Ostipow era nearing an end at Forest Hills Northern: ‘The game’s given our family a lot’

BY SCOTT DECAMP

For Michigan Sports Radio

GRAND RAPIDS – Forest Hills Northern’s Eddie Ostipow has coached some great players during his 27 years at the head of high school football programs.

Trinidad Chambliss is the most obvious that comes to mind. After all, the FHN alumnus, former Ferris State quarterback, and current Ole Miss signal-caller is a Heisman Trophy candidate.

Even though he also wears the hat of “Dad,” Coach Ostipow warns not to sleep on Owen Ostipow.

“I mean, all the guys that I’ve coached, he’s probably the best high school football player,” said Eddie Ostipow, who was speaking specifically about players during their high school careers and not what they achieved in college or beyond.

“I mean, Trinidad was (really) good here and we knew he had a great future, but he was very raw. And he was a basketball kid. Football wasn’t his first love.”

Regardless of how the all-time greats list shakes out, senior QB Owen Ostipow has assembled an impressive career at Forest Hills Northern, especially in the running game with his sub-4.5-second speed in the 40-yard dash.

As a three-year varsity starter, the 6-foot, 190-pound commit to two-time reigning Division II national champion Ferris State has amassed 2,714 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns on 348 carries (7.8 per attempt). In the passing game, Ostipow is 120-of-219 for 1,773 yards with 12 TDs and 12 interceptions.

Ostipow appears in the MHSAA record books for most rushing yards in a game, ranking 14th for his 430-yard effort (on just 19 carries) in the 2025 season finale against Grand Rapids Northview.

This season, Ostipow has rushed for 406 yards and 11 TDs on 88 carries and completed 44 of 76 passes for 777 yards with five TDs and one pick.

He leads Forest Hills Northern (2-3 overall, 1-1 OK Green) into tonight’s test against a big and talented Muskegon squad (2-3, 1-1) at Hackley Stadium.

“I’ve had a great experience here at Forest Hills Northern. When I got interviewed at the start of the season, I told the reporter it’s kind of special when you get to play under your dad. I feel like there’s probably three (players) in the entire state playing under their dad. … I just feel like it doesn’t happen often. I feel like growing up at Northern, especially with my siblings and my dad being a member of the community, it’s been a pretty cool opportunity,” Owen Ostipow said.

“High school goes by super fast. They say it’s the quickest four years of life and it is. You’ve got to cherish every moment of it and we’re halfway through my senior season now so we’ve got to make the most of what we’ve got left and see what happens.”

This is the eighth year for Eddie Ostipow as FHN’s head coach, and it’s his last-hurrah season in that role after also making stops at Charlotte, East Kentwood, Forest Hills Eastern, and Greenville. He guided Charlotte to the Division 3 state semifinals in 2004 and Forest Hills Eastern to the Division 4 semis in 2015. His overall head-coaching record is currently 119-115.

He said he’ll likely return to coaching sooner rather than later, perhaps as an assistant somewhere. It’s also his last school year in a classroom, as he teaches physical education now but has previously taught social studies, government, and U.S. history.

Ostipow cut his coaching teeth as an assistant under Ferris State’s Tony Annese when the latter was at Jenison.

“I really probably wasn’t ready to be a head coach and I had some great veteran assistants when I was at Charlotte,” said Ostipow, who began his head-coaching career at age 24 in 1999. “Of course, being an assistant for Tony Annese was a great experience. I’ve got a great relationship with him. 

“And then obviously the kids. I mean, a lot of them are grown now and have their own families. I think it’s being able to just kind of every now and then reconnect with some of those guys. I think that’s something that I think is really special and the fact they still want to talk to the old coach and stuff. It kind of makes me feel like we did a few things right, you know.”

The Ostipows maintain a strong relationship with Chambliss and his family.

Owen Ostipow’s older brother, Evan, is a sophomore at Hope College who plays cornerback for the Flying Dutch. According to Eddie Ostipow, Evan intends on coaching football at some point and “Dad” wouldn’t mind helping him out.

But, for now, the focus is on helping Owen and his FHN teammates finish the season as strongly as possible. Father and son are trying to savor every moment.

“My dad tries not to be ‘Coach’ at home and ‘Dad’ at practice, but it’s kind of a fine line to walk. I feel like he’s pretty good at it,” Owen Ostipow said. “He’s Dad at home for the most part. Like, when he wants to watch film with me or something, I mean, that’s just extra football for me. That’s fun for me. He’s a good dad. I’ve never experienced anything overbearing or anything negative about it.”

Said Eddie Ostipow: “I wouldn’t give it up for anything. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard. It’s a fine line, you know, because ‘Are you Dad? Are you Coach?’ Trying to balance that, I think, has been challenging. But I think at the end of the day, they really understand (that he’s trying to) help them be as good as they can be.”

Forest Hills Northern players say that Coach Ostipow is a stickler for details and accountability.

“Being accountable and owning up to your mistakes, he’s really big on,” Huskies senior Liam Rozier said. “Also, doing your job and not being worried about other (people’s jobs).”

When the FHN season is over, “Dad” becomes personal trainer/QB coach/speed trainer/strength coach for Owen.

Eddie and Courtney Ostipow also have a daughter, Auden, who is a FHN sophomore competing in cross country and lacrosse. 

Owen Ostipow plays the attack position in lacrosse and he enjoys the sport, but football is his love. He claims his “wheels” come from his mother, who was a runner back in the day.

“I think we rely on him a lot, like if it’s a third-and-10 or even fourth-and-5, he can scramble and make a play. It’s great to have on your team,” FHN senior Cade Price said.

Added Huskies junior Cameron Weinkein, who is Owen Ostipow’s cousin: “His legs are his main weapon and his arm’s gotten so much better since sophomore year.”

Weinkein has seen first-hand just how close the Ostipows are when it comes to the coach/QB and father/son relationships.

The Ostipows have created many wonderful memories together through football. Neither is ready for that phase of life to be over.

“I keep reminding him that, ‘Hey, I’m not going to be able to do this much longer, you know. So let’s you and I, this last four or five games, let’s make the most of it,’” Eddie Ostipow said about Owen. “He’s been great to coach. I mean, he’s a really even-keeled kid. He doesn’t get real emotional, which I think makes him a really good quarterback. Good or bad, he’s pretty steady. … I think all the best quarterbacks I’ve ever coached have always kind of been, they don’t get too high, don’t get too low. You know, they’re always very cerebral.

“The game’s given me a lot, given our family a lot. It’s hard to think about, you know, the next chapter.”

Featured photo at the top: Forest Hills Northern football coach Eddie Ostipow and his son, Huskies senior quarterback Owen Ostipow, are pictured during practice Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, at Forest Hills Northern High School. (Photo | Scott DeCamp)