybe unrealistic stuff,” Dean said. “But that’s good, because you want your program to have a high bar. Now we transition into a new season, and that is always exciting around here.”
And now he is on his way to win 300, and possibly beyond.
How long will Dean keep coaching, and will Lowell keep winning?
“I just heard that [Farmington Harrison coach] John Herrington won his 400th, and I think he is 72 years old,” Dean said. “He’s a great friend of mine, and I don’t know if I will have that kind of longevity. I never imagined what I’ve accomplished so far. This [winning 200] has far exceeded my expectations.”