Firebirds Leadership
| Photo | Name | Position | Bio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mark Brandel |
Director | Mark was born of missionary parents in Detroit, Michigan. Although spending his early years in Africa, by high school, he started playing and coaching baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball and volleyball. He has been involved with sports since 1973, and made his high school coaching debut with Plymouth Christian Academy and their Volleyball team in 1982. In 1989, Coach Brandel took over the responsibilities of Director of Sports Academy at Plymouth Christian Academy were he finished his work there in the Fall of 2018. Sports Academy has since moved to HEA and is where young athletes from age 6 to high school are developed. Each year, several hundred kids and a dozen coaches return to the basics as they learn the sports of baseball, basketball, soccer and volleyball. | |
|
Scott Huggins |
Assistant Director | Scott was born in Bay City, Michigan and currently resides in Novi, Michigan. Scott grew up as the youngest of six children, and credits his competitive spirit with the challenge of keeping up with two older brothers. He played high school tennis, softball and ran cross country. Scott had 3 boys in the Firebirds program starting in 2010, but all have now graduated. In 2013, Scott began his basketball coaching career as the head coach for the B14 team. | |
|
Jason Rauhe |
Treasurer | Jason was born in Indianapolis, IN. He and his wife, Carrie, have 8 children, 4 boys and 4 girls. They reside in Novi, MI. Coach Rauhe has a master’s degree in accounting from Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. | |
|
Martin Waldo |
Secretary | Martin has had several children in the HEA Firebirds program over the years. His children have all graduated. | |
|
Adam Rebandt |
Spiritual Advisor | Adam started his athletic career in his youth playing baseball, basketball, and soccer. As a high school athlete he received an All-State honor and league MVP at Southfield Christian in baseball before pitching at Taylor University (IN) and then Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. Following a semi professional baseball season in Australia, he returned to the US to begin a career as a mortgage broker. He currently owns a small mortgage company in Livonia, Michigan Financial Mortgage Company that he started in 2006. He has coached youth basketball at Plymouth Christian, South Farmington Baseball, and youth soccer in Farmington Hills. He has attended church at Oakland Hills Community Church since 1987. He and his wife Sarah (married 2002) live in Farmington Hills with their 6 children - Caleb, Justin, Levi, Luke, Sadie, and Adeline. | |
|
Jeff Arenz |
Board Member | Jeff was born in Milwaukee, WI but grew up in Novi, Michigan. He currently resides in Whitmore Lake, Michigan with his wife Kelly and eight children. Coach Arenz played high school basketball at Northville High School and played one year of basketball at Kalamazoo College where he received an undergraduate degree in Business with a minor in Religion. Prior to having kids he coached both middle school and high school basketball in Fowlerville, MI. In addition to coaching the B10 Firebirds, coach Arenz coordinates the Sports Academy coaching for basketball, baseball, football and soccer as well. Coach Arenz enjoys not only teaching the young Firebirds the game of basketball, but also hopes to instill life lessons, including how to serve the Lord on the basketball court. |