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1967 & 1968 Championships Reunion

Special Reunion Notes #5

We have 32 registrations in hand for a total of 50 individuals including spouses.  The Friday evening pre-celebration session has 18 registrants to date.  Here is the updated listing of football team members and coaches who will attend: Bache, Barnes, Blough, Bongard, Cantrell, Ciceri, Creevy, Dood, Dukes, Frayer, Fuzak, Goerge, Gray, Hadley, Jancha, Jeremy, Jones, Ledy, List, McNutt, Moore, Powers, Robertson, Schelke, Shrope, Stewart, Stolz, Sweeney, Thompson, Weeks, Yungfer and Zins.  Jack Prince will be here Friday evening but has a family get together on Sat. and will miss the game and banquet.  We have confirmation that Greg Anderson, Fred Eveleigh, Gord Hetrick, Larry Hourtienne, Tom Jakovac, Bill Klenk,  Ron Loesel, Rick Manzardo, and Ken Mitchell will also attend.  With 32 conformed reservations and nine additional, it is shaping up for a darned good party.  The latter group of nine, get your shirt size to me.  We have an August 22 deadline from the manufacturer for shirt sizes.  Phone me or send an e-mail:  989 463 2082 or gray@alma.edu and leave a message if I am not home. 

The members of the current football coaching staff will be invited to share in the reception and dinner buffet.  Select members of the college administration, of course, will also be invited.  It is possible, perhaps probable, that the football game will result in the 100th victory in Coach Jim Cole’s long and illustrious career.  It should be a very special occasion for all whom are able to attend.  We expect a total of 75-80 people to be at the dinner buffet with plenty of time for people to mix and mingle.

The dress code for the weekend is definitely CASUAL.  You are expected to be comfortable throughout the weekend. 

Briefly, in review, the Friday evening at my house will begin when people get there but 7:00 p.m. is the scheduled time.  On Saturday, registration will be in the lobby of the Hogan Physical Education Center with lunch in the Community Day tent just north of the Hogan Center.  Kick-off at 1:00 p.m., Scots vs. Bluffton College.  We will have a tent with refreshments located at the southwest corner of Bahlke Field, near to the special banner that welcomes the undefeated teams.  At halftime, tentative plans call for the team members to be introduced immediately following the awarding of the community citizen-of-the year honor by the college president.  You will be introduced in numeric order, 10 to whatever.  A script is being prepared to announce the name, playing number, position and possible honors earned during your playing career.  We expect to move this phase rather fast so your full cooperation is expected. Maybe we will put Coach Stolz in charge. 

Remember, the reunion tent will be available all afternoon.  “Team photos” will be taken after the crowd subsides so gather in the tent following the game.  There should be sufficient time before the reception begins at 5:30 p.m. in Van Duzen Commons.  Dinner at 6:30 with short talks from the captains and John Leister, athletic director.  Your leader, Coach Stolz will have unlimited time and is expected to exceed the limit.  News note # 5 will furnish more details and update the registration list.

 

Alma College students have the ability to design their own area of academic concentration, with the assistance of a faculty advisor, to meet specific educational or career goals. In recent years, students have graduated with Programs of Emphasis majors in such fields as arts management, archaeology and anthropology, environmental policy and community advocacy, Foreign Service and international law, and music technology and digital media.

 

Coach Profile

Gordon Aldrich

Gordon Aldrich was a late addition to the Alma College Coaching Staff in the summer of 2007. Coach Aldrich has joined the Alma College Family as the Cross Country and Track and Field Head Coach.

During his 26 years as a varsity Boy’s and Girl’s Cross Country Coach, Aldrich has won a Girls Open State Championship (1978), a Girls State Championship (1995), two Boy’s State Championships (1994, 1997), and was Runner-up on seven other occasions. During the same time, Aldrich coached teams to 17 conference championships, was nominated for the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association Coach of the Year 12 times for cross country, and walked away with the award four times (1994, 1995, 1996, and 1998). He was also named the Boy’s Cross Country National Coach of the Year in 1999 by the National Federation Interscholastic Coaches Association.

Aldrich was also honored with Michigan High School Coaches Association Track Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1998, and has received the Charles Sweeney Michigan Coaches Hall of Fame Track and Field Award.