Knights Girls' Basketball Team Dedicates Season to Beloved Bus Driver

The St. Michael-Albertville girls' basketball team, which is off to a hot start here in their defense of the Section 8-4A championship and Mississippi 8 crown, is dedicating its season to the memory of Larry Bermel. 

The late bus driver was omnipresent at girls' games, driving the bus to Target Center two of the last three years for the State 4A tournament and helping the Knights get motivated to take on teams from Moorhead to Duluth. 

"Because Cowboy Larry was such a big part of our program, as he was for many, we have decided to dedicate our 2013-2014 season to him," said head coach Kent Hamre. "[The girls] designed our team shirts with Cowboy Larry’s infamous quotes on the back. Athletes at STMA rarely, if ever, got off Larry’s bus without hearing him say, 'Show no mercy!' or 'Go get 'em girls.'" 

The special t-shirts are worn during warm-ups and handed out to the crowd during games at STMA. 

Larry Bermel, known as the Cowboy because of his big, black cowboy hat that accompanied him on almost every ride, died at his St. Michael home Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013. He was 65 years old.

The Knights thus far are 3-1, their only loss coming to top-ranked Fergus Falls from Class 3A in the Tip-Off Classic. They've drubbed Moorhead, Brainerd and Bemidji, and play host to 4A powerhouse Minnetonka at 7:15 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20 at the STMA gym.