Pictured above is the Coach Maskill statue that will be unveiled to the public at a special ceremony September 5 at 6 p.m. before G-A’s game against Plainwell.
(Photo by Bruce Rolfe)
By Bruce Rolfe
A very special moment that has been in the planning stages for years will take place Friday, September 5, when the former Galesburg-Augusta legendary and Hall of Fame football Coach Bill Maskill statue will be unveiled before G-A’s home varsity football game against Plainwell at Maskill Field.
The statue unveiling ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. followed by the game at 7 p.m.
Former coaches and players who played for Coach Maskill will be recognized on the track in front of the home bleachers by the decade in between the 1st and 2nd quarters.
There will be a Friday Night Ram Jam tailgate event that will feature hot dogs and pop, a bounce house, and more starting at 4:30 p.m.
Maskill’s daughter, Jayne Maskill, said discussions about the statue started several years ago. She said Mary Helen Maskill, the wife of Bill Maskill Jr., discovered artist Josh Diedrich in Kalamazoo. He was commissioned to make the statue of coach.
Diedrich created a three-quarter full sized figure, life size, but cut off at mid thigh. The sculpture shows Maskill being raised up on the shoulders of his football players after a milestone win in 1982.
The scene is from the October 15, 1982 G-A football game when Maskill won his 213th game to become the all time winning coach in Michigan history. G-A beat Paw Paw 41-12 that night. The October 20, 1982 Galesburg Argus said after the win Maskill was carried on the shoulders of his players for a period of time followed by an informal reception at midfield.
Maskill’s daughter said after years of planning and watching the progress that was made on the statue up until the sculpture was delivered to G-A in August, it will be very rewarding to see the statue of her dad unveiled for the public to enjoy.
“It’s going to be just a wonderful blessing to remind us of what my dad gave to the community and what the community gave to him. It gives me chills. He would be so proud, and so happy. The beautiful field, and continuing his legacy,” said the late coach’s daughter, who said many family members plan to come to the event.
The statue unveiling will also mean a lot to former players, coaches and community members.
Dave Meadows, a 1965 G-A graduate who played for Maskill in 1964 and 1965, feels the honor is well deserved.
“He’d be honored. He should be. He was one of the best in the nation,” said Meadows, who played as a defensive end, a linebacker and offensive end.
“He (Maskill) was real good. We had a couple of coaches. Him and George McGinnis. He (McGinnis) was our biology teacher. He taught the defense most of the time and Maskill had the offense,” said Meadows.
All three of Meadow’s sons, Dave, Kevin and Jason, played for Maskill.
Jason played on the 1990 state runner up team that lost to Muskegon Catholic Central 21-6 in the state finals game. That game would be Maskill’s final game as G-A’s varsity coach.
Kevin Meadows, who has taught physical education for 28 years at Gull Lake and coached JV and varsity football at Gull Lake for 30 years, said he carried a lot of what Coach Maskill taught him into life.
“As a former player, and he was an educator to me too, he was one of my role models to go into teaching and coaching, because I do that now. I’ve been doing it for 30 years. He inspired me in a lot of ways, other then football. Just the way he was with everybody. He knew you. He knew the family. It’s not like he said, hey, you’re number 89, get over here and play for me. He knew you. He was a family guy.
Community, he was all about it. It just feels like an honor. I respected him. That’s how I live life, is kind of like he did,” said Kevin, a 1989 G-A graduate, who played tight end mainly but was also a defensive end and defensive lineman and plans to be at the September 5 statue unveiling.
Steve Smith, another former player who went on to be Maskill’s JV football coach for nine years, said he’s especially looking forward to reuniting with many of his former teammates and players he coached.
Smith was a 1967 G-A graduate who played on the 1966 state champion Ram football team coached by Maskill.
“The main thing is we get to honor Coach Maskill and what he meant, not just to the football program but to the whole community. It’s long over due that we honor him. I’m glad to see that it’s finally getting done,” said Smith, who grew up with Maskill’s son Billy and played middle linebacker and as a split end.
The family, former players, coaches and the school district have been spreading the word about this memorable event.
“It will be quite a celebration I believe,” said Jayne Maskill.
Born in Detroit April 10, 1923, Maskill began his coaching career with a six-year stint at Sheridan High School where he compiled a 31-18-1 record. However most of his 40 years teaching and coaching was spent at G-A High School where he coached football 34 years, taught physical education for 25 years, was athletic director and spent 18 years teaching science.
Known as “Coach” by most people, Maskill coached at G-A from 1957-1990. He guided four G-A football teams to four Class C state championships (1962, 1966, 1967, and 1970), and two Class C state runner up finishes in 1990 and 1959.
Coach compiled a 241-66-1 record at G-A and had a career record of 272-84-2.
He died October 22, 2019.
A very special moment that has been in the planning stages for years will take place Friday, September 5, when the former Galesburg-Augusta legendary and Hall of Fame football Coach Bill Maskill statue will be unveiled before G-A’s home varsity football game against Plainwell at Maskill Field.
The statue unveiling ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. followed by the game at 7 p.m.
Former coaches and players who played for Coach Maskill will be recognized on the track in front of the home bleachers by the decade in between the 1st and 2nd quarters.
There will be a Friday Night Ram Jam tailgate event that will feature hot dogs and pop, a bounce house, and more starting at 4:30 p.m.
Maskill’s daughter, Jayne Maskill, said discussions about the statue started several years ago. She said Mary Helen Maskill, the wife of Bill Maskill Jr., discovered artist Josh Diedrich in Kalamazoo. He was commissioned to make the statue of coach.
Diedrich created a three-quarter full sized figure, life size, but cut off at mid thigh. The sculpture shows Maskill being raised up on the shoulders of his football players after a milestone win in 1982.
The scene is from the October 15, 1982 G-A football game when Maskill won his 213th game to become the all time winning coach in Michigan history. G-A beat Paw Paw 41-12 that night. The October 20, 1982 Galesburg Argus said after the win Maskill was carried on the shoulders of his players for a period of time followed by an informal reception at midfield.
Maskill’s daughter said after years of planning and watching the progress that was made on the statue up until the sculpture was delivered to G-A in August, it will be very rewarding to see the statue of her dad unveiled for the public to enjoy.
“It’s going to be just a wonderful blessing to remind us of what my dad gave to the community and what the community gave to him. It gives me chills. He would be so proud, and so happy. The beautiful field, and continuing his legacy,” said the late coach’s daughter, who said many family members plan to come to the event.
The statue unveiling will also mean a lot to former players, coaches and community members.
Dave Meadows, a 1965 G-A graduate who played for Maskill in 1964 and 1965, feels the honor is well deserved.
“He’d be honored. He should be. He was one of the best in the nation,” said Meadows, who played as a defensive end, a linebacker and offensive end.
“He (Maskill) was real good. We had a couple of coaches. Him and George McGinnis. He (McGinnis) was our biology teacher. He taught the defense most of the time and Maskill had the offense,” said Meadows.
All three of Meadow’s sons, Dave, Kevin and Jason, played for Maskill.
Jason played on the 1990 state runner up team that lost to Muskegon Catholic Central 21-6 in the state finals game. That game would be Maskill’s final game as G-A’s varsity coach.
Kevin Meadows, who has taught physical education for 28 years at Gull Lake and coached JV and varsity football at Gull Lake for 30 years, said he carried a lot of what Coach Maskill taught him into life.
“As a former player, and he was an educator to me too, he was one of my role models to go into teaching and coaching, because I do that now. I’ve been doing it for 30 years. He inspired me in a lot of ways, other then football. Just the way he was with everybody. He knew you. He knew the family. It’s not like he said, hey, you’re number 89, get over here and play for me. He knew you. He was a family guy.
Community, he was all about it. It just feels like an honor. I respected him. That’s how I live life, is kind of like he did,” said Kevin, a 1989 G-A graduate, who played tight end mainly but was also a defensive end and defensive lineman and plans to be at the September 5 statue unveiling.
Steve Smith, another former player who went on to be Maskill’s JV football coach for nine years, said he’s especially looking forward to reuniting with many of his former teammates and players he coached.
Smith was a 1967 G-A graduate who played on the 1966 state champion Ram football team coached by Maskill.
“The main thing is we get to honor Coach Maskill and what he meant, not just to the football program but to the whole community. It’s long over due that we honor him. I’m glad to see that it’s finally getting done,” said Smith, who grew up with Maskill’s son Billy and played middle linebacker and as a split end.
The family, former players, coaches and the school district have been spreading the word about this memorable event.
“It will be quite a celebration I believe,” said Jayne Maskill.
Born in Detroit April 10, 1923, Maskill began his coaching career with a six-year stint at Sheridan High School where he compiled a 31-18-1 record. However most of his 40 years teaching and coaching was spent at G-A High School where he coached football 34 years, taught physical education for 25 years, was athletic director and spent 18 years teaching science.
Known as “Coach” by most people, Maskill coached at G-A from 1957-1990. He guided four G-A football teams to four Class C state championships (1962, 1966, 1967, and 1970), and two Class C state runner up finishes in 1990 and 1959.
Coach compiled a 241-66-1 record at G-A and had a career record of 272-84-2.
He died October 22, 2019.
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