Coach marks 40 seasons of changing lives
Rick Schulte, Special to The Michigan Catholic
Published January 26, 2007
Catholic Schools Supplement
Gregg McIntosh | The Michigan Catholic
Ray Lauwers, coach of St. Mary Catholic Central, walks the sideline of a gym | Monroe — On most Sundays, either before or after a morning practice, the boys' varsity basketball team at St. Mary Catholic Central, Monroe, goes to morning Mass as a group.
Usually, there are enough players to take up two rows of pews.
"We were in church, and I noticed something going on behind me," says SMCC coach Ray Lauwers, who was sitting in the first row among his team. "Apparently, the whole row of boys behind me got up to stand in the back of the church, to give up their seats to other people.
"That's the kind of kids we get here."
Lauwers has reason to be proud of his many accomplishments in 40 seasons at Monroe Catholic Central (an all-boys school) and now St. Mary Catholic Central (which came from the merger of Catholic Central and the all-girls St. Mary's Academy).
His teams have won 14 district championships and 13 Huron League championships, and have claimed more than 560 victories. His Falcons have a reputation for being disciplined and organized.
But that success alone is not what has kept Lauwers on the sidelines all these years.
The beginnings
"I never don't want to go to school," says Lauwers, who along with being the basketball coach has been a teacher at the school since 1967. "If you find something you love, you never have to work a day in your life."
So Lauwers has been "not working" since 1961.
After graduating from Sacred Heart High School in Detroit, then studying at Sacred Heart Seminary and the University of Detroit, he started out as an English teacher as well as a football and basketball coach at St. Gertrude in St. Clair Shores. From there, he moved to Annunciation High School in Detroit, where he taught and coached three sports — football, basketball and baseball.
He wound up at Catholic Central in Monroe with his longest-running position, as a teacher and coach.
Lauwers earned his master's degree in English, and taught that for many years. One day, however, Lauwers was asked if he was interested in doing something different in the classroom.
"They needed someone to teach morality," he says. "I told them, 'No, I'm not interested.' But they said to think about it some more."
After a bit of trepidation, Lauwers finally found the concept appealing. It must have worked out, because he's still challenging young minds in the theology department.
A special coach
Theology teacher and basketball coach? Lauwers admitted those are two terms not typically related to each other. But in coaching a sport at a Catholic school, Lauwers explains there is indeed a bit of theology involved. There's also a great deal from sports that can be incorporated into a spiritual life.
"I really believe sports are a microcosm of life," he says. "The things you promulgate in coaching are a part of life.
"One of the things you deal with in death is loss. You have to contend with the sense of loss, the anger, all of the things associated with it. In sports, you're going to lose sometimes. You have to be able to get through the anger, or you'll be unable to deal with moving on."
In his role, Lauwers sees himself as not just a coach, but as someone who is grooming young men and women — not just his basketball players, but all of his students — to become adults.
In all of his years, he doesn't really see that the youngsters have changed.
"It's kind of a cliché, but I think parents have changed more than the kids have," he says. "The kids respond to what is expected of them."
Lauwers admitted that although coaches did have more leeway when he first started than they do today, they still need structure and discipline to reach their goals, even if a lot of effort is required to reach them.
However, once they put the time and effort in, he finds the end result to be quite rewarding.
"I want to teach everyone that you can make a difference in the world," Lauwers says. "That's the challenge. You might never get your name in the newspaper for it, but you can make a difference in peoples' lives."
And doing something like that is what really impresses him, more than how many points are scored or games are won.
"I guess you're asking me about heroes," he says. "Some of my heroes are people I taught, who have become good family people of faith, whose family lives are formed by values. That makes me happy to run into my former students like that.
"People sometimes say to me, 'Think about how many lives you've touched.' But really, think about how many lives have touched mine. I'm pretty fortunate with that."
He's touched others, too
Tom Spas, SMCC's athletic director, says, "He was my coach when I went to school here, and I've been athletic director for 30 years."
He adds, "I've never had to interview for a varsity basketball coach, which is great.
"I had him as a theology teacher, an English teach and a coach," Spas says. "He has qualities we look for when it's time to hire a new person to coach here at the school. He's a great role model. He means a lot to a lot of people."
The impact he's had on the lives of others was evident by the response that came after the death of his wife, Patricia, back in September. There were nearly 1,300 people who came through to offer their condolences. Many stood in line for two hours, just to pay their respects.
"One of my regrets is the sacrifices my wife had to make for me," he says.
True, being the wife of a coach requires a lot of patience. Coaching does take up a lot of time. In fact, Lauwers nearly stepped down from coaching a few years ago, out of respect for his wife. When she heard of his plans, however, she let him know that the best place for him was with his team.
"You can't quit," she told him, he remembers. "She had to make tremendous sacrifices. But she was a very independent woman. You never had to wonder where you stood with her."
"We often equate coaching success in terms of wins and losses, and Coach Lauwers has certainly amassed an amazing record," says Steve Hawley, the former coach at Riverview High School and one of SMCC's biggest rivals in recent years. "But when you talk to former players they all mention how they grew much more as people from their experience. This is really where Ray has left a lasting legacy. I don't know of any better compliment a coach can get."
Catholic Schools Week Activities | Open Houses
School Locator | School Information
Tuition Assistance | High School Placement Test
|
