Jim Caldwell Gymnasium Dedication

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The James Caldwell Gymnasium will have a dedication, open to the community. This is the last of the April 2012 School District of Beloit Facilities Referendum project celebrations.

The dedication will take place:

Friday, May 27, 2016
5:30-7:00 p.m.
Fruzen Intermediate School
2600 Milwaukee Road, Beloit

The event will feature student musical pieces and special guests to honor Mr. Caldwell,an alum of Beloit Memorial High School and current NFL Head Coach. Refreshments will be served following the program.

About James Caldwell (NFL.com)

Currently Head Coach of the Detroit Lions, Jim Caldwell began his career on the football team for the Beloit Memorial High School Knights (Class of 1973).

Indianapolis Colts

Caldwell was previously head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2009-11, taking that team to Super Bowl XLIV after the 2009 season. Most recently he was the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator, a post he assumed late in the 2012 season, replacing the fired Cam Cameron. The Ravens went on to win the Super Bowl, with Caldwell — who was Baltimore’s QB coach before becoming OC — receiving a lot of credit for the outstanding play of quarterback Joe Flacco.

Caldwell became the Colts coach following the retirement of Tony Dungy on January 12, 2009. Caldwell had served with Indianapolis since 2002. He spent the first three seasons as quarterbacks coach before earning the expanded title of assistant head coach prior to the 2005 season.

Earlier Career

Caldwell joined Indianapolis from Tampa Bay, where he served in the same capacity during the 2001 season. Caldwell has more than 20 years of collegiate experience. Caldwell spent 1993-2000 as head coach at Wake Forest. In 1999, Caldwell led the school to its first winning season and bowl game since 1992. Wake Forest defeated Arizona State, 23-3, in the Aloha Bowl. During Caldwell’s tenure, Wake Forest ranked among the nation’s Top 25 teams in passing offense on four different occasions, including 10th in the NCAA in 1995. That season, quarterback Rusty LaRue established seven NCAA passing records.

Caldwell served as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois (1978-80), Northwestern (1981), Colorado (1982-84), Louisville (1985) and Penn State (1986-92). Caldwell joined Penn State as wide receivers coach. He then coached quarterbacks the following season and added passing game coordinator responsibilities in 1988. At Penn State, Caldwell tutored quarterback Kerry Collins, who went on to win the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top college quarterback and the Maxwell Award as the nation’s most outstanding player. Caldwell has coached in six bowl games and won a national championship with Penn State in 1986. In addition to serving on Joe Paterno’s staff that won a national championship, Caldwell tutored under three other coaches who won collegiate titles (Rey Dempsey, Southern Illinois; Bill McCartney, Colorado; Howard Schnellenberger, Caldwell was a four-year starter as a defensive back at Iowa and worked as a graduate assistant for the Hawkeyes in 1977.

Caldwell was born on January 16, 1955 in Beloit, Wis. He and his wife, Cheryl, have four children: Jimmy, Jermaine, Jared and Natalie.

Alex Carlson