FCA is honored to announce Dordt College’s head football coach Joel Penner as the 2025 Frosty Westering Coach of the Year Award.

Named after Forrest “Frosty” Westering, former Pacific Lutheran University football coach, College Football Hall of Fame inductee, and passionate spokesperson and ambassador for FCA, the Coach of the Year Award presented by FCA recognizes a football coach who exemplifies Christian principles as well as the involvement and support of FCA while coaching a non-Division I institution. The award is also based on the success and performance of the coach’s team that season.

“Joel Penner lives out his faith in all he says and does, on the field (practice, games, meeting rooms) and off the field (family, coaches, church). He is tremendous at incorporating his faith into his football program as well as anyone I have seen at any level,” said Kirk Talley, Minnesota FCA Twin Cities collegiate representative.

Joel Penner first met Frosty as a college junior, flying out to Tacoma, Washington to make a documentary about Frosty Westering and the program. Joel coached under Frosty Westering at Pacific Lutheran University, and he follows many of Frosty’s traditions; the most important of which is putting Jesus Christ at the center of the football program.

Implementing his commitment to Christ through his coaching principles, Joel put together four pillars for the Dordt College football program. The very first pillar is to honor Christ. Coach Penner not only had this as a pillar, but he also challenged his players to live it out on and off the field. A second pillar, the commitment to build men, was created with the purpose of forming loving husbands, coworkers, neighbors and leaders from those who sign up to wear the black and gold. The third pillar, to compete fiercely, is to grasp all that Christ has given you and put it on display for the sake of somebody beyond yourself. Kingdom impact, the fourth pillar, is the actualization of this directive towards the community around the team, as service has been incorporated into the lives of all Penner’s players; they are instructed to not wear headphones when crossing campus and to greet fellow non-football classmates with a smile.

Alex Huisman, former Dordt College football player said, “The truth is that something truly special is happening at Dordt University. Men are being transformed there to go out and serve once they hang up those cleats. I wholeheartedly believe that the graduates of the Dordt football program are about to make a momentous impact on the communities they end up in.

“I’m going to become a doctor. I’m scheduled to begin that journey next August right about when the whistles start to signal the beginning of fall camp. I know that I am better equipped to serve my neighbor empathetically with a furious passion for excellence because of Joel Penner. His teachings have formed an ember within me, burning to set other hearts ablaze for Christ. As the years go by, and others receive embers from Dordt and Joel’s four pillars, I believe we will witness a wave of compassion that no other college coach could have achieved.”

Since beginning his head coach position at Dordt College in 2016, Penner has become the winningest head coach in Dordt football history with only one losing season. Dordt has finished in the top three in the GPAC conference standings every year but one (4th) since 2018 (The NAIA champions have come from the GPAC every year since 2018, except one, and the GPAC representative was national runner-up that year – so it is a competitive conference). In 2023 they were 9 – 3 and made it to the second round of the NAIA play-offs for the first time. Currently, the team is 5 – 0 and ranked fifth in the nation. 

Joel Penner began his involvement with FCA as a student-athlete at Trinity International when he joined his campus’ Huddle. He attends yearly events with Sioux County FCA and speaks at local high school Huddles. Penner’scommitment to FCA has led his Dordt football players to serve as “character coaches” through FCA at local high schools.

Michael DeJong, Sioux County FCA staff member said, “Coach Penner has been a great voice not only to the athletes but a positive influence within the city of Sioux Center as well. I would describe him as a man with humble confidence who carries the peace of the Lord. You can see that peace on his face! Dordt’s football program has become one of the finest in the GPAC and I believe that has to do with the message of faith he carries in his heart. I believe he implements Christian values within his program and has allowed times for discipleship to take place within the offseason.”

“I am humbled to receive this award,” said Penner. “I know there are a ton of great football coaches seeking to build programs in a Christ-like way so being recognized in that category is an honor. Frosty Westering is one of my life heroes. I began my coaching career as an intern under his leadership in 2000. I knew that if I ever got to be a head coach I would want to emulate him. You can imagine why it would humble me to receive an award bearing his name.  

“Having coached college football for 24 years now, I’ve come to appreciate the work that the FCA does for our sport and God’s kingdom. FCA understands the cultural giant and impact of football and leverages that influence for eternal rewards. This is a great partnership for me, our program, and Dordt University because we share a similar mission. For the last decade, our staff has tried to build what we call an ‘Industry Standard football program.’ We prioritize honoring God, building men, competing fiercely and kingdom impact. Ultimately, we want to be guided by our motto: ‘Our goals are legitimate, our purpose is ultimate.’”

-FCA-

Photos courtesy of Dordt University Athletics