2018 Cougar Honorees
2018 Honorees
A 1970 CC graduate, Bob excelled in three sports for the Cougars. He started at End for the highly ranked CC football team his senior year and was All-Conference in swimming. It was in track and field that Cassleman set a standard seldom seen in high school sports. Bob was All-Conference in four events, set school records in three, and a Conference record in the 440-yard run. He continued his success at Michigan State by winning 13 Big Ten Conference event championships. He earned five All-American honors and was voted into the Spartan Sports Hall of Fame. Cassleman coached collegiate track and field for 17 years culminating as the women’s track & field head coach at Washington State University.
The Cougars have a long history of track and field excellence in the pole vault event. Charles DeWildt, Class of 1997, stands out as one of the best overall. His high school vaults established records at the school, conference, and Grand Rapids area with a 16ft, 6in. performance. In 1997 he was the Class B Pole Vault State Champion. Moving on to the University of Michigan, Charles won the Big Ten Conference Championship in 2000 during an exceptional career with the Wolverine track team.
John spent 19 years at Catholic Central as a teacher, coach, and athletic director. As assistant and head baseball Coach Dolce won numerous conference, district and regional championships from 1980 to 1995. His 1985 team won the Class B State Championship. As athletic director, John balanced the sports programs for boy’s and girl’s teams at 12 each. John also initiated a program to recognize the Cougar community supporters listed on the Hall of Fame display in the gym lobby. John continues to educate students as assistant principal at Forest Hills Northern High School.
Mike, the son of previously honored Jim Galvin, graduated from CC in 1989. At Catholic Central Mike was All-Conference in wrestling on three occasions and All-State twice. A Ted Sowle Award winner, Galvin was also All-Conference twice in football. Mike continued his wrestling career at Central Michigan University where he became the Mid-American Conference 177-pound champion. He also served as the team captain for the wrestling team while earning Academic All-Conference recognition.
Tara, CC class of 2000, was captain of the track team and the competitive cheer team. Her leadership and performance in the competitive cheer program resulted in three Regional Championships and a State Championship during her time on the varsity team. She was selected to the All-Area team twice. Several years later Tara joined the CC cheer coaching staff and was head coach from 2006 to 2015. Her teams reached the State Finals three times. Tara continues to serve the Competitive Cheer program as an MHSAA registered official.
Mike was a vital member of the Cougar golf teams that won the Conference Championship each of his four years at CC. And each year the team advanced to the MHSAA State Finals. Ketelaar earned All-Conference and All-Area honors multiple times and received All-State honors. Following his CC graduation in 2003, he played on the Aquinas College golf team. Mike currently works in the Kentwood school system.
Jennifer graduated from CC in 1995 following an outstanding basketball career for the Cougars. She earned All-Conference and All-Area recognition twice. In addition to All-State honors her senior year, Jennifer won the Nameth Award from the West Michigan Officials Association as the outstanding student-athlete of the year. She continued her education and basketball success as a four-year member of the Rice University team in Texas.
Chris, a 1985 graduate of Catholic Central, was one of the players who put CC hockey on the map. He was All-Conference three times in hockey and was elected to the All-State team in hockey three times. His teams won the MHSAA Regional Championship all four years he played for CC. His team was also a State Finalist in 1985.
Tom, a 1982 graduate, was an outstanding athlete in football where he was voted to the All-Conference team. He also played baseball and basketball and won the Ted Sowle Award. Many of us remember Tom for his dedicated 13 years as Head Football Coach here at CC. During those years he compiled a great 99-39-1 record. His teams won the Conference Championship 7 times, made the playoffs on 10 occasions and played in the State Finals in 2005. Tom continues to teach and coach in the Traverse City area where he is a guidance counselor at Traverse City Central High School and the baseball coach at Traverse City St. Francis High School.
Denny graduated in 1964 and was one of the first freshman to start on our varsity basketball team. He was All-Conference in basketball twice and was elected as a member of the prestigious All-Time All-City team. Denny also played baseball and football. He continued on to Loyola University where he played during their heyday and then finished out his career at Aquinas College.
Anne, the daughter of long-time CC tennis coach Pat Williams, graduated in 2000 following an excellent Cougar athletic career in tennis, volleyball, and softball. She had the unique distinction of earning All-Conference honors in her three sports. In volleyball, she established several school records. In tennis, Anne was selected to All-Conference and All-Area teams each of her four years at CC. She was the Ted Sowle Award winner for the class of 2000. Anne continued her athletic accomplishments at the 2008 Ironman competition in Lake Placid, NY.
David, CC class of 1961, served the Catholic Central community as an outstanding athlete in football and baseball. In football, he was a starting lineman on the 1959 State Championship team and earned All-Conference and All-State honors. He played football and graduated from the University of Michigan before returning to Grand Rapids to serve as a coach, faculty, and administrator at both Catholic High Schools. He completed his long-time service to our community as Superintendent of Grand Rapids Catholic Secondary Schools.
Before Kelly graduated in 2002, she established a new CC and Conference record in the shotput event by beating her previous conference record with a throw of 42 feet, 3 inches. Her record throw finished off a string of four straight Conference Championships she earned in the shotput for CC. She also won two discus championships for the Cougars. Her performances earned her track and field All-Conference and All-State honors.
Brian was a 1977 graduate of CC who participated in golf, baseball, and hockey. He was elected All-Conference in hockey. Brian began playing rugby in 1978 with the Grand Rapids Gazelles Rugby Club. He went on to create an exceptional career in world-class rugby where he became Captain of the United States National Team. During his 11 years playing with a San Diego club team the club won National Club Championship titles five times, and National Seven-man Championships twice. Brian served as executive director of the Rugby Super League from 1996-1999 and on USA Rugby’s Board of Directors from 1996-1998. Brian has also worked as a co-host and color commentator for The Rugby Club, a weekly two-hour broadcast airing on Fox Sports World. In 2016 Brian was selected to the USA Rugby Hall of Fame. Brian has been the executive director of the U.S. Rugby Foundation since July 2004. He handles the operations of the foundation and works with the foundation committees.