Cougar Honors
The Cougar Honors Program recognizes exceptional performance and support as a student-athlete or staff member in the Catholic Central athletic program and beyond. By recognizing those who perform and serve, the Honors program inspires current athletes to pursue the excellence demonstrated by those we honor. The program also documents school tradition and Catholic Central community pride. Each honoree is acknowledged with a plaque mounted on the wall in the Ted Sowle Plaza at the south end of Cougar Stadium.
Sowle Plaza
Dedicated to Theo (Ted) Sowle 1912-1971; Coach and Athletic Director
Ted’s CC football teams won eleven League Championships and four State Championships, with an impressive overall record of 136-30-7
His Track & Field teams won seven City Championships and six Individual State Championships
Coach Sowle’s exceptional coaching career was acknowledged by his induction into the Michigan Football Coaches Hall of Fame and the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame
2025 Lifetime Achievement Award
Richard “Coach T” Truskoski
A legendary presence at Catholic Central for nearly five decades, Richard “Coach T” Truskoski has shaped generations of Cougars with his passion for teaching, coaching, and community. First hired in 1978 by Deacon Dale Hollern, Coach T began his CC journey teaching Biology and General Science, while coaching both football and basketball. After a brief time teaching in Battle Creek and Houston, Texas, he returned to Catholic Central in 1983—hired by Jim O’Donnell—and never looked back.
Over the years, Coach T taught a wide range of science courses including Physiology/Anatomy, AP Environmental Science, Chemistry, Biology, and General Science. In the classroom and on the field, his impact was both profound and enduring.
Coach T dedicated over 40 years to Catholic Central Football, coaching from 1978–1981 and again from 1983–2025. He led or assisted in an astonishing 252 games, helping form not only athletes but young men of character. He was also a valued part of the basketball program from 1978–1989, serving as head coach for three of those years.
Known for his signature pep rally entrances and unwavering school spirit, Coach T has long been a fixture in the heart of Cougar Nation. He credits his wife, Maria, and daughter, Tara, for their steadfast love and support throughout
his storied career.
