BRADLEY — The Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School football stadium is getting a new name — one that should be familiar to most former Boilermakers.
On Monday, the BBCHS District 307 School Board unanimously voted to name the previously untitled football stadium the Doug “Barc” Barclay Memorial Stadium after the late teacher, coach and administrator.
In June, the board OK’d an updated policy with criteria for naming a school facility or program after someone, including that the person must have been dead at least two years and significantly contributed to society.
Superintendent Matt Vosberg said the policy was updated with specific guidelines in expectation that a formal request would come through to name the football field. Before, only a general policy had been on the books.
“When you name something, the name will be there for a long time,” he previously said. “So we want to make sure we have the process to ensure it is done well.”
Barclay, who worked at BBCHS for 36 years, died in 2017 at age 71.
Barclay was first hired as head wrestling coach in 1975; throughout his career, he coached a number of sports including wrestling, track and football in addition to teaching physical education and chairing the P.E. department.
<strong>LEGACY</strong>
Chris Hammond, chief school business official, said that seeing the names of stadiums in other communities inspired him to pursue naming the football stadium at BBCHS.
“Every year I kind of look to see when our homecoming football game is, notice the name of that stadium, and realize we don’t have a name for our stadium,” he said.
However, it was not something he did with the intention of seeking credit.
The spotlight, rather, belongs on Barclay’s legacy — a legacy which extends far beyond the classroom or the field, he said.
“He had done a lot of things to make BBCHS what we are,” Hammond said.
Barclay was part of a committee that helped get a referendum passed to build the school’s auditorium and pool.
He worked with school administrators to secure a grant for weight-training equipment and helped design the weight room.
He introduced the winter sports festival that has raised over $300,000 in its roughly 40-year history.
He was responsible for bringing “the rock” to the school’s baseball field.
Painting over the large rock, which was meant to symbolize togetherness and other sports values, has become a tradition among students to commemorate different occasions.
“I think every kid that has graduated from BBCHS since he brought that rock here knows exactly the meaning of what that is,” Hammond said.
<strong>WELL REMEMBERED</strong>
The official naming of the stadium is tentatively scheduled to take place during the Hall of Fame football game on Sept. 22, when alumni and members of Barclay’s family will be present.
Details are still in the works.
A sign or plaque with the new stadium name will likely be unveiled, and a speaker who knew Barclay well will talk about his life and contributions to the school.
Sally Martell, board member and former school psychologist, recalled having worked with Barclay and said she applauds the effort to name the football field in his honor.
“I just loved the man, but he also had this other facet to him,” she said. “He tried everything here. He did everything … He was dedicated to every facet of this school, including the social and emotional part.”
Hammond noted that gathering the 50 signatures required for the naming request was a breeze.
He feels he could have easily gotten more.
Many of the staff members he approached for their signatures had stories to share about Barclay, which came as no surprise.
“When I started here in 2000, Doug was a pillar within our faculty and within our community,” Hammond said. “Everybody knew who he was … Former students always had a story; they would always ask, ‘Is Coach ‘Barc’ there?’”