Mar 3

Coach Ben Dusenbery

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From Ben Dusenbery – Head Coach of the Necco Raiders 1977-2002

 For the Coach "Lefty" Foundation

Lefty and I coached the Necco Raiders together over 25 years – both 5th- 6th and 7th-8th grade.  When I started coaching in 1977, Lefty and I talked about him coaching the Coachesoffensive line for the “A” team.  We both worked for the railroad and we talked on the caboose many times about football.  We had a lot of fun coaching together and we never had a crossword toward each other. 

He always coached the offensive “A” team line the way I wanted him to and he got along with all the boys he coached, knew whether they were on the “A” team or “B” team and he always treated them the same.  All the years I was head coach, he was the best assistant coach I had (and over the years I had to get rid of a lot of coaches because they didn’t coach the Raiders the way Lefty and I wanted them to). 

Everybody always liked Lefty a lot.  I never had any parents complain about his coaching ability or his getting along with the boys.  He never said anything during the game – he just stood by me and shook his head.  I would ask him why he is shaking his head and he would just look at me as he shook his head, and I would always laugh at him.  I would always depended on him keeping “stats” for me in his head.  If I needed to know anything that happened years ago or any of our records, he always knew the answer, no matter how many years ago.  Some people still ask me about how many superbowls we won or about our records, and I always tell them, “I wish Lefty was here – he could tell you better than I can”. 

 He has been gone almost four years and I still think about him a lot and miss him a lot.  I will never forget him as long as I live.

 

Mar 2

Simone Family

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February 2010: From Anthony Simone and the Simone family
 
Raymond “Lefty” Leftridge
 
        I met Lefty in the summer of 1981, when I brought my son Tommy to try out for the Norbank Raiders, a team of the North Suburban Football League. Lefty initially gave me the impression of being an “old school” linemen coach, I soon learned there was a lot more to him than that. My son played for Lefty for two years and grew tremendously as person and player, but more importantly, Tommy was introduced to teamwork, dedication and loyalty, all from the leadership and teachings of Lefty.

        In 1984, I took over the sponsorship of the Norbank Raiders, who then became the Necco Raiders. I quickly began to gain a deeper appreciation of Lefty’s qualities. Lefty had unique ways of coaching, which was a mix of “old school” and future teachings of today’s linemen. Through his decades of youth football, Lefty coached hundreds of games and he could recall almost every outcome, as well as the players involved. He was a vital part of several Raider superbowls.

        I have been involved in coaching and sponsorship my entire life and I can say without hesitation that Lefty was one the finest coaches I have ever known. Lefty coached hundreds of boys that went on to play high school, college and even the NFL. Throughout the decades, Lefty taught each boy the game of football and laid the ground work for them to become quality young men. In 2004 Lefty retired from coaching and left with the respect from everyone in the Raider organization, including the coaches, parents and most importantly his players. To this day, Lefty’s life and teaching lives on through the young men of the Necco Raiders and he continues to be the heart beat of the Raiders organization.


                                 Anthony Simone and the Simone family

 
      
Thomas A. Simone Memorial Award
 
Established by Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Simone as a tribute to their 12-year old son, Tommy, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident April, 1983.

Learn more about the Thomas A. Simone Memorial Award

Thomas A. Simone (1971-83)