Covey receives the award
Courtesy | Reva Ludwig
Growing up in Hillsdale, Larry Covey ’65 ran the three blocks to Mauck School every day. On Saturday he received the Hillsdale athletic department’s newest honor, the Homegrown Charger Award.
The new award came from a desire in the athletic department to recognize citizens of Hillsdale county who stayed in town through college, according to Athletic Director John Tharp.
“We want to celebrate the people who loved Hillsdale enough to stick around and we wanted to connect the college to the county,” Tharp said.
He also said there was no better person than Covey to receive the inaugural award.
Covey grew up poor and knew from an early age that athletics would be his chance at a college scholarship. He played every sport he was allowed to play. He played baseball from a young age, but decided to run track in the spring of his freshman year of high school.
“My dad was a baseball player, so I was, too,” Covey said. “But when I realized I wouldn’t start my freshman year I decided to run track. I did the long jump, high jump, I threw the shot, ran the 100, 200, 400; I did it all.”
In his first meet, Covey earned enough points to letter. The next year, the administration at the school allowed him to play baseball and run track. Covey also started on his high school football team as a sophomore.
In 1961 he enrolled to run track and play football for the Hillsdale College Dales.
“People probably don’t believe me now, but I might have scored more points for our track team than any other person,” Covey joked. “It’s because I ran eight to 10 events every meet. “
During his time at Hillsdale, Covey set six school records for the Dales. In 1965 when Covey was a senior and a captain for the track team, the Dales were undefeated in dual meets.
“Larry was someone who came in highly touted and lived up to his reputation on the playing field,” said James Gensterblum, director of athletic communications. “To make that transition and continue to be a star at the next level is a special thing to achieve as an athlete, and to do that in your own backyard, with many of the same people who rooted for you in high school in the stands, has to be especially meaningful.”
On the gridiron, Covey earned Outstanding Defensive Back for the Dales and eventually became only four-year letterwinner in the class of 1965.
Covey also played basketball for two years at Hillsdale and wrestled for a year. He was twice a recipient of the Kimball Medal, an award given to the top male athlete each year.
When Covey graduated, according to Gensterblum, he signed a contract to play with the Philadelphia Eagles but a knee injury ended his stint early.
Upon graduation, Covey taught for one year at Jackson high school and then worked construction.
“I had no experience in construction really but I had a wife and three young kids and we needed a house,” Covey said. “I bought two books, talked to people, and just sort of figured it out.”
After the infamous blizzard of 1978, Covey said he and his wife had enough of the weather. They sold their house and moved to Arizona. They continued to raise their family and Covey started his own contracting business. Covey said that despite the distance, his love for Hillsdale College never faded.
“The principles behind the school and the foundation are something to marvel at,” Covey said. “It’s one of the institutions that still teaches American history the right way. As a former history teacher I am thankful for that.”
Tharp said that the Homegrown Charger award is, in turn, a way to thank Covey.
“It’s fun to see the history of Hillsdale through a local’s eyes and it’s great to honor the athletic accomplishments because they deserve recognition. But the whole thing is really about thanks,” Tharp said. “There are lots of amazing people from Hillsdale who know how to give back so we want to match that. We are excited to continue honoring homegrown Chargers.”
