Stolen From The 90s Guys

The alums from the 90s started their own internetty thingie years ago to keep in touch.  They still use it today to "socially distance" and yet still stay close.

Many of them are also members of our group.  I hope they don't mind spreading the latest from their world onto the stage of our blog!

Here's video from what they consider "long ago", (1994) featuring Bob Hamer and Che Arosemena.  That really makes me feel old...

Thanks to Mark Wimmer and Harry Stants.

We Always Said It, But The 90s Guys Codified It

It has been a joke since the very first students attending the land-grant farmer's high school that became our alma mater.  With the electric chair housed at nearby Rockview Prison, the moniker became even more funnier after Penn State became a University.

State Penn!

But the 1993 XC squad took the name to a new level when they warmed up at the NCAA XC Championships with the t-shirts made up by Leif Steiner.  Even Coach Groves got in on the action during the meet.  I believe these photos were by Brian Boyer and the bike in the last pic is Matt Hutzelmann's

 

Tom McGlynn, Bob Hamer, Coach Groves, Harry Stants, Ken Cooper.

Coach is holding Jake Bartholomy's All-American Certifate for finishing 29th. The team finished in 14th place overall.  Not bad for a bunch of convicts!

29th Jake Bartbolomy 30:32
58th Robert Hamer 31:00
95th Leif Steiner 31:33
109th Jon Pritchard 31:43
112th Tom Mcglynn 31:45
115th Ken Cooper 31:48
134th  Harry Stants 32:09

He Learned From 2 Of The Best

Bob Hamer has been recognized as Indoor Track Coach of the Year by the MAAC.  It isn't really a surprise when you know he was coached in his athletic life by two of the best in the business, Coach Bill Preston and Coach Harry Groves.

Coach Bill Preston was coach of the perennial powerhouse of Council Rock back in the heyday of the PIAA times.  He coached several Penn State Track Alumni (Golfers) including Bob Hamer, Matt Hutzelmann and Mark Haegele. He is currently the coach of the PSUAC XC champion Mont Alto team.

No One Should Let Me Design A XC Course

But I will only be helping, so all is good.

Later today I will be helping Coach Bill Preston (HS Coach of and Matt Hutzelmann, Bob Hamer and others) of PSU Mont Alto lay out his new XC course at Norlo Park, halfway between Mont Alto and Chambersburg, PA.

And he has already been warned about my course tendencies, so he wouldn't dare take much of my advice!  I personally set up the course at my high school, which happened to dive into thick woods, crossing a creek and jumping a large fallen tree while ducking other large limbs.  Of course, this was done twice.  Many people didn't like any of it, but I relished it.  Cross country should always be like that!

I think I will take Airship 800U along for some aerial pics and video of the course.

More Alumni Singlet Goodness: All 3:53 Of It

Watch the boys sporting their new Alumni Singlets on the refurbished Franklin Field Track.  Plans are afoot to have an A and B team next year.  We'll need another Alumni Singlet sale, for sure.

Jake Bartholomy sent us this version of the race taken by Bob Hamer.  Nice job Bob!



And Beth Shisler sent us this pic of RB Caldwell at the end of his leg.  Oops...

Naked And Hunted By Authorities

Well, I don't think they even got the chance to be naked!  But the plans were leaked, and the authorities thwarted the efforts and convicted the entire team for Hazing.  This world is out of control, and this may be the best example yet.

Artist's Conception.

Noted naked runner himself, KKOB, brought me this news even before it hit the national news.  There must be some kind of message board for clothes-optional runners, or something!

The story is extra-important to our group as the head coach at Rider is our very own PSU Track Alumni (Golfer) Bob Hamer.  Bob was coached in high school at Council Rock by my daughter's current coach, Bill Preston at Penn State Mont Alto.

I don't know how I feel about all of this.  On the one hand, I find it innocent fun (sans illegal alcohol) and the first chance in life at seeing naked girls for geeks like me.  On the other hand, I am a big opponent of hazing in any form.  But was this hazing when no one was coerced into participating?  And, again as always, I don't have all of the facts.

Next time guys and girls, wear a g-string and pasties and I think you'll be fine?  What do you think Kelly?

Nittany Lions From the PIAA List of Past Cross Country Champions

I have tried to put together a list of current and former Nittany Lions who have joined the Cross Country team after winning a PIAA State Championship.  I probably don't have a complete list.  If anyone knows of those I missed, please chime in! (The list has been amended to include those I missed and submitted via the comments. Thanks to the anonymous supporter and RMH!)

1963 Boys’ AAA  Steve Gentry 11  State College. 10:36  (Pennsylvania State University)

1964 Boys’ AAA Steve Gentry  12 State College 10:25.2 (Pennsylvania State University)

1968 Boys’ AAA Jim Allahand 12 Bensalem  12:40 (Pennsylvania State University)

1975 Girls’ AA Mary Rawe  11 Camp Hill    12:28 (Pennsylvania State University)

            1976 Girls’ AAA Kathy Byrnes 12 North Allegheny 13:06.6.(Pennsylvania State University)

1977 Boys’ AAA  Gary Black  12  State College 15:09.4 (Pennsylvania State University)

1978  Boys’ AA  Mike Cook  12 Troy  15:26.8 (Pennsylvania State University)

1980  Boys’ AA Mark Overheim 12  General McLane 10  15:50.7 (Lehigh University)

1982 Boys’ AAA  Eric Carter 11 Penn Hills   15:38.2  (Lehigh University)

1984 Boys’ AAA Steve Brown 12  North Hills   15:44.9 (Lehigh University)

1985 Boys’ AAA  Doug Walter  12  Chambersburg   15:38.14 (Lehigh University)

1986 Boys’ AAA Ron Moore 12 Hempfield Area  15:33.2 (Pennsylvania State University)

1989 Boys’ AAA  Bob Hamer  12  Council Rock 15:37.98 (Lehigh University)

1995 Boys’ AAA  Chris McGinness 12  Abington 15:48.15 (Pennsylvania State University)

2001 Boys’ AAA Daniel Mazzocco 12 Baldwin 16:03.0 (Hersheypark Stadium White Field)

2011 Boys’ AAA Conner Quinn 11  Hatboro-Horsham 16:03 (Parkview XC Course, Hershey)

            2012 Boys’ AAA Tony Russell 11  W. C. Henderson  15:45 (Parkview XC Course, Hershey)

2013 .Girls’ AAA Tessa Barrett 12  Abington Heights 17:30 (Parkview XC Course, Hershey)

2013 Girls’ AA Elizabeth Chikotas 12 Saucon Valley  18:43 (Parkview XC Course, Hershey)

            2013  Boys’ AAA  Tony Russell 12  W. C. Henderson 15:49 (Parkview XC Course, Hershey)

A Saturday Throwback Thursday Stolen From the Intertubes: With the Circle of Life Thrown In

As my daughters said when they were younger, "This was before they invented color..."  And the second one is from when "Color was experimental..."

An early 60's Gary Schwartz.

Matt Hutzelmann (second from left), Bob Hamer (second from right) and Leif Steiner (right) at the 1990 PIAA "Mile"

And my Daughter the Elder just received her summer schedule for her upcoming Freshman XC season at Penn State Mont Alto from Matt and Bob's former high school coach Bill Preston.

Many PSU and Coach Groves Connections At PSU Mont Alto

Daughter the Younger and Daughter the Elder with The Lion

I had the pleasure of spending today at Penn State Mont Alto for an information session for my Daughter the Elder's upcoming Freshman campaign.  The lunch provided brought me back to those glory years in the dorms.  The chicken sandwich wasn't quite a  a Chicken Cosmo (Here and Here), but it was delicious, as was the mac and cheese and even the salad. I didn't get a good picture of the Death by Chocolate ice cream for Bob Radzwich because I started to eat it before sitting down,  He would have been happy with me.

Grilled chicken sandwich, tossed salad (yes I sometimes eat salad!), mac and cheese and Death by Chocolate sundae. Kinda sorta makes up for the tuition and room and board costs 30X higher than I remember.

I also had the pleasure to meet PSU Mont Alto's new Mens and Womens Cross Country Coach, Bill Preston.  We were able to have a long conversation and seem to know quite a few mutual friends from all over.  He even has a few good Coach Groves stories, but then again don't we all?  Coach Preston was the coach of PA HS powerhouse Council Rock and numerous PSU athletes were incubated in his program.  Bob Hamer and Mark Haegele are among his PSU distance and middle distance recruits to PSU.  Coach Preston describes Penn State as "Council Rock West"!

Coach Preston with Daughter the Elder.

For those coaches anywhere near Central Pennsylvania, Coach Preston is sponsoring a free coaches clinic on Saturday June 14th at Penn State Mont Alto.  He has things to motivate and enlighten even the most veteran of coaches out there.  I am wonderfully impressed with him. And you will be too.

High School Mania!

I came across a nice pic on the inter-tubes yesterday from fellow teammate Ricky Garcia.  His TC Williams (of Remember the Titans fame!) distance medley relay team was the holder of the national record for more than 25 years.  On that team was fellow Nittany Lion Dwight Stephens.  Ted Lyon was also from that powerhouse program.  That's three teammates of mine from just one high school.

Ricky Garcia, second from left, and Dwight Stephens, right.

There are other schools with similar Penn State credentials.

• Lancaster, Ohio's Brannon Kidder, John Zishka and Keeper of the Beer Clark Haley.
• Council Rock's Bob Hamer, among others... coached by my daughter's future coach at PSU Mont Alto Bill Preston.
• And last but certainly not least, State College High with literally dozens of Nittany Lions springing from its halls. 

Are there any other High Schools with similar PSU credentials?  (I know there are.)

Pride is a Deadly Sin, But What the Heck

 

My daughter's Senior Year XC season ended yesterday with the awards banquet.  Her team ended 5th at the PIAA meet, the same as last year.  Martha again earned The Most Improved Award for her progress during the seaon. I couldn't be more proud...

Actually, I could!

Martha accepted her first choice in colleges last week and will be matriculating at Penn State/Mont Alto next Fall.  This will allow her to be close (very close!) to her beloved Appalachian Trail.  It also allows her to become a member of their brand new XC team, which will be coached by a Pennsylvania Legend quite familiar to many of us PSU Track/XC Alums.  Eight-time PIAA Champion Coach Bill Preston of Council Rock HS and Richard Stockton College will be ushering in a new program with his patented high-mileage format.  Council Rock produced Bob Hamer and a few other Nittany Lions.  And anyone who is friends with Coach Groves is already a friend of mine.  Can't wait to see the progress she can make under Coach Preston. It was only yesterday that I held the 2 lb. newborn in the palm of my rather small hand...

I hope to hear from Bob and a few others about running for Coach Preston, and maybe even Coach Preston himself.  I'm not going to interfere with the Coach/Athlete relationship at all, but I'll do everything I can to make it successful. We have celebrated the PSU Club team several times, and now I'll learn about the PSU Branch Campus XC/Track scene.  Remember, everyone can be a member of our Group. Coach Preston will soon have a golden ticket to the next Coach Harry Groves Golf Tournament.