Jerry Vander Loop embraces family traditions
By Jeff Kurowski | On Mission
Photography By Scott Eastman
FREEDOM — Whether it’s his faith life, Catholic education, work or sport, following in the footsteps of family suits Jerry Vander Loop just fine. In fact, he embraces it.
For example, Vander Loop, 18, the son of Jay and Jenny Vander Loop, said that he is proud to have attended St. John Nepomucene School in Little Chute — the same school that his father and paternal grandfather, Ken, both attended.
“It’s cool that they went there. It’s a nice school. I had a really good experience,” he said. “I learned a lot. It helped me grow in my faith.”
Vander Loop is named after his maternal grandfather, race car driver Jerry Muenster, who has been inducted into the halls of fame at multiple tracks in the state.
Vander Loop started racing go-karts at age 10. He moved up to minitrucks and now competes in his #7 car on the asphalt at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna and on the dirt tracks at Outagamie Speedway in Seymour and Shawano Speedway.
“He gives us a lot of good information, tips we can use on the track,” he said about his grandfather, who continues to race.
Vander Loop has forged his own path in ministry at St. John Nepomucene Parish. It started when he needed to complete service hours for confirmation.
“I looked at all the different opportunities,” he said. “I started helping with some of the (faith development) religion classes. I thought it was fun. I helped a teacher with second or third grade. Then, I helped out a fifth-grade teacher.”
Mid-year, a fourth-grade teacher was needed, so Vander Loop, who was confirmed in 2023, stepped to the front of the classroom on Wednesday evenings.
“It was a good group. This year [2024-2025], I said I would like to stay with the same kids, so I’m fifth grade now,” he said. “[The teaching] was the Gospels, now it’s prayer.… We went over the rosary. We prayed the whole rosary in class. Then we went over the Hail Holy Queen Prayer.”
The students call him “Mr. Jerry.”
“I learn with them sometimes,” said Vander Loop, a senior at Freedom High School. “When I first started, I didn’t get the lesson plans on my phone because I wasn’t really a teacher, so I learned alongside them. Now, I get the lesson plans. I read through it two or three times, so I know what’s going on. I do a little research if there’s something I don’t recognize.”
Vander Loop said that prayer is important to him, especially giving thanks before meals.
“I like to keep track of it. Once in a while I forget, and I beat myself up a little bit. It upsets me,” he said, adding, “I also pray before I go to bed every night. It’s a routine I’ve gotten into the last four or five years.”
He said he also prays at the racetrack.
“There’s a guy who comes around before races to pray,” he said. “He gives out [prayer] stickers. I have them in the car on the side wall. It’s nice to have that. It reminds me that [God] will keep me safe.”
Vander Loop said he is grateful for the faith influences in his life, including his brother JJ, who is a first-year student at Marquette University in Milwaukee and also a race car driver.
JJ is a graduate of Xavier High School in Appleton and has served as a lector at Masses at St. John Nepomucene Church.
“He’s good at it. He’s good at public speaking,” said Vander Loop about his brother, who’s older by 15 months.
“He did a lot of clubs at school, and that made him really strong at that stuff. I might want to [serve as a lector] down the line, but he’s a much better public speaker. I’m good at talking in small groups,” he said with a laugh.
“They are both into their faith, but in different ways, though,” said their mother, Jenny. “JJ, being at Marquette, has his own path. He goes to [daily] Mass in the morning. It’s just unfolded in such a natural way. I really don’t even have words for it. JJ was probably all in first. For Jerry, [his faith] unfolded the way it was supposed to. I get emotional about it.”
Vander Loop works for Ken’s Sports Inc. in Kaukauna, a business that was founded by his grandfather 50 years ago. Ken also serves as a good model of faith, he said.
“My grandpa was actually in the seminary. He was going to become a priest, then he met my grandmother [Mary] and they started a family,” said Vander Loop. “He comes from a long line of priests.”
Vander Loop said he enjoys paging through old history books from St. John Nepomucene Parish, which include the profiles of Father John Vander Loop and Father Martin Vander Loop, both Norbertines and family ancestors. The Vander Loop family name is also found among the list of religious sisters from the parish.
Being a good example for the students in his faith development class is important, said Vander Loop.
“I like being a good role model for them. It’s really crucial,” he said. “They are still young. It’s good to build that foundation, so later, they don’t stray away from the faith.”
Young fans ask Vander Loop — who has a joker logo on his car stemming from his fondness for card tricks — for autographs at the racetrack. He said that those requests are a humbling reminder that he needs to lead by example.
“We have little cards that we hand out to them, and we sign the cards,” he said. “We also have little flags. Kids come back week after week with the same flags. We know the kids are looking at us.”
Vander Loop said that his faith helps him in dealing with tense moments while racing.
“On the asphalt, you enter the corner at 110 miles per hour. It’s crazy, your tires could go right into the wall. You’re relying on the car and your skill to make it around that corner successfully,” he said. “On the dirt, you’re relying on the car to do its job even more than on the asphalt.”
“I like the competition, but it gets pretty bad. A lot of times, [other racers] don’t really care. If you’re in their way, they’re going to try to move you. If you bump somebody on the asphalt, they’ll come right over to your trailer and yell at you. I keep in mind the golden rule to treat others how you want to be treated,” he said about relying on faith lessons.
Vander Loop, who also has cousins who race, said that work on the cars keeps him busy year-round. Following graduation from high school, he plans to continue to work in sales at Ken’s Sports and is interested in taking business classes.
Teaching religious education is also in his future plans.
“I would be happy to follow [this year’s class] through eighth grade and then start with a different class,” he said. “It’s fun. and I learn, too.”
Want the fast track to know Jerry better? Watch a full interview with car-aficionado, Fr. John Girotti at onmiss.io/onmissionmeetupjerryvanderloop