2009 Crowley Award Winner
Bob Scheloske, South Lyon
By Larry Sellers, Crowley Award Chair
Jim Crowley, in whose memory this award is named, was the head coach at Jackson St. John and Jackson Lumen Christi High Schools for seventeen years. His teams compiled a record of 127-34-6, had four unbeaten seasons and Class B State Championships in 1977 and ‘79. Jim served the MHSFCA as the Chairman of the Public Relations Committee.
Jim Crowley stressed having fun, working hard, and being dedicated to his young athletes. He often said, “If you don’t have fun playing football, it isn’t worth the time and effort you put into it.” Coach Crowley’s young men took that bit of philosophy to heart and had a great deal of success, not only on the football field but later in life as well. Coach Crowley was shot and killed in his own driveway just two months after the 1979 State football finals.
Jim Crowley was a good football coach and a valuable member of the MHSFCA. We remember that and recognize Jim’s contributions to football in Michigan with our annual award in his name.
Bob’s first teaching and coaching position was at Southgate Aquinas High School where he was a varsity assistant from 1969 to 1971. In the fall of 1972, he began his first head coaching position at Battle Creek Pennfield High School. While coaching at Pennfield, he earned his Master of Arts in Guidance and Counseling from Eastern Michigan University in 1973.
In 1976, Bob was in the Upper Peninsula at Houghton as he began a four year-stint as the offensive coordinator at Michigan Technological University. In 1980, he moved back to the Lower Peninsula and became the head coach at Southgate Aquinas High School. He was a counselor and the head coach at Aquinas through the 1984 season.
In 1985, Bob became head coach at South Lyon High School and remained there for nineteen years; he also served South Lyon Community Schools as its Athletic Director for seven years.
Over the past forty years, Bob has coached wrestling, track and basketball. His football teams have qualified eight times for the playoffs, won three regional titles and made one appearance in the state final. They amassed seven league championships and made two Prep Bowl appearances. Individual honors includesix Regional Coach of the Year Awards, one Class A Coach of the Year Award, two Oakland County Coach of the Year awards, Oakland County Athletic Director of the Year, East Coach in the MHSFCA All Star Game and MHSFCA Hall of Fame in 1988. He has served the MHSFCA as a director, chaplain, committee chair, and President. Bob revised the MHSFCA structure, proposed the naming of Academic All State Teams and individuals, and led the finance committee to move monies from savings accounts to conservative investments.
Much like Coach Crowley, our recipient stressed working hard, being dedicated, and having fun. He was a role model to the thousands of young men he has coached throughout his career. He also was a role model to the young coaches who sought his advice, always willing to sit down with them to discuss football or to give them one of life’s lessons.
Bob’s wife of almost forty years, Mary, and children Lynn, Jim and Mike are extremely proud of what their husband and father has given not only to them but to the countless number of young men whose lives have been touched by “Coach Bob.”