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By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK —  It’s the end of an era — after creating a “football dynasty” with a combined 100 years of coaching experience, three RCS coaches are calling it a career.

Head Coach Gary VanDerzee and Coaches Robert Dorrance and Michael Kerrigan are retiring from the gridiron this year, and on Saturday the community and their former and current players gathered in the high school gym to bid them a fond farewell.

Speakers at the event spoke from beneath a giant banner created specially for the occasion emblazoned with the motto “The Last Ride,” both in honor of the three coaches’ retirement and the last year the team will be known as the Indians. 

Under a state mandate, the team will no longer be the Indians with the start of the 2024-25 school year, and will instead be renamed the Ravens.

For the players, families and fans that turned out on Saturday, the life lessons and football skills learned from the three coaches have proved invaluable. The team’s success on the field over the past four decades or so was also a testament to their coaching ability, supporters said.

Coach Bruce Stott said VanDerzee, over 40 years of coaching the team, created a “football dynasty” and influenced the lives of the young men who passed through the program in countless ways.

For RCS alumnus Alex Soutiere, who played football and wrestled from 2009-13, the coaches’ influence went far beyond the gridiron.

“Coach VanDerzee was a big part of my life because I have a single mom and he was a big advocate and supporter,” Soutiere said. “I remember times when I wasn’t able to go to practice or I didn’t have a ride, he would pick me up — Coach Dorrance would pick me up, too. I remember first thing in the morning, Coach VanDerzee in a hoodie in a freezing cold car with a cup of coffee. When I was told he was retiring, I had to come.”

Alex’s mother, Chris Soutiere, said VanDerzee was far more than a football coach to her family.

“Alex used to go over to Coach VanDerzee’s house and hang out with his grandkids,” Chris Soutiere said. “He was a really good role model for Alex.”

Mom Donna McMullen helped organize the event and welcomed the audience at the start of the program. Her four sons played football under the trio of coaches.

“Thank you for giving many young men the opportunity to play on successful teams and bond with their teammates on and off the field,” McMullen said. “Every player I talked to remembers fondly back to their glory days of  hanging out with teammates and fostering school pride.”

Each of the three coaches was honored by a family member who spoke of their careers and how much they influenced their lives and those of their players.

Jack Kerrigan called his father a strong role model who helped kids on and off the field. As the defensive coach for 11 years and working with the program for 30 years, Michael Kerrigan left the team with incredibly strong defensive records the past few years, Jack Kerrigan said.

“Over the past three years, your defense has been top notch,” he said. “In 2021, we allowed 15.5 points, in 2022 it was 11.7, and in 2023 it was a stifling 9 points per game. This run included many players who were all-league and all-state selections, and I want to applaud you on that.”

Robert Dorrance said some of his earliest memories of his father were of playing and learning about football.

“After everything you have accomplished, I am proud to have called you my coach, but I’m even prouder to be able to call you my dad.”

VanDerzee’s grandson Jack McFerran, who currently plays on the team, said his grandfather’s life lessons have proved important along with the skills he taught in football.

“The past four years on JV and varsity have been the best of my life,” Jack Kerrigan said. “You taught me invaluable lessons, such as how strong family can be.”

Coach Michael Kerrigan said the big turnout for the retirement was gratifying.

“This was amazing. It’s a good community and always gave us support,” he said.

Dorrance also gave kudos to the community for their support over the years.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you to the community,” Dorrance said. “They have always supported everything we tried to do and they backed the program year in and year out. It’s just been a wonderful experience and a terrific ride.”

For VanDerzee, his fondest memories over the past 40 years have been seeing the young men he coached growing and improving.

“It’s special to see them after all these years and to be able to share these memories with them,” VanDerzee said. “Some of the most special moments have been when we didn’t think we had a shot and the kids stood up, and seasons where we didn’t have great expectations, but we superceded them. Just watching these kids succeed and grown — that has been so special.”

Special thanks to photojournalist Jennifer Kennedy for providing images of last weekend’s event.