Former BCC football coaches receive 'humbling' honor from state group

Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer
·2 min read
Former Battle Creek Central football coaches Doug Bess, left, and Dick Bush, right received the prestigious Jim Crowley Award at the annual Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Clinic. They were each presented the award by former BCC coach Al Slamer, middle.
Former Battle Creek Central football coaches Doug Bess, left, and Dick Bush, right received the prestigious Jim Crowley Award at the annual Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Clinic. They were each presented the award by former BCC coach Al Slamer, middle.

It is one of the most important awards the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association hands out.

And two former Battle Creek Central coaches received it in the same year.

As part of the annual MHSFCA Coaches Clinic in Lansing on Friday, former Bearcat coaches Doug Bess and Dick Bush were presented with the Jim Crowley Award — which honors individuals who have made special contributions to the game of football and the MHSFCA.

"They both received, what is regarded, one of the most prestigious awards the association gives out," said current BCC football coach Lorin Granger, who is on the planning committee for the annual Coaches Clinic. "It's very exciting."

Bess was scheduled to receive the award in 2020, when the clinic was postponed due to COVID concerns. Bush was this year's recipient. Both were honored during the awards ceremony on Friday.

A former assistant coach and head coach for Battle Creek Central, Bess has been a part of the association since 1987 and is a past president and knows what the award means.

"It is the highest award our association gives," Bess said. "To me, it means a lot and it is an award that means even more to me because it comes from an association I have been proud to be a part of.

"It also means I have been at it a long time and this is how they reward you. I tell younger coaches, the best thing I ever did was get involved in the association."

The Jim Crowley Award is named for a former head coach at Jackson Lumen Christi who was tragically killed at the height of his career.

Former BCC coach Al Slamer helped present the award to both men, which meant a lot since each worked for him on the Bearcat staff.

"It is incredible to be honored like this and to have other BCC people around like Doug and Coach Slamer. It is special," said Bush, who started coaching at BCC in 1975 before retiring in 2008 and is still involved with the MHSFCA. "Very honestly, it is humbling. Looking at the list of people who have received it before. I am not sure why I am getting it, but I'm going to take it."

Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter: @billbroderick.

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Former BCC football coaches receive 'humbling' honor from state group