PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Portage Public Schools Board of Education on Monday, November 21, approved the renaming of Portage Central High School’s McCamley Field to McCamley-Knight Field to honor the late Portage Central Football Coach Bob Knight.
The Board also voted to approve the installation of commemorative plaques honoring both men on the grounds, with the honoring of Coach Knight being done with the approval of the Knight family.
The facility for Portage Central High School has been known as McCamley Field since it was opened in 1958, making it the only one named after a person in the 100-year history of Portage Schools.
“We appreciate the community’s patience as we thoughtfully considered the District’s policies around naming of facilities after individuals,” said School Board President Randy Van Antwerp. “While we ultimately created a policy prohibiting naming facilities after individuals in the future, we felt it was important to recognize and honor Coach Knight in this way.”
Knight became the head football coach at Portage Central High School in 1971 and served the football program for 34 years as head coach until 2004, compiling a 217-108 win-loss record, earning 14 conference championships, 10 playoff runs, and a trip to the state championship in 1977.
He was elected to the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association (MHSFCA) Hall of Fame in 1988 and coached the West All Stars to victory over the East All Stars.
Knight received the coveted James Crowley Award in 2007 for special contributions to the game of football and the Michigan High School Coaches Association. He was inducted into the Portage Central Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.
After retiring as head coach, Knight returned as an assistant from 2010-2016. In addition to football, Knight coached track for 15 years. He passed away on October 23, 2021.
The District anticipates having the new signage and plaques installed by the beginning of the next football season.
HISTORY ON McCAMLEY:
Stuart McCamley (1877-1961) was a farmer who was born in a house on Portage Road that he would live in for the rest of his life. He served as Portage Township Supervisor twice, the last time from 1936-1956.
McCamley served as Board President, from 1946-1954, of the newly formed Portage Township Schools. He was instrumental in the consolidation of one-room
schools to form the District.
During his tenure the first football team was fielded, Portage Township High School was built and the township began to purchase land for athletic fields. Portage Township Schools ultimately bought the land on South Westnedge where the athletic fields are today for $1. The high school dedicated its yearbook to McCamley in 1952.
In 1963, when the City of Kalamazoo attempted to annex Portage, it was fear of losing control of the schools that motivated voters to approve Portage becoming a city.
Historian Larry Massie refers to McCamley as the “father of Portage” who changed Portage from a rural to a suburban community.
(Content provided by: Portage Public Schools)
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