By Myles Jackson ’17, Sports Editor
After nearly thirty years leading the Country Day football team, head coach Tim Dunn retired at the conclusion of the 2015 season. Coach Dunn was renowned all around the city of Cincinnati for his accomplishments over decades of coaching; accomplishments such as more than 200 wins, 13 Miami Valley Conference championships, 14 OHSAA playoff appearances, and two state Final Fours. On the night of October 7, Country Day’s homecoming, numerous parents, players, and alumni came together to honor Coach Dunn for his amazing accomplishments and his commitment to Country Day as a teacher, coach, and mentor. The crowd came to watch the Indians play Clark Montessori, but many were entertained by the various ways Country Day honored their most celebrated coach.
At the beginning of the game, after the playing of our national anthem, the crowd and players alike were stunned by a helicopter that flew in and landed on the field. None of the players nor the people in the crowd knew about the helicopter beforehand and were excited to see it fly in. As it landed, two boys exited the helicopter, running onto the field. The kids were the sons of ’92 alum Chris Bortz, who played for Tim Dunn, and his youngest son gave the game ball to one of the referees, signaling the beginning of the game.
When halftime started, the football players and coaches all lined up along the benches to view the middle of the track, where a stage had been set up. A few alumni spoke to their enjoyment of playing under Coach Dunn, and how it was a joy to be there as he was recognized for all that he did for Country Day, on and off the field. Then, to the continued astonishment of the players and fans, head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals Marvin Lewis came onto the track to give a speech. In his speech, he commemorated Coach Dunn for the work he put into establishing a winning football program. He also spoke to the importance of showing players how to act off the field, and leading by example. Subsequently, Marvin Lewis gave Coach Dunn an autographed football and thanked him for the work he put into high school football. Mr. Dunn’s thank you speech was, as always, short, sweet, and to the point. It truly was a gratifying sight to see that the Country Day players were more excited over the honoring of their former head coach than their 41-6 win in their homecoming game, a feat that could not have been done without the skilled advice of current coaches and the lasting legacy of a truly amazing coach: Mr. Dunn.
