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.