Following a successful season last year, the Lakers varsity football team is working to continue that with the new head football coach, Cody Mallory. With an impressive record, including being chosen as Division 4 Coach of the Year in 2020, Coach Mallory strives to “implement our culture and standard of performance” this year as the season progresses. 

After working as the head coach for the Cadillac Vikings for the past 7 seasons, and leading them to three straight district championships, Coach Mallory headed to Spring Lake to coach the Lakers. “I think that this football team has a lot of potential,” Coach Mallory said. The Lakers are 1-3 this year, largely due to the fact that the team has experienced significant injuries. 

Spring Lake has suffered injuries this year at key positions. Coach Mallory feels that those injuries have created an opportunity for those in a “backup role to elevate their play and be able to contribute.” In the long run, the experience that the underclassman players are able to gain will benefit the Lakers. 

Spring Lake Athletic Director, JT Hogan, was excited about hiring Coach Mallory last year. Mr Hogan noted that hiring a new head football coach was a big undertaking because there was an enormous amount of people who were anxiously waiting to see who would be hired. A large factor that went into hiring Coach Mallory was that “He is as excited to teach them about life as he is about football,” said Mr. Hogan.  Mr. Hogan shared that Coach Mallory has done a great job of teaching his players, not just how to play the game, but the strategy behind it. Not only is Coach Mallory the head football coach, but he also is the Student Support Specialist at Spring Lake.

Coach Mallory is excited about being able to build great relationships with his team throughout the season and beyond. The Lakers’ next opponent will be the Fruitport Trojans for the homecoming game on Friday, September 30.