Coaching Icons: Jim Caserta was elite coach at two sports, two schools
Editor's Note: Editor's Note: The Sentinel is taking a look at some of the top high school coaches in the area since 2000. It is not a ranking, but a look at some of the coaching success in the area.
Jim Caserta made his mark coaching two schools - and two sports.
He won baseball state championships with both West Ottawa and Holland Christian, and coached both football programs as well before taking an assistant coaching job with the Hope College football program.
Caserta has been a constant in the dugout for the past 20 years, leading two high schools to state baseball championships in two decades.
Caserta retired as the Holland Christian baseball coach after eight years with the Maroons, including a state title in 2016.
Prior to that, he coached 15 years at West Ottawa and also led the Panthers to a state championship.
"I have been doing it a long time and it is a blessing. I have retired a couple of times from different things. I didn’t have one specific reason, but it felt right," Caserta said. "I have been so blessed to coach two sports for a long time. I really enjoy it and you get to a point where there are a lot of other things out there."
Caserta took over the West Ottawa baseball program in 2001 and coached the Panthers until 2014 when he took over at Holland Christian. He was hired at both schools to coach football first.
"I know I missed football and got back in it," he said. "I will definitely miss coaching baseball."
Caserta led the Panthers to a state championship with a team led by pitcher David Nykerk, who earned a scholarship to Michigan. Nykerk was an assistant coach with Caserta at Holland Christian when the Maroons won the 2016 title, led by pitcher Mike Mokma as well as David Williams, Jack Huisman, all players who earned Division I scholarships, and Chris Mokma, who was drafted by the Miami Marlins.
"There are a lot of great coaches out there, but you have to have talent and kids that buy in. You really have to have the horses to be successful in high school athletics. When you come in, you have what you have. You will have more talent in some years. I was so fortunate that we have been pretty competitive in both places every year," Caserta said. "The kids enjoy it and that makes a difference. We owe it to the kids to do our best."
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Coaching Icons: Jim Caserta was elite coach at two sports, two schools
