HEat Coaches

Ted Jones has been the Heat Varsity coach since our inaugural year in 2016.  He coached our very first team to a winning record. He has kept a winning record each season since, including our 100th win in 2022.  Under Ted’s leadership, our Varsity team has won two regional championships, three State Championships, and four division championship matches. He and the team were 2020 Division 2 National Champions. In 2021 they claimed the NHSC Division 1 National Championship. His record is 108-28-13. Ted holds a USSF D coaching License.

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While coaching, Coach Ted emphasizes fundamentals and excellence in play as well as forging team unity. Above all else, he focuses on helping his team develop Christ-like character both on and off the field. Coach Ted also serves as our coaching director.

Tim Kraal began as assistant Varsity coach for 2021 season. Coach Tim believes soccer is a tool for learning. Life lessons, teamwork, individual skills, and work ethic are growth opportunities.

 

After playing competitive soccer, Tim has many years coaching experience for local recreation soccer programs, training camps, indoor leagues, and sand soccer squads. He has been a Michigan Rangers elite team assistant for years   He brings experience with training, statistics tracking and analysis, scouting, strategy and tactics planning, and goalkeeping.

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Coach Curt joined the Heat coaching staff in 2018 as head JH and assistant JV coach.  As JV head coach, Curt claimed the State Championship. He continues to prepare the players for higher levels of play.

 

Curt has played soccer since he was 5 years old. He began coaching at the age of 23 and has coached many school-age teams for numerous organizations. He coached 8 years as an AYSO coach, 2 years for Thornapple Area Soccer Club (TASC), and was Assistant Coach for Thornapple Kellogg Boys JV.  Curt has also completed 2 Meulensteen Soccer Training Courses.

Coach Scott was honored to join the Heat coaching staff in 2019 and assist in the JV State Championship.  

 

After playing soccer at a young age, Scott rediscovered a passion for the game as an AYSO coach. He decided to be a student of the game by studying books and consuming countless videos and podcasts as well as time on the field learning the techniques for himself in order to effectively train his players. He was honored to be one of the three inaugural coaches for AYSO United where he successfully coached his teams through two divisions in three seasons. Scott holds a U.S. Soccer E License.

Russ enjoys coaching soccer and getting the most out of the players. His passion is teaching the value of solid fundamentals that translates to possession soccer, movement, and advanced ball movement.

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Russ played for the men's soccer team at Cornerstone University and also has significant coaching experience. He has coached boys recreation league, Varsity and JV high school coaching of both men and women at Rockford and Cedar Springs High Schools.

 

Russ and his wife Amy have 5 children and live out in the country (Dorr). They are involved with their church,  homeschooling, and making music.

Graeme has played soccer for ten years and enjoys the growth that comes from being part of a team. Learning how to move and operate as one is crucial. He focuses on seeing soccer from a perspective that is not limited to ground level, instead observing all aspects on and off the field from a bird's-eye view. 

 

Graeme has played soccer since his junior high days at Cityside Middle School, continuing on into high school at Zeeland East. He also played travel soccer for Kalamazoo Crew for three years.

 

Graeme lives in Zeeland, Michigan and attends Grand Valley State University, studying Secondary Education with a focus in Group Social Studies. In his free time he enjoys playing guitar, seeing his friends, and spending time with his family, aside from getting touches on the ball.

Erik started playing soccer when he was six-years-old in the Netherlands where he was born and raised and played until his college years. While playing soccer, he enjoyed the technique, the teamwork and the sportsmanship aspects of the game.  

In this first year as an assistant coach with the Heat, Erik is excited to be part of the coaching team for the Junior High School teams and contribute to developing the players.  

Erik and his wife live in Jenison where they homeschool their children. He is the father of one girl and seven boys, of which three play for the Heat. In spare time, he enjoys playing soccer with his kids, reading, and being outdoors with his family.