Three generations of Schugars men pose with the district football finals trophy (l-r) Traverse City Central head coach Eric, special teams coach Jack, and junior Talan Schugars. Traverse City Central upset Muskegon, 16-14, on Nov. 7 at Hackley Stadium in Muskegon.
(Photo Scott DeCamp)
By Scott DeCamp
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – The smiles on Jack and Eric Schugars’ faces said it all.
Father and son shared a joyful embrace in the handshake line immediately following their Traverse City Central football team’s 16-14 upset of Muskegon in a Division 2 district final Nov. 7 at Hackley Stadium.
As far as Eric Schugars is concerned, they weren’t the only ones smiling.
“My mom was certainly smiling down on this moment, for sure,” he said about his late mother, Julie Schugars, who passed away in 2020.
“I’m the blessed son of a legendary coach and father, and I’m blessed to have learned a lot from him,” Eric Schugars said about his dad, Jack Schugars, who was a Hall of Fame coach at Oakridge. “It was extremely special to go back to Muskegon, a place where he positively impacted so many young men. It was a special moment to be able to share it with him, my son, and my family.”
Traverse City Central special teams coach Jack Schugars is a 1964 Muskegon High School alumnus, who went on to guide Oakridge to 19 West Michigan Conference titles and 20 playoff appearances in his 32 years as Eagles head coach. He was 262-78 overall with state titles in 1997, 2005, and 2008.
Traverse City Central head coach Eric Schugars is a 1995 Orchard View grad, who is in his 11th season at the Traverse City Central helm. He’s 82-36 overall with five conference titles, three district
championships, two regional crowns, and a Division 2 state runner-up finish in 2021.
Neither Jack nor Eric played football, but their respective coaching resumes suggest that they might know a thing or two about the sport and reaching young people.
“Coach (Eric) Schugars, his father’s a legend, (and) he’s following in his father’s footsteps,” Muskegon coach Shane Fairfield said. “Those kids came down here and played a heck of a football game.”
Traverse City Central senior Carter Gle, who scored the game’s first touchdown on a nifty run and kicked what proved to be the game-winning 20-yard field goal late in the third quarter, has been positively impacted by Schugars father and son.
Gle had not kicked prior to this season, but it seems like he’s gotten the hang of it.
“They’re clearly close,” Gle said about Eric and Jack Schugars. “You can tell our coach (Eric) Schugars learned from Papa Schugars a lot – just everything. They don’t even have to talk. They just know what they’re referring to.”
Jack Schugars was pulling double duty during football season, as he’s also special teams coordinator for Ferris State University.
On its way south toward Muskegon, the Traverse City Central football team stopped in Big Rapids for a walk-through on Ferris State’s Top Taggart Field. The Trojans visited Jack Schugars, who was at Ferris helping prepare the Bulldogs for a game at Saginaw Valley State, as well as head coach Tony Annese, who is a former, highly successful coach at Muskegon High.
The Schugars family connection on the Traverse City Central football team has another layer in that Talan Schugars, Eric’s son, is a junior cornerback and split end for the Trojans. Eric Schugars said Talan had been battling a shoulder injury, but was able to dress for the game at Hackley. The Trojans head coach said his son serves in a backup role, including on special teams.
That’s three generations of Schugars men representing Traverse City Central’s football team.
Muskegon will always be home to Jack and Eric Schugars, although Traverse City has been very good to them as well.
“I went to high school here (at Muskegon High). I was a Big Red all my life, you know,” Jack Schugars said. “It was a great time coming back to win in Muskegon at Hackley Stadium – the great Hackley Stadium. I’m just so proud of (son Eric) and proud of this program. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Eric Schugars is thankful he got to spend time on the football field with his Trojans squad and, of course, his own father and son.
“You know, the weekend phone calls. ‘Hey, Dad, what did you see on this?’ Always asking for advice, that never gets old,” Eric Schugars said. “I treasure those moments. I treasure those phone calls.
“I treasure moments like this because we’ve been down to Muskegon and got beaten before. That’s not a good feeling, you know. But this one, we’re going to cherish this one and soak it up and our kids deserve it. Hey, we get to live to see another day.”
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – The smiles on Jack and Eric Schugars’ faces said it all.
Father and son shared a joyful embrace in the handshake line immediately following their Traverse City Central football team’s 16-14 upset of Muskegon in a Division 2 district final Nov. 7 at Hackley Stadium.
As far as Eric Schugars is concerned, they weren’t the only ones smiling.
“My mom was certainly smiling down on this moment, for sure,” he said about his late mother, Julie Schugars, who passed away in 2020.
“I’m the blessed son of a legendary coach and father, and I’m blessed to have learned a lot from him,” Eric Schugars said about his dad, Jack Schugars, who was a Hall of Fame coach at Oakridge. “It was extremely special to go back to Muskegon, a place where he positively impacted so many young men. It was a special moment to be able to share it with him, my son, and my family.”
Traverse City Central special teams coach Jack Schugars is a 1964 Muskegon High School alumnus, who went on to guide Oakridge to 19 West Michigan Conference titles and 20 playoff appearances in his 32 years as Eagles head coach. He was 262-78 overall with state titles in 1997, 2005, and 2008.
Traverse City Central head coach Eric Schugars is a 1995 Orchard View grad, who is in his 11th season at the Traverse City Central helm. He’s 82-36 overall with five conference titles, three district
championships, two regional crowns, and a Division 2 state runner-up finish in 2021.
Neither Jack nor Eric played football, but their respective coaching resumes suggest that they might know a thing or two about the sport and reaching young people.
“Coach (Eric) Schugars, his father’s a legend, (and) he’s following in his father’s footsteps,” Muskegon coach Shane Fairfield said. “Those kids came down here and played a heck of a football game.”
Traverse City Central senior Carter Gle, who scored the game’s first touchdown on a nifty run and kicked what proved to be the game-winning 20-yard field goal late in the third quarter, has been positively impacted by Schugars father and son.
Gle had not kicked prior to this season, but it seems like he’s gotten the hang of it.
“They’re clearly close,” Gle said about Eric and Jack Schugars. “You can tell our coach (Eric) Schugars learned from Papa Schugars a lot – just everything. They don’t even have to talk. They just know what they’re referring to.”
Jack Schugars was pulling double duty during football season, as he’s also special teams coordinator for Ferris State University.
On its way south toward Muskegon, the Traverse City Central football team stopped in Big Rapids for a walk-through on Ferris State’s Top Taggart Field. The Trojans visited Jack Schugars, who was at Ferris helping prepare the Bulldogs for a game at Saginaw Valley State, as well as head coach Tony Annese, who is a former, highly successful coach at Muskegon High.
The Schugars family connection on the Traverse City Central football team has another layer in that Talan Schugars, Eric’s son, is a junior cornerback and split end for the Trojans. Eric Schugars said Talan had been battling a shoulder injury, but was able to dress for the game at Hackley. The Trojans head coach said his son serves in a backup role, including on special teams.
That’s three generations of Schugars men representing Traverse City Central’s football team.
Muskegon will always be home to Jack and Eric Schugars, although Traverse City has been very good to them as well.
“I went to high school here (at Muskegon High). I was a Big Red all my life, you know,” Jack Schugars said. “It was a great time coming back to win in Muskegon at Hackley Stadium – the great Hackley Stadium. I’m just so proud of (son Eric) and proud of this program. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Eric Schugars is thankful he got to spend time on the football field with his Trojans squad and, of course, his own father and son.
“You know, the weekend phone calls. ‘Hey, Dad, what did you see on this?’ Always asking for advice, that never gets old,” Eric Schugars said. “I treasure those moments. I treasure those phone calls.
“I treasure moments like this because we’ve been down to Muskegon and got beaten before. That’s not a good feeling, you know. But this one, we’re going to cherish this one and soak it up and our kids deserve it. Hey, we get to live to see another day.”
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