Detroit Catholic Central High School
Encyclopedia
Detroit Catholic Central High School (commonly referred to as Catholic Central or CC) is a private, Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

, all-male, college preparatory high school in Novi
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...

, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....

. Founded in 1928 in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

 by the Archdiocese of Detroit, the school is operated by the Congregation of St. Basil
Congregation of St. Basil
The Basilian Fathers, also known as The Congregation of Saint Basil, is an international order of Catholic priests and students studying for the priesthood, who focus on education and ministering through oratories....

. The Shamrocks boast a rich tradition of academic and athletic excellence, having won several state and national titles in a variety of endeavors.
The school was originally located on Harper Avenue in Detroit with an enrollment of 280 students; the school has made several moves in its history and now has an enrollment of over 1,000 young men at its 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) campus in Novi.

"Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge" is the motto of the school which strives to prepare young men to become productive members of Church and Society.

The school nickname "Shamrocks" represents the three persons of the Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...

, as shamrocks have three clovers. The school colors, Royal Blue
Royal blue
Royal blue describes both a bright shade and a dark shade of azure blue. It is said to have been invented by millers in Rode, Somerset, a consortium of which won a competition to make a dress for the British queen, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz....

 and White
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...

, are the colors of the school's patron and alma mater - the Virgin Mary. Red is sometimes used as a secondary color in athletic team uniforms.

History

Detroit Catholic Central was founded in 1928 in Detroit and was originally located on Harper Avenue, at the site of Holy Rosary Church. In 1934, control of Catholic Central was assumed by the Basilian
Basilian
Basilian may refer to one of the following.* Basilian monk of the Eastern Orthodox or Eastern Catholic Churches* The Congregation of St. Basil, a Latin-rite order of priests of the Roman Catholic Church....

 Fathers and the school moved to 60 Belmont Street, just north of Woodward Avenue site of the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament
The Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament is a decorated Gothic Revival style Roman Catholic cathedral church in the United States. It is the seat of the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit...

, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church covering the Michigan counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne...

. The school's enrollment continued rising, so the Basilians purchased a 17 acres (68,796.6 m²) tract of land on the corner of Hubbell and West Outer Drive. Though the planned construction was not complete until 1961, Catholic Central moved into 6565 West Outer Drive (a site that would later be occupied by the Detroit Public Schools
Detroit Public Schools
Detroit Public Schools is a school district that covers all of the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The student population of the Detroit Public Schools is about 65,971 , which is down about 9.7% from the previous school year. Detroit Public Charter Schools educate an additional 56,000...

' Renaissance High School
Renaissance High School
Renaissance High School is a public high school located within the city of Detroit, Michigan. Renaissance is one of four magnet high schools in the Detroit Public Schools district .Founded in 1978 on the previous site of Catholic Central High School, Renaissance's first...

 and is presently occupied by the Foreign Language Immersion School) in 1951.

The Belmont Street location later housed the similarly named Detroit Cathedral High School, staffed by the Brothers of Christian Instruction from the early 1950s until the late 1960s.

Detroit Catholic Central would remain on West Outer Drive until 1978, when it moved out of the city of Detroit. CC utilized a former middle School in Redford (George C Marshall Junior High) that became available when the South Redford School district consolidated its two junior highs into one school. Although this was only intended to be a temporary move, Catholic Central remained in Redford at 14200 Breakfast Drive for another 27 years. In July 2005, the school relocated to 27225 Donoher Drive in Novi
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...

.

Reputation

Catholic Central boasts one of the strongest academic programs in the state. The school consistently graduates high numbers of National Merit Finalists and students receiving National Letters of Commendation. For 2008-2009 Detroit Catholic Central had 11 National Merit Semifinalists, and 8 Commendations.

The new campus is one of the first in the state to utilize Internet Protocol
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...

 for computers, telephones, and video services. Five full computer labs are available for curricular use. Additional computers are available in the Media Center, science labs, the yearbook and newspaper centers, and in the art and music suites. Every student is provided with his own user name and e-mail account.

The school succeeds as a college preparatory institution. Students score well above national and state averages on both the ACT and SAT. The percentage of graduates attending college immediately after graduation is typically between 95-100%. The school is at the far northwest corner of the city of Novi, near Wixom. The school is referred to as Detroit Catholic Central.

In 2007, Catholic Central was one of 400 schools in the nation identified by ACT, Inc. as having a challenging core curriculum that significantly improved ACT test scores for all students.http://www.catholiccentral.net/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=532&srcid=183

Academics

The curriculum of Catholic Central High School is designed to meet the special needs and interests of all students while developing skills and attitudes basic to their social and civic studies. The style of education offered is classical in its approach. Students are required to spend a lot of time outside of the normal class day to do homework and study. The average amount of homework per night is 2 hours. It offers an integrated Catholic approach and is endorsed by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools leading to a fully accredited high school diploma.

Courses are offered in art, computers, English, French, health, history, Latin, mathematics, music, science, Spanish, and theology. The school also has advanced placement courses in American government, American history, biology, calculus AB, calculus BC, statistics, chemistry, computer science, English, European history, French, and Spanish.

Detroit Catholic Central High School is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Campus

The new campus, opened in August 2005, sits on 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) of wooded land in the suburban city of Novi
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...

. The land and most of the funding for construction was donated by friends and alumni of the school. It was named for alumnus Patrick M. Nesbitt.

Facilities include a 350 person capacity chapel, a laboratory for each scientific discipline, 5 computer labs, art and music studios, computer connectivity in every room, a fitness center, two gymnasiums, an indoor track, 8 tennis courts, two baseball fields, and a 4,500 seat athletic stadium with Field Turf and an outdoor track.

The Catholic Central Library Media Center is the school's curriculum support hub. Fourteen thousand books and multimedia information vehicles comprise the core campus collection. This sizable collection is accessed, searched, and circulated via the automated catalog. Ninety national and international newspapers plus 1,800 periodical titles are available, on campus and at home, to faculty, students, and alumni. Also available to students are ACT/SAT preparation and college admissions resources.

Extracurricular

  • The school newspaper is The Spectrum, which is a member of the High School National Ad Network.
  • There are currently four bands at Catholic Central. (see more about the bands below.)
  • The Quiz Bowl
    Quizbowl
    Quiz bowl is a family of games of questions and answers on all topics of human knowledge that is commonly played by students enrolled in high school or college, although some participants begin in middle or even elementary school...

     team has won multiple State Championships and two National Championships and is the reigning state champion since 2011.
  • Other activities: Bowling League, Chess Club, Computer Club, French Club, Intramural Sports Program, Mathematics Club, Monogram Club, Science Club, Student Council
    Student council
    Student council is a curricular or extra-curricular activity for students within elementary and secondary schools around the world. Present in most public and private K-12 school systems across the United States, Canada and Australia these bodies are alternatively entitled student council, student...

    , Yearbook
    Yearbook
    A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...

    , Robotics, Science Olympiad
    Science Olympiad
    Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...

    , and Spanish Club.

Athletics

Sports:
  • Baseball
    Baseball
    Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

     (3 state titles: 1979, 1987, and 1999)
  • Basketball
    Basketball
    Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

     (2 state titles: 1961 and 1976)
  • Bowling
    Bowling
    Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...

     (1 state title: 2010)
  • Cross country
    Cross country running
    Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...

     (6 state titles: 1983, 1984, 1989, 2001, 2009 and 2010)
  • Football
    American football
    American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

     (10 state titles: 1979, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2009)
  • Golf
    Golf
    Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....

     (2 state titles: 2003 and 2010)
  • Ice Hockey
    Ice hockey
    Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

     (MHSAA
    Michigan High School Athletic Association
    -About:The Michigan High School Athletic Association is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan and is headquartered in East Lansing...

    : Division 1; 14 Class A State Championship Titles: 1959, 1961, 1968, 1974, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2009, and 2010)
  • Lacrosse
    Lacrosse
    Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...

  • Skiing
    Skiing
    Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....

  • Soccer
  • Swimming and Diving
    Swimming (sport)
    Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...

  • Tennis
    Tennis
    Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...

     (3 state titles: 1985, 1986, 2010)
  • Track and Field
    Track and field
    Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...

  • Wrestling
    Wrestling
    Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...

     (8 state titles: 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1978, 1983, 1988, and 2010)


Catholic Central's arch athletic rival is Birmingham Brother Rice High School
Brother Rice High School (Michigan)
Brother Rice High School is a Roman Catholic all-boys non-residential college prep school with approximately 700 students located in Bloomfield Township, Michigan . Until 1993 its address was in neighboring Birmingham, Michigan's postal district. In 1993 the U.S...

. Catholic Central holds a 27-26-1 lead in football games played between the two schools as of 2010.

Catholic Central won 6 state titles in the 2009-2010 school year. This tied the previous national record for most state championships won by a single school in a single year.

The hockey team maintains a rivalry with Trenton High School
Trenton High School (Michigan)
Trenton High School is a public high school in Trenton, Michigan, one of four schools in the Trenton Public School District. The school serves the city of Trenton and is a magnet school for special education students, specifically for those with hearing disabilities, from across...

. The teams play one game in nearly every regular season. In 2010, Fox Sports
Fox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...

 and "Replay Fuled by Gatorade
Gatorade
Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...

" chose to showcase the CC-Trenton rivalry by continuing a game from the 1998-99 season which prematurely ended after a player was seriously injured on the ice when the game was tied 4-4.

The Shamrocks compete in the Central Division of the Catholic High School League
Catholic High School League
The Catholic High School League is a school athletic conference based in Detroit, Michigan. All of the schools are currently part of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, the governing body for Michigan scholastic sports...

 and in Class A/Division I (largest schools) of the Michigan High School Athletic Association
Michigan High School Athletic Association
-About:The Michigan High School Athletic Association is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan and is headquartered in East Lansing...

.

Band

There are five full-year bands at CC, in addition to two part-year bands. The full-year bands are Beginning Band, Concert Band
Concert band
A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...

, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...

, and Orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...

, while the part-year bands are Marching Band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...

 and Full Orchestra. All bands are currently under the direction of Gregory Normandin (alumnus, 1978), who has been the music instructor since 1982 and was a student of his predecessor, William Watts, who had served at CC from 1950-1982.

The bands travel every other year to perform in overseas events. In the past, they have performed and won awards in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

, and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

. It currently considers Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

 and Sydney, Australia in addition to London, Hawaii, and Paris. The Shamrock Band has been invited to perform in the New Year's Day Parade
New Year's Day Parade
The New Year's Day Parade is a parade through the streets of the West End of London, which takes place annually on 1 January. The first year the parade took place was 1987, as the Lord Mayor of Westminster's Big Parade...

 in London, England on January 1, 2011.
  • Beginning Band

Beginning Band is for those first starting an instrument and is strictly designed for members to improve their playing abilities. Beginning Band does not take part in Michigan Solo and Ensemble Festival nor play at any games or events.
  • Concert Band

Concert Band is mostly for freshmen who have played their instrument for at least 6 months. Concert Band is required for all freshmen who do not audition for Symphonic Band, though it is optional for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The Concert Band performs in the Michigan High School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) festivals. Additionally, each member is required to take part in the Michigan Solo and Ensemble Festival, the Christmas and Spring Concerts, and take part in Marching Band during the football season.
  • Symphonic Band

Symphonic Band mostly consists of sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Symphonic Band is optional without audition for all bandsmen who have played with the band for at least a year. The CC Symphonic Band has a record of consistently receiving perfect "I" ratings at the MSBOA festival. Each member is required to take part in the Michigan Solo and Ensemble Festival. The Symphonic Band performs at the Christmas and Spring Concerts, and takes part in Marching Band during football season.
  • Jazz Band

Jazz band is open to any student at Catholic Central. Jazz band does not perform at the MSBOA band festival, though it does take part in the Christmas and Spring Concert every year. Students wishing to join the jazz band must audition for the band director. The spaces are limited, so there are only a few students accepted. The students also perform at various school events such as alumni gatherings, the CC Family Fest, and Night On The Town (a band benefit dinner-dance).
  • Orchestra

Orchestra, a relatively new addition (created in the 2007-08 school year), is open to all string instruments. They do not take part in Marching Band. The orchestra plays at the Spring and Christmas Concert, the MSBOA band festival, and performs individually at the Michigan Solo and Ensemble festival.
  • Full Orchestra

Full Orchestra, also new to CC, consists of the Orchestra, in addition to a select few Symphonic Band musicians. They do not perform at the MSBOA band festival, though they do play at the Christmas and Spring Concert every year.
  • Marching Band

The Concert band and Symphonic band combine as a Marching Band to play at all home football games, Boys' Bowl
Boys' Bowl
Boys' Bowl, is a yearly high school match between Detroit Catholic Central High School Shamrocks and another Catholic school under the Archdiocese of Detroit. It is usually the most hyped football event for Catholic Central, if not necessarily the most important, and referred to as the...

, and Prep Bowl. Also, a smaller, pep band
Pep band
A pep band is an ensemble of instrumentalists who play at functions or events with the purpose of entertaining and "pepping" up a crowd. Often members of a pep band are a subset of people from a larger ensemble such as a marching band or a concert band. Pep bands are generally associated with...

 is sent to support the football team at away games as well as selective games in other sports.

Catholic Central has two fight songs: The "School Song", played at key points during sporting events and written by Father Ned Donoher, and the "Spirit Song", played after touchdowns at varsity football games. The spirit song's tune may be familiar to those from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 as the Aggie War Hymn of Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...

.

Familiar formations to the Marching Band are "Block Formation", in which the band is arranged in a block for marching forward normally, and "The Double 'C's", in which the band is arranged into two interlocked "C"s, a school symbol.

In addition to the Marching Band, the CC drum line performs a drum feature each year, revealed at the annual Boy's Bowl assembly. This solo performance is an exciting display of talent, but also one more of the many traditions of Catholic Central.

Boys' Bowl

Boys' Bowl
Boys' Bowl
Boys' Bowl, is a yearly high school match between Detroit Catholic Central High School Shamrocks and another Catholic school under the Archdiocese of Detroit. It is usually the most hyped football event for Catholic Central, if not necessarily the most important, and referred to as the...

, is a traditional, yearly football game which serves as the school's homecoming.

The first Boys Bowl was held October 22, 1944. That year, the football team was considered the best in the state and one of the best in the nation. Father James Martin, CSB, Athletic Director of CC at that time, came up with an idea of having the best team in Michigan play against the best team in America, Boys Town, Nebraska
Boys Town, Nebraska
Boys Town is a village in Douglas County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 818 at the 2000 census. Boys Town is a suburb of Omaha.The village of Boys Town was established as the headquarters of the Boys Town organization, also known as "Father Flanagan's Boys' Home", founded by Father...

, and met with Edward J. Flanagan of Boys Town. The game was played at Briggs Stadium (later named Tiger Stadium). Boys Town, whose coach had gone undefeated for an indefinite amount of time, came in wearing blue. CC donned, contrary to the usual royal blue and white, jerseys of blue and gold. That first game resulted in a tie between the two teams, but it started a long-standing tradition which would last from that time to the present day Boys' Bowl.

The Drive

The Drive is a fundraiser for the school and is by far the biggest event of the year. It lasts one week in February. Each student is given tickets to sell, and based on how many tickets are sold (or how much money is brought in), the administration will give days off of school. There ares also prizes to be won such as a fish-finder, plasma screen TV, mini-fridge and much more. Also, each day of the Drive (which are all half days), there's another drawing. If the student's name is drawn, they're given back all of the money that they've brought in (as long as it's over a certain amount). Also, in April, before Spring break, all of the students get a kick-back, which means that the students get money back based on how much they brought in.

Song Lyrics

  • Mary, Alma Mater

Mary, Alma Mater,
Your sons of Central honor,
And trusting in your goodness,
We hopefully implore,
That by your grace we may every day,
Prove that we are men,
Of Mary, Alma Mater,
Inspire us evermore.

Mary, Alma Mater,
Your sons of Central honor,
And proudly wear your colors,
The royal Blue and White,
May valiant Blue and peerless White,
Teach us to be men,
Of Mary, Alma Mater,
Inspire us evermore.

This particular song has been sung by the graduating class of every graduate ceremony of Catholic Central for over fifty years.
  • Brotherhood Song

If we unite, our future's bright,
we'll have Shamrock brotherhood.
Let's all agree that unity
will help us be like we should.
It's a new day a brand new way,
together we'll make things bright!
Working together, sunny weather,
shine on our Blue (Blue!),
shine on our White (White!),
Shine on our Blue and White!
  • Aggie War Hymn (Spirit Song)

Hullabaloo, Caneck, Caneck!
Hullabaloo, Caneck, Caneck!
We've got a spirit that we're glad we've got,
We've got a spirit that no one can tame, Hey!
We've got a spirit that the rest have not,
Come on gang let's win this game!
Fight, Fight, Fight!
We've got a spirit that spells victory,
We've got a team that hears our call!
Oh, we've got the double-pull for old CC,
Shamrocks, all together,
Give em' a C! Give em' a C!
Give em' a H for CCH!
  • School Song

We're gonna cheer for the Shamrocks!
We're gonna boast of our fame!
We'll tell the world we're the Shamrocks!
When they ask us, "What's you name?" (fight, fight, fight)
We're number one 'cause we're Shamrocks!
We're gonna back up our claim!
We've got the roughness,
We've got the toughness,
To win this game!

(Cheer)
(C)-Say what's your name? (R)-Shamrocks!
(C)-Say what's your name? (R)-Shamrocks!
(C)-Gonna win this game? (R)-Yeah, man!
(C)-Gonna win this game? (R)-Yeah, man!
(C)-Got the team? (R)-Yeah!
(C)-And the coach? (R)-Yeah!
(C)-And the roughness? (R)-Yeah!
(C)-And the toughness? (R)-Yeah!
(C)-Say what's your name? (R)-Shamrocks!
(C)-Say what's your name? (R)-Shamrocks!
(C)-Gonna win this game? (R)-Yeah, man!
(C)-Gonna win this game? (R)-Yeah, man!
(ALL)-Gonna live and die for CC High!

(Repeat Chorus)

Father Ned Donoher

Father Edward "Ned" Donoher, C.S.B. (December 18, 1923 - December 11, 2010)
, called Father Ned or, more recently, Father Donoher was a priest at Detroit Catholic Central High School. Many of the CC Songs were composed or re-written by Fr. Donoher, who created the Catholic Central "School Song", the various Drive songs, and the "Mary, Alma Mater", as well as the Alma Mater for Andrean High School
Andrean High School
Andrean High School is a coeducational Catholic college preparatory school located in Merrillville, Indiana. The school was founded in 1959, and named after the first bishop of the diocese of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gary, Andrew Grutka...

 in Merrillville, IN. He was assigned to teach at Andrean in 1960, but a change in assignment kept him at Detroit Catholic Central. His brother, Fr. Paul Donoher started the music department at Andrean.

Fr. Donoher taught at Catholic Central until the 2005-2006 school year, the school's first year in Novi
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...

.

Fr. Donoher went to the Lord after dying on December 11, 2010 at 9:45am in Sacred Heart Home outside of Toledo, Ohio. He was surrounded by the Sacred Heart Home chaplain and five of the Little Sisters of the Poor who staff the home. Fr. Jim O'Neill, CSB, superior of the Basilian Fathers of Catholic Central anointed Fr. Donoher.

Notable alumni

  • Thomas E. Brennan
    Thomas E. Brennan
    Thomas E. Brennan is the founder of Thomas M. Cooley Law School, the 81st Justice and Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, an attorney, and former jurist and educator in the U.S. state of Michigan.-Early life:...

    , former Chief Justice
    Chief Justice
    The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...

     of the Michigan Supreme Court
    Michigan Supreme Court
    The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...

     and founder of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School
    Thomas M. Cooley Law School
    Thomas M. Cooley Law School is an American Bar Association accredited law school in the United States. Located in Michigan, its main campus is in Lansing, and its satellite campuses are in Ann Arbor, Auburn Hills, and Grand Rapids. Cooley plans on opening another satellite campus in Tampa Bay,...

  • Doug Brzezinski
    Doug Brzezinski
    Douglas Gregory Brzezinski is a former American football offensive lineman for the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Carolina Panthers...

     '94, Boston College
    Boston College
    Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...

     and Carolina Panthers
    Carolina Panthers
    The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...

     (NFL
    National Football League
    The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

    ) Offensive lineman
  • Mike Cox
    Mike Cox
    Mike Cox was Michigan's 52nd Attorney General; the first Republican to hold that office since 1955. Cox took office in 2003 and won re-election in 2006. Michigan Governor Jennifer M...

     '80 (R), former Michigan Attorney General
  • Sean Cox
    Sean Cox
    Sean Francis Cox is a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He is the older brother of Mike Cox, Michigan's Attorney General....

    , United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • Andy Dillon
    Andy Dillon
    Andrew "Andy" Dillon is a Democratic Party politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He was appointed by Governor Rick Snyder, a Republican, to be the state's treasurer...

     '80 (D), Michigan Treasurer, former Michigan Speaker of the House
  • Billy "BD" Downs '84, founder of BD's Mongolian Barbeque
    BD's Mongolian Barbeque
    BD's Mongolian Grill is an American restaurant chain specializing in patron-prepared stir-fry meals in a style known as "Mongolian barbecue". Grillers use 3-foot metal "swords" and cook on an 8-foot diameter gas flat top grill reaching temperatures of 600 degrees Fahrenheit .BD's was founded in...

  • Mike Duggan, current CEO of the Detroit Medical Center
    Detroit Medical Center
    The Detroit Medical Center, located in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, has more than 2,000 licensed beds, 3,000 affiliated physicians and over 12,000 employees. The DMC is the affiliated clinical research site for medical program at Wayne State University...

     and former Wayne County, Michigan
    Wayne County, Michigan
    -History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...

     prosecutor
  • James Finn Garner
    James Finn Garner
    James Finn Garner is an American writer and satirist based in Chicago. He is the author of Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, Politically Correct Holiday Stories, and Apocalypse Wow.-External links:*...

    , satirist and author of Politically Correct Bedtime Stories
    Politically Correct Bedtime Stories
    Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life and Times is a book by James Finn Garner, published in 1994, in which Garner satirizes the trend toward political correctness and censorship of children's literature, with an emphasis on humor and parody...

  • Bryan Gruley
    Bryan Gruley
    Veteran journalist Bryan Gruley is the Chicago Bureau Chief of The Wall Street Journal and author of the novel, Starvation Lake....

    , author and Chicago Bureau Chief of The Wall Street Journal
    The Wall Street Journal
    The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....

  • Charlie Haeger
    Charlie Haeger
    Charles Wallis Haeger is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Boston Red Sox organization in Major League Baseball.-High school:...

    , Los Angeles Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

     pitcher
    Pitcher
    In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...

  • Stan Heath
    Stan Heath
    Stanley Heath, III is the head men's basketball coach at the University of South Florida Bulls...

    , University of South Florida
    University of South Florida
    The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...

     men's basketball head coach
  • Tom LaGarde
    Tom LaGarde
    Thomas Joseph LaGarde is a retired American basketball player who played in the NBA from 1977 to 1985. After playing collegiately at the University of North Carolina, LaGarde was selected 9th overall in the first round of the 1977 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.At 6'10" and 220 lb, LaGarde...

     '73, member of the 1976 US Olympic gold medal basketball team and retired NBA basketball player
  • Terry Malone
    Terry Malone
    Terry Malone is the current tight ends coach for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. Prior to the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season, Malone had been the offensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines football team...

    , tight ends coach for the New Orleans Saints and former offensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines football team
  • Mike Martin
    Mike Martin (defensive lineman)
    -University of Michigan:Martin had been a fan of Michigan football since childhood and gave his oral commitment to head coach Lloyd Carr during an official visit in 2007. When Carr retired after the 2007 season, Martin withdrew his oral commitment and was heavily recruited by both Notre Dame and...

     Current football player at the University of Michigan
  • Thaddeus McCotter '83 (R-MI), United States Congressman
  • John McHale
    John McHale
    John Joseph McHale was an American first baseman and executive in Major League Baseball who served as the general manager of three teams: the Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, and Montreal Expos...

     '38, former general manager
    General manager (baseball)
    In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....

     of the Detroit Tigers
    Detroit Tigers
    The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

    , Milwaukee Braves, and Montreal Expos
    Montreal Expos
    The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...

    .
  • Mark Messner
    Mark Messner
    Mark W. Messner is a former American football defensive lineman and linebacker.Messner played college football at Michigan from 1985 to 1988. The lineman from Hartland, Michigan was the Wolverines' sack leader in 1985-1987. The 1985 defense has been described as the best defense in the history...

     '84, University of Michigan
    University of Michigan
    The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...

     and former NFL lineman
  • Al Moran, former New York Mets shortstop
  • Mike Morelli '08, The Biggest Loser
    The Biggest Loser
    The Biggest Loser is an American reality game show that debuted on NBC October 19, 2004. The show features obese people competing to win a cash prize by losing the highest percentage of weight relative to their initial weight....

     2009 Finalist
  • David Moss, forward for the NHL
    National Hockey League
    The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

    's Calgary Flames
    Calgary Flames
    The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...

  • Kevin O'Connor
    Kevin O'Connor
    Kevin O'Connor is a professional footballer who is currently captain of Brentford. He is the club's longest serving player, having signed professional terms in 1999....

    , co-founder of online advertising company DoubleClick
    DoubleClick
    DoubleClick is a subsidiary of Google that develops and provides Internet ad serving services. Its clients include agencies, marketers and publishers who serve customers like Microsoft, General Motors, Coca-Cola, Motorola, L'Oréal, Palm, Inc., Apple Inc., Visa USA, Nike, Carlsberg among others...

  • Phil Parsons
    Phil Parsons
    Phil Parsons , is a former NASCAR driver and owner of MSRP Motorsports . He is also the younger brother of the late 1973 Winston Cup champion and former NBC/TNT commentator Benny Parsons. Years later, he returned to the Busch Series, where he enjoyed modest success...

    , retired NASCAR
    NASCAR
    The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

     Driver
  • Mike Posner
    Mike Posner (musician)
    Michael Robert "Mike" Posner is an American singer, songwriter, and producer. Posner released his debut album, 31 Minutes to Takeoff, on August 10, 2010...

    , Hip-hop Artist (attended, but did not graduate)
  • Vasik Rajlich
    Vasik Rajlich
    Vasik Rajlich is an International Master in chess and the author of Rybka, one of the strongest chess playing programs in the world. Rajlich is a dual Czechoslovakian-American citizen by birth; he was born in the United States of America to Czech parents, at that time graduate students, but grew...

    , International Master in chess and developer of Rybka
    Rybka
    Rybka is a computer chess engine designed by International Master Vasik Rajlich. , Rybka is one of the top-rated engines on chess engine rating lists and has won many computer chess tournaments...

  • James L. Ryan
    James L. Ryan
    James Leo Ryan is a former Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.-Biography:...

    , Senior Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • Chris Sabo
    Chris Sabo
    Christopher Andrew Sabo is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds , Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals . At 6'0" and 180 lb , he batted and threw right-handed...

    , former Major League Baseball, Cincinnati Reds third baseman
    Third baseman
    A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...

  • Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press
    Detroit Free Press
    The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...

     columnist
  • Alex Shelley
    Alex Shelley
    Patrick Martin , is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Alex Shelley. He wrestles for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he currently teams with Chris Sabin as The Motor City Machine Guns. He previously gained fame on the independent circuit, working most notably for...

     '01, professional wrestler
  • Frank Tanana
    Frank Tanana
    Frank Daryl Tanana is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He was the California Angels' 1st round draft pick in 1971....

    , retired Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

     pitcher
    Pitcher
    In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...

  • Bernard White, actor, screenwriter and film director
  • Joshua Gatt
    Joshua Gatt
    Joshua Gatt is an American soccer player who currently plays for Molde in the Norwegian Tippeligaen.-High School:Played Varsity for four years at Catholic Central High School...

    '10, Winger/Fullback for Tippeligaen
    Tippeligaen
    Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...

     soccer team, Molde FK

External links

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