Hall of Famer—Dr. Brian Telzerow

It comes as no surprise that one of Kuyper College’s beloved professors is again being recognized for his work in the local community. Dr. Brian Telzerow, Kuyper professor of youth ministry and ministry leadership program director, will be inducted into the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame this year. He is being honored alongside two other Grand Rapids area coaches and one from metro Detroit.

Dr. Telzerow has coached golf in the Forest Hills Public Schools since 1994. Presently, he serves as a junior varsity and varsity coach for Forest Hills Northern and Forest Hills Eastern. During his years of coaching, his teams have played in 181 tournaments, winning numerous titles at the conference, district, regional and state levels.

The connections he makes in the coaching realm allow him to have a greater impact in the lives of his students. “That’s why I got started,” he said. “Being able to walk with families and talk with them about what’s going on outside of golf is such a privilege,” he added. “You earn the right to be heard and are brought into vulnerable situations because you’re somebody who’s known.” What truly matters to him is not state titles, but the opportunities for deeper relationships that coaching provides.

Telzerow believes that continuing to coach golf at Forest Hills only enhances his role at Kuyper. “It makes me a better instructor for the youth ministry program because I’m so involved with kids and their families; without that, I think I would lose touch,” he said.

Telzerow’s philosophy for teaching, coaching and life comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:8, which says, “So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.” He recalls learning this verse in his early days of volunteering with Young Life, and it has become his life’s mission statement. Since then, he says, “I’ve tried my best to serve Christ’s purposes.”