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Meet the Football Coaches

John Heavner began work on June 1, 2006, as head coach for Dordt’s football program. Heavner spent seven seasons as an assistant coach at East Central University (NCAA Division II) in Ada, Oklahoma, where he served as offensive coordinator in 2003 and 2004 and receivers coach from 1998-2002. Heavner was also East Central’s recruiting coordinator from 2001-2004. Heavner also coached quarterbacks at Missouri State University (NCAA Division IAA) in 2005.

Heavner graduated from Norman (Okla.) High School where he was a member of the 1992 state championship team. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from East Central University in 1999 and earned his master’s degree in education in 2000.

Bill Bauer is the offensive coordinator and the strength and conditioning coach for Dordt athletics. In addition, he will teach in the HPER (Health/Physical Education/Recreation) department.

Bauer has twenty-seven years of college football coaching experience, serving most recently as an assistant coach at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. Bauer was the defensive coordinator at Taylor from 1997-2006, returning there after a six-year stay at Sterling College in Kansas. Bauer was the head football coach at Sterling from 1995-1997.

Bauer was the assistant athletic director at Taylor from 1986-1992 and has also coached men’s and women’s track and field. He also spent a year at Kansas Wesleyan. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and a certified track and field official.

Wade Whites is the defensive coordinator and will teach in the HPER department. He comes from nine years at Southwest Christian in Fort Worth, Texas, where he was athletic director and head football coach for six seasons. Under Whites’ leadership, his teams compiled a 45-29 record with two state semi-final appearances and a berth in the state finals. Whites was also defensive coordinator throughout his coaching stint at Southwest Christian and helped the Eagles reach top-ten rankings in defensive standings in eight of his nine seasons.

Whites earned district coach of the year honors in 2002, 2003, and 2004 and coached in the Tom Hillary All-Star game in 2004. He was also named Dallas Morning News Division III coach of the year in 2004.

Prior to his stay at Southwest Christian University, Whites was a high school defensive coordinator and a defensive backfield coach and recruiting coordinator at his alma mater, Tarleton State University in Texas.