Penguins coach Dan Bylsma had great taste in high school

Before he built a 12-year professional playing career and ascended to his current post as coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Dan Bylsma was born and raised in Grand Haven, Mich.

Bylsma excelled in three sports while attending Western Michigan Christian High School, where he won an individual state championship on the golf course and a team title on the baseball diamond while skating for various local youth hockey clubs.

Bylsma eventually played junior hockey in Ontario before chasing his dream to Bowling Green State University, but he left quite a legacy in West Michigan. As you can see below, those memories aren’t limited to athletics:

This example of Bylsma’s precocious sartorial skills comes courtesy of Tyler Fairfield, an equipment assistant for the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks. I got to know Tyler last year when I did media work and broadcasting for the ‘Jacks, and he was kind enough to provide this glimpse into Bylsma’s high school days. Turns out Tyler’s dad went to Western Michigan Christian with Byslma and saved his yearbook, as people do.

Bookmark this page for comic relief after the Penguins lose a tough playoff game down the road. Karma’s gonna get me for this…