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DOWAGIAC — A long-held tradition is returning to local football games.

The Dowagiac Union School board on Wednesday unanimously approved the return of reserved seats for regular season home football games at Chris Taylor Field. Tickets will cost $40, and will not include individual game tickets. The reserved seat section will consist of one full section in the center of the bleachers, directly underneath the press box. 

According to the board, people who purchased reserved seat passes for the 2019-20 season will be receiving information in the mail regarding the purchase of seats for next football season. They will be given several weeks to make their seat selections, then tickets will be opened up to families of high school football players and cheerleaders, then finally the general public. 

Board members said they will continue to review the policy yearly. Letters to former seat holders will be sent out in the coming days, and multiple forms of communication will be attempted. Reserved seats will not carry over to the postseason, as the MHSAA dictates seat prices in the playoffs.

 

Baseball field named

In other business, the board approved a motion to name the new baseball field after former Dowagiac baseball coach Dean Hagen.

Hagen coached 21 years of baseball and never had a losing season. He had eight players drafted into the minor leagues and had 14 players who received full or partial college scholarships.

In addition to being inducted into Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Hagen was named National High School Baseball Regional Coach of the Year for seven states. He was also nominated for the National Coach of the Year along with seven other coaches from throughout the United States.

Hagen is also a member of the Black Hills State College Coaches Hall of Fame.