DAD’S DOUBLE DUTY: Churchill coach mentors Chargers, sons’ flag team
In addition to serving as Churchill’s head football coach, Allen Feigel is coaching his sons’ (Behren on left, Bowden on right) Livonia Orioles flag football team.
A dream scenario is playing out this fall for football-loving Allen Feigel, a veteran Livonia Public Schools educator.
Not only is Feigel the first-year head coach of Livonia Churchill’s 3-2 varsity football team, he’s the head coach of his two sons’ Livonia Orioles LJAL flag team.
Let’s see Dan Campbell pull this off.
While the double-duty gig gobbles up a huge percentage of Feigel’s post-workday hours, the tireless mentor wouldn’t have it any other way.
‘Dream come true’
“Having the opportunity to coach my sons — and serve as Churchill’s head coach — well, it’s a dream come true,” said Feigel. “Obviously, my first priority coaching-wise is these guys (he gestured toward the Chargers’ practice), but with the Orioles practicing so close to our field, it’s a perfect set-up.
“Plus, given their ages (Bowden is a second-grader, Behren just started kindergarten), this will be the only year they’ll be on the same team for the Orioles, so it’s a perfect time to coach them.”
On most non-game day afternoons, Churchill’s practices are winding down just as the Orioles are ramping up, so the timing couldn’t be better.
Also, the close proximity of the Chargers’ and Orioles’ practice fields made Feigel’s double duty doable.
Rosedale Elementary School, the home of the Orioles, is just a long spiral northeast of Churchill’s stadium.
Location move beneficial
This wasn’t the case until last year when — thanks in part to Feigel’s urging — the Orioles moved their home base from Buchanan Elementary School to Rosedale.
“I had been pushing for close to 10 years to get the Orioles’ practice site moved to Rosedale,” Feigel said. “Buchanan is essentially in (Livonia) Stevenson’s territory, which wasn’t ideal for a feeder program for Churchill.
“Being so close, the Orioles and Churchill programs can collaborate easier and work off one another, which is the way it should be. If they need to borrow some equipment, we’re two minutes away.”
Better cohesion helps
Feigel said the enhanced cohesion between the youth and high school programs will only make the Chargers stronger moving forward.
“What’s really neat is that now that the Orioles are practicing at Rosedale, there are more kids from this neighborhood playing football than there were before,” he said. “They can walk or ride their bikes to practice now, which wasn’t possible when they practiced at Buchanan.
“It’s nice because the Orioles are finally on a level playing field as the Blue Jays and the Falcons (the two other Livonia LJAL teams).”
Bowden Feigel is a sure-handed tight end for the Orioles — he snagged one touchdown pass and a two-point conversion pass last season — while Behren is a path-clearing center/guard.
When asked how they liked playing for their dad, they both smiled — echoing their dad’s sentiments.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
