Kianna Stocks is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Valley Christian High School for AZPreps365.com.

Greg Haagsma. A coach known for going after his third straight state title after having nine already under his belt. The winningest coach in Arizona. An athletic director who continues to push his athletics to the next level. And a spiritually devoted man and a great friend.  

Haagsma is originally from Iowa where he was surrounded by academics being a child of a schoolteacher. He attended many sporting events and extracurriculars growing up that was able to push him to becoming an athlete, playing competitive sports growing up such as baseball. 

After attending Dordt College in Iowa and receiving his B.A in Accounting and Business Education, he decided to make the move to Arizona. 

Haagsma started his coaching career at Valley Christian in 1991-1992. Where he was able to coach girls basketball and baseball for six years then made the move to boys basketball. 

“Baseball was just natural to me. The strategy and all both offensively and defensively, the quick pace of the game I just enjoyed it all more from a coaching aspect,” said Haagsma.  

Haagsma was not only given the opportunity to coach the many athletics at Valley Christian including: girls/ boys basketball and baseball. But also became an accounting teacher at the school prior to making the switch to full-time athletic director. 

“I just have really enjoyed developing a program watching kids come in as freshmen and being able to grow them all the way through our program,” said Haagsma. 

Valley Christian began to immediately grow its athletics once they were given the green light to have their own facilities. It gave the Trojans their own home and a drive for an athlete to want to become the greatest athlete that they could be.

“The gym was the first thing actually built on this campus and being able to get into the gym was huge,” said Haagsma. 

The gym has been a home to many of the athletes who step onto Valley Christian’s court. With rosters changing from year to year with seniors graduating. Many coaches like Haagsma go through the change and have to adjust to the change. But Haagsma doesn’t see it as a change but more as the most exciting part of being a coach. 

“The strategy involved in looking at your new roster and starting the summer of seeing what we have may be different from last year’s team,” said Haagsma. 

Not only is looking at the new faces and talents that a coach is given a challenge, but also being able to say farewell to the athletes who Haagsma has been able to coach through their high school years. 

“Every kid who has played for me is considered family. There is a little time of mourning because you don’t get to coach some of these kids again. We spend as much time with them as coaches as their moms and dads do during these four months, ” said Haagsma. 

Offensive Coordinator for the Trojans basketball team, Roger DeBoer recognizes Haagsma’s character on and off the court. Not only as a coach, but as a true friend.  

“We have a deep relationship and it goes spiritually. And we have a friendship that starts there. I love the man. He gave me a chance when things were down and I appreciate him greatly,” said DeBoer.  

Starting senior Luke Shaw recognizes his team for giving him the opportunity to secure 1,000 career points in his high school career, but also coach Haagsma for giving him the opportunity to get to that point.

“More than half of those points were assisted or plays called out by my coach so they are definitely in that with me,” said Shaw. 

Valley Christian is not only a school, but a home to the many who attend or have been a part of the community. 

“The support that we have had from parents, the school board, administration and teachers has just been where this has become home,” said Haagsma when referring to Valley Christian and the community that has been built on campus that he will never take for granted.