Lincoln alums and friends bid Adieu to Coach
East St. Louis, Illinois has produced some legendary coaches throughout the years. Some you here about more than others regarding success.On Saturday afternoon, Shiloh A.M.E. Church an overflow crowd of mourners said farewell to Coach Dew.Andre Lamont Dew, known as Coach Dew, was an assistant under longtime Lincoln Tigers coach head football Coach Jimmy Catfish Adams for 22 years while working at Lincoln until it closed in 1998.While coaching at Lincoln, Mr. Dew coached the likes of Clint Sims, (Wisconsin), Kenneth Sims (Iowa), Dwight Jelly Jones, James Harris, Greg and Tyrone Armor, Carl Cathion, Antynwe Golliday, Deangelo Williams, Carwin Howard, Jonnie Poe (New Orleans Saints), Big Budd, and many, many more.Not only was Mr. Dew a coach, he was also a jack of all trades making sure lights and the doors were open for parents and students returning from field trips, handling security at games, doing custodial work whatever it took to make the students happy.He also would play Santa Claus every holiday throughout the district and community. Coach Dew made no bones about his loyalty every day at schools, the barbershop, at his house .
He has known me since I was a child growing up in Centreville, Illinois, and two things stand out with me that Ill always laugh and love about Coach.One, his love for Lincoln; and two, his passion for Lincoln.Case in point: One day I was dropping off his sons Tyler and Andre from my after-school program, when I got out of the van and said, Hey, coach, how are you today? He responded, I had a great day, son, till you got out with that East Side baseball cap on.And another time former St. Louis Rams Linebacker Mike The Tackle Jones Foundation and I were hosting a Christmas party at the Lessie Bates Davis Family Development Center, when my Santa Claus phoned with car trouble.
I quickly called my mentor Coach Dew to the rescue. Coach, I said over the phone. Can you do a Santa party for me tonight in about a half-hour? Coach replied: Maurice, son, I love you to death, even though you didnt come to Lincoln and play baseball for Bennie. You let me down, but Ill be there in 20 minutes.Coach held that grudged against me for many a year, but he always had time for me whenever I asked. A tiger never die goes the slogan in the South End.SCOTTS NOTESKudos go out to Legendary Lincoln Track & Field coach and current East St. Louis Senior High Girls Track and Field coach Nino Fennoy and his staff on finishing second in this years State meet.Congrats, Flyerettes!Congrats to Coach Leroy Millsap and his staff for placing second in this years boys state track & field meet. However, it wasnt such a good day for Coach Roscoe Whitfields thinclads at this years state meet. It marked the first time that I can remember that a Flyers track team didnt score a point.Well, football season starts in about 45days