Alumni Larry and Joanne Kent '56 sat down with Associate AD Joel Moersch to discuss their passion for Idaho State University and the impact that John "Babe" Caccia, Milton "Dubby" Holt, and Earl Pond had on their lives.
Pocatello, Idaho – When legendary head football coach Babe Caccia recruited Larry Kent in the fall of 1950, the 160-pound running back out of Malad High School (Idaho) had no idea his journey to Pocatello would evolve into a lifetime of generosity to Idaho State University.
"We were smaller in those days," joked Larry who was one of the harder-to-spot players on the then Idaho State College football team. Playing on both sides of the ball, the halfback and defensive back majored in business administration and was a game-changer for the Bengals.
Despite his small stature, the Southeast Idaho native made a larger-than-life impact on the field. He was named to the Rocky Mountain All-Conference First Team in 1955 and went on to earn a spot in the ISU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990.
Joanne's journey to Pocatello was also inspired by athletics, albeit through a family member and not by her own recruitment. Her older brother Gene Despard was offered a track and field scholarship in 1949 by another Idaho State legend, Dubby Holt. The coach and athletic director who eventually orchestrated the construction of ISU's historic Holt Arena in 1970, recruited Gene out of Hoover High School in Glendale, California as a two-sport athlete.
Gene's love for Idaho State and the Pocatello community was felt by Joanne back home in Southern California so she decided to follow in his footsteps in 1952.
"Being able to enjoy a small college environment where you knew everyone on campus was incredible," Joanne commented. "We knew our professors personally and developed lifelong friendships with so many people at Idaho State."
It was two friends in particular, Ann Reed and Rick Bauer, that changed the Kent's lives forever. "Ann was my roommate at the time and Rick was on the basketball team," recalled Joanne. "They introduced Larry and I on campus and the rest is history."
As if the Kent's ties to Babe and Dubby were not legendary enough for any Bengal fan, Joanne went to work in the ticket office for "Mr. ISU" himself, Earl Pond, while pursuing her degree in secondary math education.
"I had such a memorable time working with Earl while selling tickets to athletic events," said Joanne. The Earl R. Pond Student Union Building was later named in Mr. ISU's honor in 1985.
Sixty-five years after tying the knot in the spring of 1956, the Kent's have remained loyal to ISU in just about every way imaginable. In addition to supporting Bengal Athletic Boosters, the Alumni Association, and campaigns such as
I Love ISU and
Thanks a Million Babe, the lifelong Bengals even rode a booster bus down I-15 from the Idaho Falls Country Club to Holt Arena for over a decade.
One can only imagine the stories told around the Kent's dinner table about Babe, Dubby, and Mr. ISU, and perhaps inevitably how these relationships influenced Larry and Joanne's two children to continue the family tradition in Pocatello. Their daughter Susan graduated from ISU with a marketing degree in 1980 and their son Steve obtained a biochemistry degree in 1984.
No matter their level of involvement, Larry and Joanne have always felt an obligation to give back.
"It was through football and our close relationships with Dubby, Babe, and Earl that inspired us to stay involved," said Larry. "There's a certain amount of allegiance you feel to the school after having such a great experience."
After thirty-eight years of consistent giving across campus, the Kent's decided to take their support to the next level in 2020 by endowing two scholarships to benefit future generations of student-athletes. One scholarship targeted Idaho State Football while the other addressed initiatives and needs related to gender equity within the athletic department.
"ISU helped us tremendously and our goal was to encourage those who otherwise might not have an opportunity to attend school and play sports," said Joanne. "The education we received provided us with the careers we had," added Larry. "We felt we owed it to the University to pay it forward."
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Idaho State Athletics would like to thank every donor who is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of 300-plus Bengal student-athletes. To learn more about supporting Idaho State, please contact Associate AD Joel Moersch at (208) 282-4503 or joelmoersch@isu.edu.
