Coach Groves Is Smiling From Ear To Ear: Trenton Makes, The World Takes

A celebration of the Life and Coaching Career of Harry Roger Groves

Date: Friday, May 15, 2020

Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Place: Days Inn State College (Lobby Level Conference Room)  Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Complex
with continuation for PSU Track Alumni (Golfers) at the Days Inn State College Conference Center 9:00 to 11:00PM

Attire: Casual

Every year in May under the leadership of Clark Haley, the Penn State Track and Field/Cross Country Alums (men and women)  gather for the "Annual Penn State Track and Field Alumni Gathering / Harry Groves Golf Outing".  We celebrate Coach Groves' impact on our lives and raise a little money for the track and field program.

This year we will remember, honor and celebrate on Friday night of that event.  Everyone is welcome, alums, friends and the community at large.  We will try to have Coach John Gondak and his staff join us by Skype as they will be at the Big 10 outdoor track and field championship.

Coach Groves' commitment on and off the field has had a tremendous impact on many individuals pushing us to be better student-athletes and human beings.  There are sure to be some great memories, fun stories, and laughs shared throughout the evening.

If you wish to make a contribution in lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Penn State Track and Field building fund.  Monies collected will be utilized by Head Coach John Gondak to benefit current and future Penn State Track and Field student/athletes.  The link allows you to donate online or there is a downloadable, printable form that can be used.

www.raise.psu.edu/HarryGroves

If you would like to pay by check, please do so by sending to:

Penn State Varsity S

Track Facility Enhancement Fund/ Harry Groves

147 Bryce Jordan Center

University Park, PA 16802

Make check payable to: Penn State

Memo line: TFE-Harry Groves

We Are . . . Penn State!

A Legend Sends His Condolences

I want you and all your teammates to know how much I liked and respected Harry.  He and my own Coach Gary Wieneke were close friends and both definitely “old school coaches” which I very much preferred.

Please accept my deepest sympathies for the loss of someone so important in all of your lives. He will never be forgotten... as long as one of us is still kicking!?!

Pass this on to the rest of your teammates who know me.

Also, here is a picture of my proud piece of Penn State history. Harry gave this to me after winning the NCAA X-C Champs there in 1975. This meant a lot to me then... it means even more so now.

Craig Virgin

Coach Groves Grew Champions

With all the former athletes chiming in on the internetty thingie yesterday, it was a bittersweet day. I won't try to put up anything profound yet, but I certainly was reminded of one thing.

The accomplishments of Coach are voluminous when posted in their entirety. And quite impressive for anyone who likes track and doesn't know Coach at all. 

But the one thing that comes through in all of this is that Coach considered every one of us as champions. He treated us as champions and taught us how to make everyone around us champions.

We are the champions of the world!

I will expound much more in the future, and will update everyone as I know more. Now go out and be the champion Coach made you! 

Coach Groves RIP

It is with extreme sadness that I inform my many readers that Coach Groves passed away last night.

But it with extreme joy that I announce that I am certain that he has already begun organizing a team for this year's Penn Relays.

RIP Coach, the only man who never lied to me. And made me better than I otherwise would have been.

There will be more to come as I know more. 

Nittany Lions In The Top Athletes Of The Decade

Well, it turns out that Penn State has 3 athletes that have made the Track and Field News Athlete of the Decade lists.  Two are former student-athletes and one is a former volunteer Assistant Coach.  And all 3 are Shot Putters!

• Number 4    Joe Kovacs
• Number 6    Ryan Whiting   (Assistant Coach)
• Number 10  Darrell Hill

Coach Groves Shows Me The Line On A 40-Footer

This one may not have gone in but it still got us a birdie (oops, just a par!)!  Join us for the Coach Groves Golf Tourney in May!!!!!

Nittany Lions At The 2020 USATF Indoor Championships

Long Jump:
     2nd     Malik Moffett        26' 0.25"  (7.93m)

800M:
     2nd     Isaiah Harris           1:47.16

1500M:
     4th      Brannon Kidder     3:44.69

Weight Throw:
     5th      Morgan Shigo        74' 4.5"    (22.67m)

Shot Put:
     DNS   Rachel Fatherly

Two Hall Of Fame People

I was just an underclassman barely breaking 5:00 in the Mile when I first heard of a running phenom in nearby Camp Hill.  Her name was Mary Rawe.  She continued to dominate Pennsylvania distance running until she moved away to Georgia for her Senior year.

When I matriculated at PSU in the Fall of 1977, There she was!  Back in Central Pennsylvania where she belonged!

Now she is being inducted into the Pennsylvania Track and Field Hall of Fame.  And everyone knows both Mary and her husband Tom Rapp are already members of the Great People Hall of Fame.  They both are some of the finest people this world could produce.  Congrats, Mary.

PIAA Cross Country champion (1975); two PIAA Mile Run titles (1975-6); three PIAA 880y titles (1974-76); and PA Records in the 1500m and the mile. Pretty amazing for just 3 years competition in PA!

The Hall of Fame was established in 1995 to honor the elite individuals in our state’s distinguished track and field history. A selection committee consisting of more than thirty coaches, officials, and journalists collects and reviews information about individuals who have been nominated. 

Each year, 6-to-12 athletes, one coach, one contributor, and one distinguished alumnus are inducted. Athletes become eligible for nomination five years after their high school graduation. Once nominated, a candidate remains under consideration in perpetuity. The committee currently has information on over 400 athletes, 100 coaches, and 50 contributors – more than a century’s worth of outstanding individuals - who have been nominated but not yet inducted. Information on the Hall of Fame may be found at ptfca.org

We're Moving On Up! To Toftrees!

19^th Annual Penn State Track and Field Alumni Gathering / Harry Groves Golf Outing

(MAY 15 – 17, 2020)

               

The receptions will again, take place at Days Inn (240 South Pugh Street) - We have blocks of rooms reserved there for $129 / night (held until April 15) – Use group code 051520 PSU (reference the Penn State Track and Field Alumni gathering if that doesn’t work) – phone number there is (814) 238-8454 X 1 (Shannon is the contact).  As an alternative, the Ramada (1450 S. Atherton St) also has a small block for us at $77 / night (held until April 15) – Mention Harry Groves or PSU Track and Field Alumni (814) 238-3001. 

FRIDAY’S (MAY 15^th) EVENTS:                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

7:00pm – 11:00pm   Meet and Greet cash bar – (kegged beer with hors d ‘oeuvres will be provided)                                                                                                                                    

Picking of the foursomes, 50-50, Putting contest, bar crawl to follow

Mad Mex is located at the hotel, (next to the reception hall) making it convenient for Margarita night caps   

SATURDAY (MAY 16^th) EVENTS: 

8:30am – 10:00am   - The Co-ed NumbNut Alumni Triathlon held at the outdoor track – Scoring will be 5 for first, 3 for second, 1 for third – winner determined by most points earned in all three events (Events yet to be determined, but accepting any crazy ideas you may have!).  For those not interested, the traditional run will take place departing from the outdoor track (coffee and donuts will be served at the track). 

11:30pm – 5:30pm   The Golf Outing will be held at TOFTREES Country Club this year as the Elks club could not accommodate our afternoon tee times (larger group came in) - the putting contest taking place at 10:45. If you need clubs, there are always folks bringing extra sets so you don’t have to worry about renting (be sure to let us know when you register, so we can plan to have them there).

1:00pm – 3:00pm   Activities for those not golfing.  Depending upon weather and volunteers, we will have a group gathering to hike Mt. Nittany or take a campus tour (either to the Creamery or the Sports Museum (may be an additional cost)).  Meeting spot(s) and tour guide(s) to be announced Friday night – leaving from the hotel lobby.  Vivian (Riddick as you knew her from her PSU days!) who typically leads this group, will not be in attendance due to the graduation of her daughter (Congrats Viv, we’ll miss you!) so we’re looking for volunteers (again!).   Doreen, Emily, Sue (Hint Hint)…

7:00pm – 10:00pm   Dinner Reception and Awards Ceremony for golf outing held at Days Inn 

Costs / Fees:

$200 for those attending the outing and both receptions – add a significant other (or another family member) $300 (if not planning to golf $250).  Additional family member(s), add $100 if golfing, $50 if not (children $25).  Friday and Saturday receptions without golf $125, add significant other $175, add additional $50 for each additional family member ($25 for children).    Friday night reception only - $30 add significant other $50 – add $20 for additional immediate family members (children under 18 free).  Saturday only reception $100 add significant other $150 – any additional immediate family member $50.  Saturday reception with golf included $150 – add a significant other $250 if golfing ($200 if not) – additional immediate family members $75 if golfing, $50 if not.  If you have graduated in the past three years, dump 20% of the tab.  Any other scenario, you’re screwed…(we can discuss)!

This event is open to men, women, and friends (or enemies) of PSU alumni - the more the merrier!  This is all about the laughs and brother/sisterhood, not scores – remember, you will have three other hackers on your team in this captains choice scramble format to laugh at ,so don’t worry about how bad your game is! 

Gifts are happily accepted if you would like to help us defer some of our costs as we contribute all proceeds to the current program.  As small as the group  was last year we were still able to contribute a couple thousand to the program…

Please send checks or money orders to:

                                                Harry Smith

                                                508 Washington Avenue

                                                Elyria, OH  44035

PayPal option this year on the Blog or Facebook page (Dave Baskwill is coordinating) as a matter of convenience

 – if utilizing PayPal include another $5 to your total to defer the charge.

If you should have any other questions or comments, please let me know – Hope to see you this year!     

Clark Haley ‘85