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Tribute to Coach Siderwitz from a former Bomber Player. From George M. Gilbert, Retired Football Coach It saddens me to hear the news on the passing of Coach Siderwitz. Rensselaer has one of the longest and most successful programs hear dating back to football beginnings in Indiana. During the early 1960s football was struggling at Rensselaer. My oldest brother was on the team and in comes a new coach, with a new staff. I was 9 at the time and I would go out daily and watch football practice. So, growing up all summer we had Bear's camp, then they left and in August HS football camp. Coach Siderwitz had an immediate impact on Rensselaer football, school atmosphere, and community support. I have had 3 main influences on my life as far as coaching mentors and Coach Siderwitz was my first who gave me direction. Never wrote anything down being a young boy but seeing what he did daily carried over and impacted my approach to coaching. Coach's home was always open for players to stop by and talk football, I would tag along with my brother, and he would show film and give direction to one boy or a group [even allowed little brother to hang out], Right before school started, Coach asked me to come with him a moment and I was nervous, but it ended up he was cleaning out the storage area in school and gave me an old leather pair of shoulder pads, and a old set of pants and a jersey. He also gave me a football that looked more like a basketball. These items I cherished during my youth, and I could not wait to play for this man. In 1965, HOF Coach Berto brought Delphi to Rensselaer to play the Bombers. Coach Berto had a long winning streak going as both teams were undefeated, and the old Field at Brookside was rocking. Game came down to a questionable call late in the securing of victory for Delphi, but the controversy would always be remembered and the supposed Rensselaer time out. In 1969, I was a freshman and finally would be coached by Coach Siderwitz and his great staff. Our class was large and talented, and Coach would select 4 or 5 freshman to the varsity squad and I was lucky enough to be one of them. Knowing I probably would not get into the game but being on the team as a freshman was exciting. I was lucky enough to have a varsity player [Steve Snyder – long time Twin Lakes Coach] take me in and make sure that I knew what was expected and he mentored me, what an experience that year and I even got some clean up duty on the field with the other freshmen. Three main take a ways from Coach Siderwitz that I have instilled throughout my career... 1. Hire coaches that know the sport and buy into your philosophy. Four members of that staff will join Coach in the HOF in football and one in wrestling! 2. Practice is the key. Coach expected each player to play above their level, he would yell at the team or an unfocused individual and everyone would have eyes locked on him. Then when things picked up he would make some comment or joke and everyone was laughing and focused. Practice is the key to success building continuity and making sure team can play at a high level play in and play out. Coach would get very aggressive for lack of focus or not working to one’s top ability and would call you out on the spot. But…by the end of practice he would touch you in some way so you knew he was not upset with you but your performance and that tomorrow would be a better day. Our top test in those years at practice was the pole orchard, talk to an older alumnus and they will tell you stories. It was based on blood [if you never bled there, that was your fault, sweat [usually tired and tested to see if you can win late in contests], tears [tears of joy when you defeated someone in the orchard or sadness when you did not perform-Coach often would make you go several times if you were get ting beat stating you will not win every play but must find a way to overcome, get off ball quicker, lower, more leg…] Everyone wanted to be a champion at the orchard and he never allowed mismatches, always best on best and so on. 3. Game Night. Coach had a great deal of character in his leadership and right before you took the field, he gave a brief motivation talk that you could not wait to get out there and give your first hit to the opponent. I was a freshman, probably not getting in the game and I wanted so much to feel what the starters felt under the lights at Brookside Park across from the cemetery on the west side of the city. Coach Siderwitz has left generations of athletes where ever he coached better men and citizens due to unselfish devotion the the sport we all love. RIP, Coach! I remember you now as when I was a young boy and the lessons taught gave me an opportunity to represent your hard work with dignity, respect and loyalty!

Congratulations to these All Stars selected to play in the 57th Annual Murat Shrine North/South Football All Star Classic. Friday, July 14th 7:00pm - Decatur Central High School

Actually with the time zone, it would be 15 minutes one way and 2 hours and 15 minutes the other. Sorry, couldn't resist 😁

Thanks for all the responses here Coach Gilbert and Sndyer. Bombers had their lights on Friday Night for him !!

I really do not see why a new conference discussion would not be allowed. Here was my follow up on the topic to clarify a couple things in detail.

As a Triton fan, I'm sorry to see LaVille leave the HNAC, but I totally get it. This is a great new conference from a school size and competition perspective! Add Fairfield and Rochester to the list and this is pretty darn near perfect!

Bears agree to terms with T.J. Edwards on three-year deal, per report Edwards had 159 tackles for the Eagles last season The Chicago Bears landed one of the prized linebackers in free agency, agreeing to terms on a three-year deal with T.J. Edwards minutes after the legal tampering period started. Edwards, one of the many free agents on the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, will receive $19.5 million over three years, per NFL Network. The Bears had an interest in Edwards from the start of the legal tampering period, hence the quick agreement. Former Eagles executive Ian Cunningham is an assistant general manager of the Bears and was part of the braintrust when Philadelphia signed Edwards as an unrestricted free agent back in 2019. Edwards also went to high school in Chicago, so he'll be returning to his hometown. Edwards ranked tied for sixth in the NFL with 159 tackles last season. He's also seventh in the league with 289 tackles over the last two seasons. Edwards had 159 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, seven passes defensed, five quarterback hits, two sacks, and one fumble recovery for the Eagles last season. He had the fewest yards per attempt allowed (4.4) in coverage last season (among 75 players with 70-plus targets).

I think the NIC offered the 4 schools a lifeline. I don't think the decision was made for or against Penn, and probably waas more of a move for the South Bend Schools to have more winnable games in football and other sports. In some cases it worked, and other cases it didn't. From what I have heard from Bremen people that this change is not coming as a result of competition but more of a financial decision. The gate Bremen was recieving from playing certain schools was down dramatically compared to when they played in the NSC. This is about getting similiar schools with similiar fan bases that will lead to larger gate reciepts. Bremen hasn't been over its head competion wise in most sports other than basketball, and the basketball issue isn't a conference issue its a commitment to the program problem that started back 20 years ago at the end of the Gary Hudson era. Failure on the part of the adminastration to hire quick fixes instead of having a winning vision. Thats a Bremen problem. I am sure that they have feelers out to several schools, as an idiot fan who has no real insight, my targets would be Fairfield and Rochester. After that Judson and possibly Wawasee. Then you could look at St. Joe and Marian. CMA brings strong competion but doesn't bring in gate. They would not be considered in my opinion.

I was interested in the league until I realized that it involved a reality-house show that I could give two craps about. I also found it to have far too many rules, including not being able to leave your feet, which part of the facial area can be slapped, which part of the hand can be used and etc. I understand that there are safety concerns, but are there really? I mean, it's a sport involving two fit and strong men repeatedly slapping each other, in the face, without any protection or the ability to move. I watched the first episode and none of the rules were really explained and several fights ended with a slapper losing by DQ, but moving on to the next round because they injured their opponent with an illegal slap. Without the idiotic reality TV formula, both fighters should've been eliminated. Many of the fighters are only receiving a few thousand dollars to compete in the show, which is a joke when considering that Dana White owns it.

The problem at Central is a coach who tries to instill discipline and accountability has no chance.

Advantage Bears

Sorry. That was @gonzoron.

Yeah, he'll be brining in 100k+ in probably just a decade, and have little to no student loan debt.

Evan Lawrence (2024), 6'7" & 255lb Offensive Tackle from Danville. Has been offered a full scholarship from Indiana State to play offensive line!

100% agree PHJ. The video can't be debated. He sends his players around the students as he should, but instead of following them, turned to his left and pushed his way through the kids, making contact with a number of them. He totally instigated the incident. And Carmel admin uses this event to push for separation from CG, claiming CG admin didn't punish a kid enough who received a 3 day suspension for pushing the coach back AFTER the coach made contact with him first? It makes zero sense. There has to be more at play here. Why hasn't the IHSAA stepped in if Carmel admin is unable to hold their coaches to a standard? I have my thoughts, as I guess so do many others. Carmel looks very bad in this case....and it would seem they are willing to do anything to separate themselves from CG and win their way back into the MIC. I just hope the CG admin starts making demands of Carmel or escalates this to the IHSAA forcing their hand. Totally unacceptable.

A true legend of the game. Always loved watching games when it was Winter in Minnesota. But he had some great teams that it seems do not get as much attention as they deserve. RIP Coach. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35835975/bud-grant-led-vikings-4-super-bowls-hof-career-dies