Police Officer Edgar A. Clay, Jr.

Youth Officer Clay was also known as Coach Clay (Boy’s Football Team for St. Joachim’s Catholic School, located at 90th and Langley Street (now closed)). Coach was responsible for helping a number of boys attend some of Chicago’s great high schools. Some of us went onto attend such powerhouses as Mount Carmel, Mendel Catholic Prep, Brother Rice, Leo Catholic High School and Hales Franciscan High School, some of us even got scholarships to attend these wonderful high schools thanks to Coach Clay.

Coach Clay was a dedicate professional, yes he worked at Area 1 Youth Division (which use to be located in Washington Park right off of Cottage Grove). Yes, he worked with both troubled youth from the (Blackstone Rangers, Disciples and other street gangs) but each day at 3:30 PM, Monday thru Friday, Coach Clay showed up to work with the boys of St. Joachim’s Football Team. He was a caring, loving and compassionate person who was able to look at each of my teammate of the 1968 Graduating Class of St. Joachim as a member of his family.
He was able to separate his work with trouble youth and work with young boys who had a love and desire to just be football players. It is my understanding that none of the boys on our team ever got involved in the street gang lifestyle and I firmly believe it was because of Coach and what he taught us. Work hard, be polite and respectful and believe in God.

I have a love for Coach Clay because he treated me like his very own son. I must confess that Coach Clay worked with my father who was also a Youth Officer at Area 1. When, my father did not have the time for me, Coach Clay made the time. When I graduated from St. Joachim’s and went to Hales Franciscan, Coach Clay was there for our first year. He helped make the transition into high school easier for me and my fellow teammates.

Coach Clay has been missed everyday since Our Heavenly Father called him home and I am comforted to know that he and my father, Youth Officer Frank Crowell along Superintendent Fred Rice are together again, May they Rest In Peace.

James Franklin Crowell
Ret. Supervisory Special Agent, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firea

July 20, 2020