There will be quite a Goodrich High School connection at Ford Field Tuesday, Dec. 26.
That day, sophomore English teacher John Lamerato, 26, and math/business teacher Kevin Ayre, 29, are planning to make the trek to downtown Detroit to support their alma mater, Central Michigan University, as the Chippewas take on Middle Tennessee State in the Motor City Bowl.
In addition, they said three of their GHS colleagues and fellow CMU alumni ? math teacher Travis McDowell, dramatic arts teacher Steve Mitchell and psychology teacher Greg Yelland ? will attend the bowl game.
CMU went 9-4 overall and 7-1 in the Mid-American Conference this season, defeating Ohio 31-10 for the MAC championship Nov. 30 at Ford Field in Detroit.
For Lamerato, who graduated from CMU in 2003, it will be a chance to reunite with some old friends. He said he attended every CMU home game while a student at the university, and, along with some friends, organized to show their support for the Chippewas.
‘My friends and I started a spirit organization for the team, called the Chippewa Crew,? he said. ‘It’s kind of cool, because it still exists today. We never missed a home game. We’ve reunited all the guys for this game.?
Ayre, a 1999 CMU alumnus, also attended each CMU home game, and traveled to Kalamazoo one year to see the Chippewas take on archrival Western Michigan.
He talked about how CMU used to have a top-notch football program under former coach and athletic director Herb Deromedi. However, after Coach Dick Flynn led the Chippewas to the MAC championship and a spot in the Las Vegas Bowl in 1994, Central’s football fortunes took a turn for the worse.
‘We suffered through some lean years,? Ayre said. ‘From 1996 through this year, they’ve struggled. It’s good to see them back on top.?
The two teachers also talked about now-former CMU coach Brian Kelly’s departure for the same job at the University of Cincinnati.
Three days after coaching the Chippewas in the MAC title game, Kelly, who was the Chippewas? coach for three seasons, was hired as the new head coach of the Bearcats. As a result, interim coach Jeff Quinn will lead the Chippewas against Middle Tennessee State.
Quinn was formerly the associate head coach/offensive line coach at CMU for three seasons before being promoted to the interim job after Kelly’s departure.
Neither Ayre nor Lamerato begrudged Kelly the chance to advance his career by taking another job. ‘I wasn’t surprised ? I feel like it’s (the CMU job) kind of a steppingstone,? Ayre said.
However, Lamerato questioned Kelly taking the Cincinnati job instead of waiting for a more high-profile job.
‘I see it as more of a lateral move,? he said.
Even though Kelly has left CMU, Lamerato said he expects the Chippewas will continue to field a solid team.
‘If anything, winning’s kind of contagious,? he said. ‘With the television exposure they’ve had this season, it’s huge for recruiting. I think it will publicize the university where they can get some bigger recruits.?
For his part, Ayre said he thinks a workout regimen implemented by Kelly had a positive effect on the team this year, and he thinks that regimen will be continued, even with a new coach at CMU.
‘I watched a little documentary on Brian Kelly and how he implemented his workout regimen,? he said. ‘He brought in lots of sand for the players to run in. They felt like that made a difference, and that they were in better shape.?