Sailors Stadium, September 17, Norton Shores–Mona Shores High School put on quite a show, not just by giving fans a great win over the Zeeland West Dux in the OK Green Conference game, but also by honoring America’s heroes from the military, first responders, and frontline health workers with the 2021 Sailors Salute.

“Basically, what we wanted to do with [the event] was show our appreciation towards veterans, towards the militar[y], towards our police officers, firefighters, our first responders, because—it’s not a cliché—without them, we wouldn’t get to have a game like this,” Mona Shores Coach Matt Koziak said, in an interview after the game.

A number of honors were given before, and during, the game, as the Sailors Salute event unfolded. Before the game, the Freedom Riders paraded their motorcycles through the Mona Shores High School parking lot amid static displays of military, police, and fire department vehicles. A huge American flag flew overhead, hung from the extended ladder of a fire truck. Not long after that, a POW/MIA remembrance took place, followed by the Community Mass Choir’s beautiful rendition of “America the Beautiful” and “The Star-Spangled Banner”. At the end of the Anthem, the Hooligans Flight Team flew over Sailor Stadium. Interactive military displays allowed fans to meet servicepeople and recruiters just inside the stadium’s gates. Both teams thanked their heroes in a meet-and-greet with veterans, active-duty military, police, firemen, and first responders, on their way to their locker rooms just before the game began.

One very special honor of the night went out to Hometown Hero, Corporal Gerrit Veldman. At 100 years old, Corporal Veldman is one of the few surviving World War II veterans. Following the Honor Guard, Corporal Veldman waved to Sailors fans as a golf cart brought him down near the center of the home bleachers. Enlisting in 1942 at the age of 20, Gerrit fought for the Army in the European, African, and Middle Eastern Theaters. He was wounded, but continued the fight, receiving nine awards for his service. After his discharge in 1945, Corporal Veldman continued serving God and his country by joining the American Legion.

Between the first and second quarters, two Army recruits were sworn into service. Then, between the third and fourth quarters, cheerleaders from both teams participated in a 22-push-up challenge to bring awareness to veteran suicide, and to those who work to prevent it.

According to woodtv.com, SGT Dan Hibler of the Norton Shores Police Department, who helped organize the event, summed up the response to the night’s festivities from his fellow servicepeople: “It’s always heartwarming to feel the support of the community…We’re all proud to serve in this area.”

2021 marks the fifth Sailors Salute since the event began in 2016. Coach Koziak had always wanted to do some kind of military appreciation game. So, in 2014, he started. “We didn’t call it the Sailors Salute at the time,” he explained. “But we had veterans, and a food tent for veterans, and we took donations at the door. But who it really was, was our former athletic director, Ryan Portenga, who really took it to, you know, ten times over what [it was]. He came up with the Sailors Salute.” Coach Koziak credited several others for planning as well. “Tim Lipan, Tom Conrad, Jennifer Bustard, [Joe] Kennucan, Dan Vandermyde—they are the driving force behind this…They’re the ones that make this spectacular event.”

Tim Lipan, chairman of the planning committee, told woodtv.com that the tribute has gotten bigger every year. “What you see today is the culmination of five years of growth,” he said.

“[The Sailors Salute is] very personal to me,” Coach Koziak said. “My grandfather was in World War II. He stormed the beaches at Normandy. He was the 3^rd Wave. And so, you know, you read about it and you see movies, but [you] don’t realize that one of your family members did that. It’s just incredible. And then my brother, Stephen’s uncle, who coaches with us, served a tour in Iraq…I had uncles in the military. So I have a huge respect for people that are willing to sacrifice their lives for strangers…I think that’s the ultimate sacrifice. And so, the least we can do is celebrate them and let them know how much they mean to us.”

The coach’s son, Stephen (senior defensive end, tight end, and half-back, #24), echoed his father’s feelings, adding that the knowledge that his family members served their country so selflessly was a real motivator for him to play his best, especially when playing in support of servicepeople.

Coach Koziak wanted the game to really show thankfulness to servicemembers. “You know, we live in the greatest country on this planet, and our kids get to come out and compete in front of their hometown and they get to have people travel. And it’s because of [servicepeople] that we get to do this. So we wanted to make it a big thing.”

And the Sailors made the OK Green Conference game a big thing, too, scoring on all 8 possessions, to win 47-12 over Zeeland West. Mona Shores Senior Quarterback Mark Konecny (#10) put the Sailors on the scoreboard with a touchdown in the first quarter. After that the Dux were only able to squeeze in two touchdowns, leaving a score of 27-12 at halftime. The Sailors got the second half going with long runs and more touchdowns, while barring Zeeland West from collecting any more points.

When asked what really spoke to him about the Sailors Salute, Konecny was excited about the whole event, describing the mutual support between team and servicepeople. “All the first responders, with the draped American flag from the firefighting truck, all the policemen and veterans that came out for us, to watch us compete and just put a show on for them. It was just a very, very good event.”

by Kate Holtrop: Published in the Fruitport Area News, 2021, November Issue, page 23