Jerry Boyce

After 40 years of coaching football, former Cowley County Community College athletic director/head football coach Jerry Boyce retired in 2001. However, Boyce's accomplishments at Cowley have not been forgotten, as he will be inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame on Feb. 7.

"I really feel quite honored," Boyce said. "The players, coaches, and community helped me to receive this honor."

Boyce served as Tiger football coach for three seasons, and turned around a program that had a record of 2-38 the previous four years before his arrival in 1977.

In his first season, Boyce led Cowley to a 7-4 record and a second-place conference finish. That year's team broke eight school records as Boyce's offensive genius shown brightly.

The following year, Boyce led the Tigers to a share of the conference championship and their first bowl appearance. Cowley finished that 1978 season with a 7-4 record, and earned the right to play in the Coca-Cola Bowl.

In his third and final year as head coach, Boyce again led the Tigers to seven wins (7-3) and another bowl berth as they competed in the Rodeo Bowl.

A humble Boyce attributes his team's success on the football field to the players and the community.

"I was able to recruit some awfully good players that played every bit as good as we thought they would, or better," Boyce said. "The community was so tremendous in attending the games, and were great partners in our fund raising efforts for the Tiger Booster Club."

Boyce served as Tiger athletic director from 1977-1981. During that time, Cowley's athletic programs flourished. Tiger sports teams set 30 school records during the 1977-78 season, and went on to win several Region VI and conference titles in his five years as athletic director.

Along with working with good coaches, Boyce remembers the good times he had spent working with the likes of William Scott (dean of students), Sid Regnier (vice president of business services), Tony Buffo (dean of instruction), and Dr. Gwen Nelson (Cowley president from 1968-1987).

"We had a lot of good coaches at that time, and a lot of good people at the college," Boyce said. "Everything just happened to click, it was one of the best places I ever coached."

That's saying a lot, considering Boyce went on to serve as the offensive and defensive coordinator at Kansas State University from 1981-1985, and then was the assistant football coach/offensive coordinator at Indiana State University from 1985-1990.

At KSU, Boyce helped the Wildcats advance to their first bowl game in school history during the 1982 season. While at Indiana State, the Sycamores established 18 school records in his six years as offensive coordinator.

Following the 1990 season, Boyce decided to leave the college game behind for a job as head football coach and assistant principal at Fredericktown High School (Mo.).

After helping turn around the Fredericktown program, Boyce took over as head coach at Fort Osage High School in Independence, Mo., in 1994. During his seven years at the school, Boyce won three Coach of the Year awards and retired after guiding Fort Osage to the conference and district championship.

Prior to coming to Cowley, Boyce also helped turn around programs at Butler County and North Kansas City High School. He also had coaching stints at Wichita State, Central Missouri State and Southeast High School in Kansas City, Mo..

Although his time spent coaching athletes is done, it is not forgotten.

"I don't think you ever get it out of your blood," Boyce said.

Boyce resides in Hollister, Mo., with his wife Marilyn. They have two children: Robert and Thomas, who played on Arkansas City's undefeated state championship football team in 1979. Thomas went on to play football for his father at Cowley.