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Another reason Check is so important to CSU
For tomorrow’s paper, I put together a story on Henderson Mosley and his college degree. Mosley is the former Central State star quarterback who returned as an assistant coach when the school returned its football program.
He had left without his degree and toiled in unhappy jobs until Theresa Check, the CSU athletic director and former longtime women’s basketball coach, called. She said the Marauders football program was coming back and wanted him to become a coach. She also encouraged Mosley to get back into classes to get his degree, which he did on Saturday when he received his Bachelor of Education.
The story on Mosley alone is worth telling as an athlete who came through with his promise, albeit at 38 years old, to complete his education. But Check’s role cannot be ignored, particularly for what it shows about her character and love of the school that no longer wants her.
Months ago, our columnist Tom Archdeacon wrote a piece that said the school would not be renewing Check’s contract, but that was far from the resolution. Until CSU finds a replacement, Check has been working as the athletic director, knowing it’s a lame duck position.
Why would she do this? Because Central State is a place she loves. It’s the same reason she stayed with the department and the school in the 1990s when it came close to closing because of mismanagement. In 2001, she took over as athletic director with a bad CSU reputation to repair.
Not only that, Check led the charge to return the football program, something that was a huge part of the student culture when the Marauders won two national championships in the early 1990s. The team is now back, playing a full schedule and is earning its place among the CSU community.
Check also cares enough about Central State people to think of Mosley first to be an assistant coach and also push him toward his degree. How many people, after a player leaves a school, really stays after that player? Especially when it’s nearly a decade later.
She did. Mosley is better off for it, as he is a natural at coaching. So is Central State, because his energy and enthusiasm is almost unmatched (except, maybe, for Check).
I don’t know the behind-the-scenes issues with Check and Central State, but the school will lose a major part of its community when the day comes that she leaves her office for good.
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