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FOX 17 anchor Mitch Fick.

(Mitch Fick on Facebook)

Mitch Fick, who has been a news and sports anchor the past four years at FOX 17 (WXMI) in Grand Rapids, will leave the station Friday.

Fick, the lead sports anchor since October, 2014, said he plans to return to his hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and do freelance work while other opportunities percolate.

"It's just in the interim," he said Monday after posting the announcement on his Facebook page. "I have representation and we looking all over the country and there are some real exciting things on the horizon, just nothing cemented yet.

"I think I will take a little bit of a breath, but I don't plan staying above water for long."

The station posted the job opening recently after Fick told management of his plans about two weeks ago. Jason Hutton and Evan Beach remain as sports anchors.

Fick, a 2010 graduate from the University of Iowa, came to FOX 17 after working two years of sports for a station in Cedar Rapids. He was hired by WXMI as a general assignment reporter in September, 2012 before he became the weekend sports anchor in May, 2013.

When Fox 17 added an 11 p.m. newscast in June, 2014, Fick became the news co-anchor with Ann Marie LaFlamme before he went to sports exclusively about four months later.

Fick, 30, said his contract was up, and that he was offered, but he decided it was time for a change.

"In this day and age, it's crazy to stay anywhere for four years, and I've been really lucky," he said. "It's been a bountiful harvest, to say the least, not only in West Michigan but in the state.

"To cover Griffins winning a cup, the Whitecaps winning a title, the Tigers and their success, the Lions and everything that's happened there, the Red Wings in transition and the Pistons starting to get back up - how fortunate can you be?" he said.

"And, to get back here, with the Drive and Grand Rapids FC forming, and add in other colleges and high schools and I've done as much in four years as some people in my spot do in 24 or 34 years. So, with the amount of stuff I got to do here, it just feels like it's time to step back and move on."