Grand Haven, Mich.—Grand Haven High School is proud to announce that 26-year GHHS Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Katie Kowalczyk-Fulmer (Coach K) has been inducted into the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM) Hall of Fame.
Grand Haven Area Public Schools Athletic Director Taylor Schriber shared, “Coach K’s exceptional talent and unwavering commitment to excellence have had a lasting impact on our program, our community, and the lives of so many athletes. Katie is an amazing coach and mentor,” Schriber added, “and we are excited to celebrate this achievement with her!”
Kowalczyk-Fulmer was honored during a banquet held in Pontiac earlier this week along with three other head coaches and several other award winners. The annual event honors coaches who have displayed a dedication to the sport and the success of their student-athletes during their coaching careers. Coach K joins an elite group of more than 150 coaches who have been inducted into the BCAM Hall of Fame since 1985, including high school coaches as well as college coaches like University of Michigan coach John Beilein and Michigan State University coach Tom Izzo.
The 2024-2025 Grand Haven High School Varsity Girls Basketball season is set to tip off the first week of December.
The following biography was included in Kowalczyk-Fulmer’s BCAM Hall of Fame Banquet profile:
Katie Kowalczyk-Fulmer celebrates her 30th year as a Varsity Girls Head Coach, and 33rd year overall. Her journey started as a 7th grade coach at Caledonia Middle School while still a senior at Hope College. Katie began her varsity coaching career at Hastings High School before making a significant impact at Grand Haven High School, where she has led the team since 1998.
Her tenure at Grand Haven has been marked by remarkable success. With a career record of 413 wins and 248 losses, Katie’s leadership has propelled her teams to extraordinary heights. Her impressive achievements include 6 OK Red championships, 8 district championships, 4 regional championships, and 3 Final Four appearances. The peak of her success came in 2013 and 2014 when she guided her team to back-to-back state championships.
Katie’s excellence has not gone unnoticed. She has been honored with the Muskegon Chronicle Coach of the Year award six times and the BCAM Regional Coach of the Year award four times. Her accolades also include being named BCAM Class A Coach of the Year in 2008 and BCAM Overall Coach of the Year in 2012. Her achievements extend beyond the state level, as she was recognized by the West Michigan Officials Association, the Grand Rapids Press, and the Detroit Free Press. Notably, in 2014, she was a finalist for the National Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association.
As Katie reflects on her career, she acknowledges the support of her family, friends, and colleagues. She extends heartfelt thanks to her husband, Paul, and her son, Drew, for their enduring support, which has allowed her to pursue her passion for coaching. Katie also expresses deep gratitude to her colleague Greg Immink and her mentor Rick Albro for their invaluable guidance and for nominating her for this esteemed honor. She also appreciates all the coaches and players who have contributed to the success of the program over the years.
While Katie is proud of the program’s success, she values the relationships built along the way even more. Her legacy is not just in the trophies and titles but in the enduring bonds she has formed with those who have been part of her journey.
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