More than 100 people gathered on Piper Field Friday for a ceremony dedicating the Marblehead High School field house in honor of longtime teacher, coach and athletic director Alex Kulevich. His name now appears in large letters across the outside of the field house.
The Kulevich family also announced a new $100,000 foundation, sponsored by Steve and Joan Rosenthal, for the field house. Steve played football for Kulevich, and Joan was his history student.
Kulevich has been a local legend since the 1970s when he first came to take over the high school football program. He was also a full-time social studies teacher.
In 10 years as a coach, Kulevich established a winning culture before stepping away from the sidelines to become the school’s athletic director, a position he held for 20 years until he announced his retirement in 2000.
“I did my best to instill confidence in my students and athletes and get them to understand the importance of believing in themselves,” Kulevich, 89, said at Friday’s event. He read a couple stanzas from his favorite poem, which he often shared with students, called “State of Mind.”
“Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.”
Kulevich’s daughter, Jo Mary Koopman, and son, Tom Kulevich, also spoke at the event and read letters from former student-athletes praising their old coach. Several of those athletes were sitting in the audience.
Kulevich and his wife, Barbara, have eight children, 22 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Most were at the ceremony.
“I want to thank all of my former students, athletes, teachers and coaches for allowing me the opportunity to work with you, teach you and coach you,” Kulevich said. “You made my job easy.”
He added: “I appreciate all the support you gave me. It was an absolute honor, and nothing gives me more pleasure to see your successes beyond Marblehead High School.”
