The October issue is personally one of my favorite issues each year because we have chosen it to highlight the Spring Lake Football Program. Each year, we take a lot of consideration into how we are going to select the players highlighted for the feature. It can be difficult to determine how to format it, because our community is blessed with an abundance of talented athletes. After spending a lot of time thinking about the issue, it was clear to me that we need to celebrate the senior football players. They are an exceptionally skilled, committed, and driven group of young men. In previous issues, we have highlighted a handful of players, but this issue is our biggest feature yet- with twenty players! 

    For these twenty seniors entering their final varsity season, football is so much more than a game. It is a chapter of their lives that has been constructed through years of countless practices, 6:00 am lifts before school, nail-biting losses, incredible wins, and time spent with teammates who have become a second family. Football has taught these twenty seniors things that go way beyond the field- how to put faith in the person next to them, how to keep looking forward even when things aren’t going according to plan, and how to continue to put in the hard work when no one is watching. 

    As seniors, they have learned that every practice, every post-game hangout, every laugh on the bus ride to an away game, every Friday night under the lights at Grabinski Field, and every moment together is something that they will never experience in the same way again. The big wins and stats will become memories, but the friendships made and lessons learned from playing this sport will stay with them long beyond the final snap of the ball. 

 For many of these seniors, they have been playing football as soon as it was an option to play at Spring Lake. They were just small first-grade boys who were so eager to learn, and all they wanted to do was touch the ball. Flag football was their first taste of the game, and once they tried it, they were hooked. Football has helped shape them into the incredible young adults that they are becoming. When their senior season comes to a close, they will walk away with more than wins and stats. They will carry with them lifelong memories of being part of something bigger than themselves, unbreakable bonds, and the pride of wearing red and grey. 

Here's to one final varsity season for the Class of 2027. It will be one filled with pride, perseverance, teamwork, and memories that these players and their families will cherish for a lifetime.  Let's meet our seniors and GO LAKERS! 

 I began my football career 10 yrs ago, and playing varsity football for Spring Lake means the world to me.  It has been so fun to play with this team and for this community every Friday night.  Both years on varsity, I've had such a tight-knit group, and we all get along very well.  As a senior, I'm no longer the young kid on the block, and now I'm someone that my teammates look up to for guidance when things get tough.  I’m most proud of winning a playoff game last year against Godwin Heights and hope we can accomplish another huge accolade this season!

 

I’ve been playing football since the 1st grade. My favorite memory so far has to be beating Godwin Heights in last year’s playoff game.  This sport has taught me so many life lessons along the way but mostly it’s important to be willing to endure the pain to achieve your goals. The advice I would give the younger guys it to enjoy the grind of working hard! 

I’ve been playing football for 10 years.    Being a senior and a leader on this team gives me a special opportunity to help grow the younger players and help them become the best that they can by leading by example. If I could relive any game, it would be the Godwin Heights playoff game from last season. It was very special to me because I was a part of a huge moment in Spring Lake football history. The senior who makes me laugh the most has to be number 70, Cole Barclay. His sense of humor makes the hard times during practice and games enjoyable. 

I've been playing football since 1st grade.  If you could relive one game or moment from your football career, which would it be and why? I would go back to the Gladwin game where I got my first varsity start while playing beside my older brother, Brady. I would have to say my favorite football memory would be winning a playoff game. It was a great feeling to win a playoff game alongside my brother, Brady. One piece of advice that I would give to my younger teammates is that no matter what other people say, just keep working hard and prove them wrong. 

 

I've been playing football since 1st grade.  I would have to say that being a player on the offense for one of the top Spring Lake teams in Spring Lake football history is one of my biggest football accomplishments. I will always feel proud of what our team accomplished in the 2025 season.  One of our rituals we participate in is that before a home game, some of my teammates and I will show up to Grabinski early and walk around on the field barefoot. It's a calm way to get ready before a game.

 

I have played football for 9 years. Getting to spend my senior season playing Friday nights with 19 of my senior friends is something I know I will never forget.  I want to go into business, and I think football shows you pretty quickly that everyone has a job and you need your teammates to be successful. Football also keeps me focused and makes me manage my time better.  I hope my teammates remember that I was someone who supported them, worked hard, and gave my best, even when things didn't go our way. But more than anything, I hope we remember all the memories we made together. Many of us have been playing sports together since we were little, so getting to finish our senior year together is so awesome. 

I've been playing football since 4th grade. In this final season of my high school career, I hope I always remember all of the times we’ve been screaming with enthusiasm on the bus after a major win.   Never get down on yourself and keep pushing through the pain you might feel along the way. My biggest challenge was when I got hurt and missed part of my sophomore season, and I regained my strength again.  Segway into the advice I would give the younger players: never get down on yourself and keep pushing through the pain you might experience along the way. 

 

I have played football for 6 years. This year playing Varsity means that my teammates and I have been able to persevere through the many challenges of football and come together to face our final year as one.  My biggest challenge has always been my stamina, especially at the start of my career, but that has gotten better over time.  My advice to the younger players would be to ask questions, take chances, and work hard!

I’ve been playing football for 6 years now, and if I could relive any given moment, it would have to be the Unity Christian second-round playoff game from last year because I would want another chance to beat Unity and make it further in the playoffs. My favorite game day tradition is right before we walk out of the locker room to the field for the game; we do a team prayer that makes me feel ready to go.  If I could be in any position for a game, I would choose running back because then I could score touchdowns and hit people.

 

 

My football career goes all the way back to kindergarten.  We have such a great group of seniors this year working towards a successful season.  If I had to choose who makes me laugh the most, it would have to be Cole Barclay.  He lightens the mood when things get too heavy.  My favorite football movie would have to be Remember the Titans.  If I had to choose a position to play for one game, it would have to be quarterback; I mean, who wouldn’t want to be the one executing all the plays?  

I have played football for 7 years. To me, playing varsity football means being part of a brotherhood. It’s about working hard together, seeing that hard work pays off on Friday nights, and knowing you can count on the guys beside you. This team has given me a second family, and I love that we can all come together, do our jobs, and give everything we have on game days.  Playing in my last year of high school also means that I will step up and help out all the younger guys on the team by coaching them when they ask questions and need help with plays or fits. I was in their shoes and I always had the seniors to look up to. 

I have played football for 9 years. My favorite football to listen to pregame is War Pigs by Black Sabbath. My favorite game day tradition is when the opposing team is on third down and the stadium blasts Hells Bells. Any advice I would offer the younger players is to be tough and humble and never get ahead of yourself.   

 

 

Being a senior on the varsity team means being someone the underclassmen can look up to and not be afraid to come to for advice. Equally important is creating a standard of excellence and dedication for the next senior classes to come. Now that I’m in my final season, I’ve been reflecting on not only how much I want to win but also making long-lasting memories with my teammates. My dad introduced me to the sport at a young age and kept me engaged even when things got tough. He’s been a huge influence on my Spring Lake football career.

 

 

I have played football since 1st grade. So many lessons to be learned from football, but one thing it has taught me is to never give up on something you love even when it gets hard.  My favorite game day tradition is putting my AirPods on, cranking up the volume, and listening to songs from Minecraft. It calms my mind before a big game.  If I could play any position for one game, I would play wide receiver. It is a dream position for most people, and you get to score touchdowns!

 

 

I have played football for 13 years.  My favorite football memory from my high school career is winning the round 1 playoff game last year against Godwin Heights.  One of my biggest challenges has been dealing with injuries. How I overcame it was not letting it get to me from a mental standpoint and taking the next steps to get back out on the field. If I could relive one moment of my high school career, it was the first day I walked onto Grabinski Field my sophomore year, and it felt just like home.  

 

 

This is my 8th year of football. The person who had the biggest influence on me in my football career would be Coach Feekings, who was the freshman football coach when I was that age. It has taught me how to work in a team setting, and it has helped me work through tough challenges and seasons.  My favorite football movie is Remember the Titans. 

 

This is my 10th year playing football.  My dad has been my biggest influence. He coached me when I first started playing football and continued to support me as I’ve grown, always giving great advice. I look for him at the games, and seeing him gives me that reassurance that I've got this and to play hard! My favorite football movie is Remember the Titans.  All my teammates are hysterical in their own ways but if I had to pick one to be crowned the funniest, it would have to be Lucas!