Marian Catholic Football Team Presented With New Jersey's

On Friday October 25^th the Marian Catholic Varsity football team were presented with new football jerseys in memory of an alumnus Kenny Elmore.

Elmore was a kid who grew up in Chicago Heights, attended St. Agnes for grade school and showed a talent for sports early in life.

“As Freshmen football players at Marian Catholic in the early 1980’s you never forget your first two weeks of “triples practice” explains John Benish Jr. who graduated Marian Catholic in 1984. Four other siblings graduated from Marian Catholic as well.

“I’m here tonight to honor a teammate and friend Kenny Elmore” said Benish. “Starting Sophomore year I began to run track with him, and spent the next three years on the relay team with him, and his best friend Dempster Jackson'84. Both Kenny and Dempster were the two best athletes on the team no question.”

According to Benish, Elmore was popular on and off the football field.

“Kenny was always trying to be funny but backed it up with extraordinary tough play on the field and was a top track athlete by our sophomore year where we qualified for track sectionals” he adds.

At the time there was no track to practice on so they did they did their running on the parking lot. There was also no football field Marian played their home games at Bloom high school.

“My friends and former teammates came up with the idea to sponsor and dedicate football jersey’s with Kenny’s name on them. Tim Fallon, Bill Sullivan, Jim Hughes and more friends came up with the idea and helped sponsor them.”

Benish and the Elmore family were summoned to a classroom near the entrance of the school. As you opened the classroom door, there sat the varsity football team. After speeches were made, the Elmore family was introduced and a cart full of new and gold jersey’s were being passed around by head coach, Erick Middleton.

Joining the crew to help pass out shirts was alumnae Katie Kelly from Chicago Heights graduated from Marian Catholic in 1999. Her son Brandon Kelly, plays on the varsity football team. Football runs in the family as her brother is the famous Dennis Kelly who not only is a Marian alumnus but became a professional football player who now is playing for the Tennessee Titans. Brothers Brian and Tim also graduated from Marian Catholic.

“I found out they were going to dedicate new jersey’s this evening and I wanted to be here to see the expressions of the boys” explains Katie. “My son is one of the receiver’s. The family support for all the years we’ve been here has been extraordinary.”

Kenny passed away when he was 45 years old. There is a special patch sewn onto each jersey.

Brothers, Artis Elmore Jr. was happy to be at Marian Catholic and witness the new jersey’s being passed out. “This is an honor you can not believe” describes Artis. “Tonight is like being honored by George Hallas of the Chicago Bears. It knocks me off my feet, we as his family have never been so touched, especially from my brother’s high school.”

Gregory Elmore another brother was honored to witness the new Elmore jersey’s as well. “I know a lot of his friends that played with Kenny. They wanted to honor him in some way.”

Gregory said he misses his brother very much. “I bought him his first car” said Gregory. “He was such a beautiful guy.”

“I am sure you could ask anyone from our entire class of 1984 and they probably were all friends of Kenny, and all knew him” said Benish. “He was that kid who loved to be friends with all.”

The jersey’s brought good luck. Marian Catholic won the football game on October 25^th earning a place in the IHSA playoffs since 2010.

Hoping the wins continue, Marian Catholic football team plays Sterling high school on November 1^st at 7PM at Sterling. Sterling high school is located at 1608 4^th Avenue in Sterling Illinois.