GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) — Grand Rapids Public Schools has named Curtis Andrews to the position of Head Football Coach for the Union High School Redhawks Football team.
Coach Andrews brings a wealth of athletic experience from the high school and collegiate levels. He served on coaching teams for Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids Christian High School, Hope College, and Forest Hills Northern High School. He also served as the Assistant Athletic Director for GRCC.
At GRPS, Coach Andrews is best known as Dean Andrews as he serves on the leadership team for Riverside Middle School.
His role as head coach will allow him to bring his passion for education and athletics together.
“I'm super excited. I mean, really super excited just to make that impact on the young people,” Coach Andrews said. “Everybody's got a different level of potential. But it's going to be up to us as our coaching staff to make sure we maximize that.”
When asked what made Coach Andrews standout during the selection process, Union High School Athletic Director Justin Walker answered quickly with the first word that came to mind.
“Character,” he said. “His character and his commitment to developing young men.”
"They need someone who will care about them 365 days a year looking at them as a whole scholar-athlete, not just during football season,” Walker continued.
Winning football games is surely among Coach Andrews’ goals, but it isn’t his top priority.
“We're training our young men to eventually be leaders in the community,” he said. “We're not just coaching football. We're talking about life lessons.”
“We look forward to seeing Coach Andrews engage with our scholar-athletes at Union and take the team to the next level,” GRPS Executive Director of Athletics Kurt Johnson said. “We know he can inspire our scholars because he has been doing so for years.”
The Union High School community will have the opportunity to meet Coach Andrews at a Meet the Coach event. Details will be announced soon.
