Whiting renames football facility after Cain
By Paul Honeycutt
WHITING — In August 2023, I wrote about my personal story with former Whiting football coach Jeff Cain.
I honestly thought those 845 words were going to be the last ones I ever wrote about Cain and the impact he had on “The Little City by the Lake.”
Don’t tell this to my wife, Brynn, but sometimes I’m wrong and if she’s reading this, now she has it in writing.
In re-reading that column earlier this week, it provided me with a sense of closure while highlighting the storied career of Cain.
Then I got the text that he, along with the rest of the 2015 Class 2A state finalist team, were to be honored at halftime during the Whiting-Bishop Noll game.
It was revealed to me that “something special was being planned.”
After putting two and two together, I surmised that Cain was having something named after him, as Whiting hired a new superintendent in Dave Verta, a former player of Cain’s and a 1999 Whiting graduate.
“Once I got named as superintendent, probably a week later a bunch of former players and (former Whiting assistant coach) Brett (Jennings) said that it was time to do this, so we started talking and planning it out, and the school board along with everyone else was extremely supportive and it came together faster than I realized,” said Verta.
As of Sept. 5, 2025, the field that saw two decades of dominance from IFCA Hall of Famer and Whiting’s all-time winningest coach will now forever be known as Ray P. Gallivan Field at Jeff Cain Stadium.
Cain could be seen just soaking in the 28-7 win, reminiscing with former players and coaches, the crowd and enjoying halftime until it dawned on him when Jennings was presenting during the intermission.
“My youngest daughter came into town from two hours south and the kids have been sick, but my wife, Sandy, said she was coming,” said Cain. “David (Verta) had called, Brett (Jennings) had texted and said if there was anyone I wanted to come to let them know.”
Cain figured it out about half way through.
“I thought the whole event was well-orchestrated with celebrating that 2015 season and TK (current Whiting coach Thomas Knight) getting his first win was huge,” Cain stated. “It was just a whirlwind of emotions and I’m very proud of who the kids have become. Here I am calling them kids, and they’re all grown men now.”
The line to get into the game wrapped around the stadium well into the second quarter, which is something that hadn’t been seen in quite some time.
Verta fondly remembered Cain as not just a coach and mentor, but a friend, too.
“When I stopped playing football at Butler after one year, I thought he was gonna be mad because he and the other coaches put all this time and energy into me, so when I quit, he was the first one I thought about,” Verta said.
Around a year and a half later, Verta then had what he thought was going to be that dreaded talk with Cain.
“I spoke to him, and he said it wasn’t about football at all. It was about you learning life lessons and trying to be the best person you can,” said Verta. “That conversation took my respect for him to a whole new level and he means a lot to the community because he used to be intentional and consistent and with me still telling that to people around me, once you start being that way, then you’ll start to see changes for the better.”
“(Friday) night was awesome to see live and to be there as the superintendent was surreal,” Verta added. “Back then, he would tell us that we’re not just playing for ourselves, but we were also playing for the fans and the community behind us, which showed that he cared just as much about the fans as he did about his players.”
There were lots of numbers from Cain’s career that stuck out like 194 wins, coaching 35 all-state players, seven Indiana All-Stars, 5-time IFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year, 12-time Conference Coach of the Year, four sectional titles, three regional titles and one semi-state title and state finals appearance in 2015.
Cain knew the 2018 season would be it for him because he felt like it was his time.
He remains in awe of what some of the most legendary coaches are still doing at the ages at which they are and were doing them.
The Russ Radtkes, Bud Wrights, of the world, I’m like, damn, I don’t think I could ever go that long, but that’s what they did and have done what they have and that’s why they’re the best,” said Cain.
The most important number in Cain’s career is the number one, but not because of the state finals appearance or being No. 1 on the program’s win list.
“One community,” Cain said. “I always appreciated Whiting, the town, school city, it was a gem embedded in Northwest Indiana, and not a lot of people knew about it.”
“I would wear my Whiting gear down south at a coaches meeting and now, it is a recognizable label, and I have my family, the parents, kids, school and community to thank for that.”
Outside of his marriage and two kids being born, Jennings rated last night’s festivities about the highest one could in the situation.
“To be able to honor Jeff, the man that gave so much to all of us, is one of the top five greatest moments of my life,” said Jennings, holding back tears.
Like countless others, Jennings pointed out that Cain taught him things far beyond football.
“I learned how to be a man, and he taught us all about commitment, about showing up day in and day out even when it’s hard and that translates to marriage and the things we always preached about being good husbands and fathers,” said Jennings.
Cain parted with this.
“We always wanted to make the kids’ lives easier in the future whether through education or athletics,” he said. “Let’s shoot for the stars while you are here.”
To Superintendent Verta, the coaches, SCOW, and the community, by planning this ceremony, you all indirectly gave me the opportunity to write 1,105 more words, and for that, I humbly thank you.
And to the man who told me to “pull up a chair” back in 1999 to watch March Madness during school, now is officially the time where you can pull up a chair and say that this is the house you built.