High School Coaches Hall of Fame
The Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association (MIGCA) announced four new inductees to join the current 120 members in its Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Induction of these new members will take place during an MIGCA Hall of Fame and Golf Coaches of the Year banquet during the first week in August at Treetops Resort.
Gary Buchholz has been the golf coach at Central Montcalm High School since 2003, coaching 19 seasons of boys and 18 seasons of girls. During those seasons Gary’s teams have played over 190 boys and 170 girls tournaments and have won 21 times, finished in 2nd place 60 times and 3rd or 4th another 97 times. His boys team won three MHSAA Regional titles and have had a team or individual play in six MHSAA State Championships. His girls’ team or individuals played in nine MHSAA State Championships. He has also had over 100 of his players selected as All-Conference and several received All State recognition. Gary joins two other former Central Montcalm golf coaches, Gregg Kirchen and Jim Whitmer, in the MIGCA Hall of Fame. Gary and his wife Rhonda live in Stanton and have three daughters: Kristen, Trish, Chelsey and seven grandchildren.
Mike Joseph was a coach at Hartland High School for 40 years and coached girls golf during 23 of those. The girls' team had an overall dual match record of 202-79. His teams played in 184 invitational tournaments and finished in the top four 87 times, while winning 8 tournaments. His teams won three conference championships, and qualified teams or individuals 14 times for the MHSAA State Championship tournament. He has worked with the Hartland Glen Golf Course to promote clinics and individual instruction and helped grow the Kensington Junior Golf Tour over the years. Besides golf, Mike was the varsity girls' basketball coach, as well as the boys’ and girls’ 8th grade basketball coach for many years. In 2018 he was inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Mike and his wife Gayle live in Hartland and spend their winters in Nevada. They have three daughters Michelle, Stephanie and Karen, and six grandchildren.
Kim Napieralski has been the golf coach at Grand Rapids Catholic High School since 1999 and has coached 20 seasons of boys’ golf and 17 seasons of girls golf for a total of 37 seasons. During that time, the Catholic Central teams have had some impressive seasons under Kim’s leadership. Unfortunately, many of the older sports records from the high school were damaged and are unavailable. Some known records include: Boys OK Conference Championship five times; Girls OK Conference Championship two times; Boys MHSAA District Championship in 2008; MHSAA Regional Champions in 2021 and the 2021 MHSAA Division III Boys State Championship. Kim has received several coaching honors that included the MIGCA Division III Boys Coach of the Year in 2021. She has been instrumental in obtaining funds to open “The Den”, a 5,000 sq. ft. indoor golf facility for her teams and for over 20 years has held golf camps for grade school players. Kim and her husband Bill live in Grand Rapids and have a daughter, Jessa and son, Edwin with two grandsons.
Mark Olsen coached boys golf coach at White Pigeon High School for 21 years, retiring from coaching after the 2020 boys’ seasons. During his years of coaching the White Pigeon teams have played in 141 tournaments and won 36 titles and finished 2nd, 3rd or 4th another 33 times. The boys have won 12 conference championships, won four MHSAA District Championships and four Regional Championships. White Pigeon teams or individuals played in thirteen MHSAA State Championships and in 2003 and again in 2014 they won the Division IV MHSAA Boys State Championship. Mark has been recognized as MIGCA Division IV Boys Coach of the Year in both 2009 and 2014. Mark worked in the health care system for many years and is currently a Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist in his area. Mark and his wife Melanie live in White Pigeon and have four sons, Nicholas, Chase, Riley, Jordan, who all played college golf as well.
