Coach Artie Gilkes Gets A Double

The State College Boys team won the PIAA Class 3A team title yesterday at Seth Grove Stadium in Shippensburg.  They exceeded their expected point total with 47 overall points.

That makes Coach Artie Gilkes the State Champion Indoor and Outdoor Coach of 2019!  Needless to say, Artie has the team believing and performing at their optimum level.  Those of us who know him best, saw this coming.  Having a mentor like Coach Groves and the support of the "soon-to-be largest and most active track alumni group in the world" gives great dividends.  Artie is aided by several other PSU Track Alumni (Golfers) including Chris Cipro, Tom Kleban, Matt Groves and Nick K.

The story of the 41st and title-clinching point shows what Artie brings to the table for the athletes he is charged with mentoring.  There are numerous future Nittany Lions coming through his tutelage. Congrats Artie.

Each Point Counts

Another Remarkable Lion

“Once I get through the gates, most of the time I forget that I’m in a wheelchair,” Tek said. “The kids make me feel just like one of them and that helps me forget about everything.”

-Tom Kleban.

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/community/state-college/article173805421.html#storylink=cpy

I ran into Tom Kleban on the Friday night before the Pitt game as I had dinner at the Wegmans on North Atherton.  (I had Kung Pao chicken and shrimp!)  I forgot to ask him about the apocryphal story of him and his brothers blowing up Coach Groves' mailbox as kids. (Coach Groves told me that several years ago.)  Actually, the story is just too good to ever find out that it really didn't happen!

Here's a CDT article about Tom's coaching prowess.

Awesome Impact

AND The Story Goes He Once Blew Up Coach Groves' Mailbox*

Penn State Track and Field Alumni Golfer Tom Kleban continues to make track and field better, both at the high school and college level.  The former decathlete gives a perspective to the sport that almost no one else can. 

Now he is a star of Town and Gown, my wife's go-to State College reference. 

Tom Kleban On The Track

* Coach Groves once told me that the Kleban brothers, Tom and Rick, lived in his neighborhood as kids and once blew up his mailbox with firecrackers as a Halloween prank.  The Interns have been unable to verify this claim.

Great Performances #4: Decathlon

The Decathlon has been selected as the Great Performance #4. By that, I mean all PSU Decathletes get the recognition this esteemed prize confers. The decathlon has always intrigued me since attending Frank Zarnowski's Running Camp in 1975. He is the world's expert on the event and has millions of great stories to tell. He also grew up less than a mile from my home.

Past winners of the Great Performance Award include Don Ziter for his fraternity exploits, Vance Watson, Steve Shisler, Chris Mills and Randy Moore for a great 4 X 800 meter Relay, and Greg Fredericks for his NCAA and American Record 10,000 meter in 1972. Heavy emphasis is always placed on their proximity to the Harry Groves Golf Tournament. If they haven't actually participated, they have shown interest or attended the reunion. The decathlon selection is no different, as there are numerous PSU Track Alumni Golf concurrences.

Prior to my time, the decathlon record was held by Coach Bill Whittaker, one of last year's five champions, (don't ask how that's possible with foursomes!) Numerous decathlon event records are held by Rick Kleban and Tom Kleban, both have attended our reunion numerous times. The overall event record is held by Rick Kleban. And past PSU phenom and PSU Track Alumni Golfer Ryan Olkowski placed 11th at last year's Olympic Trials. We would love to have him again next year, with the rest of his foursome! (Just kidding Ryan, give us a ring.)

PSU decathlon records: First Day: Dave Masgay, 1987, 3,931 pts.
Second Day: James Cook, 1996 3,774 pts.
Total: Rick Kleban, 1985, 7,685 pts.

PSU decathlon event records:
100 meters: 11.01, Rick Kleban 1985, 858 points.
Long Jump: 23'7.25" Dave Masgay, 1987, 1170 pts.
Shot Put: 48' 9.5" Barry Walsh, 1989, 782 pts.
High Jump: 6' 8" , Barry Walsh, 1989, 831 pts.
400 meters: 47.65, Brian Kelley, 1991, 926 pts.
4,567 First Day
110 meter HH: 14.45, Rick Kleban, 1987, 917 pts.
Discus: 155' 3" James Cook, 1997, 815 pts.
Pole Vault: 16' 2" Rick Kleban, 1985, 892 pts.
Javelin: 206' 2" Shawn Colligan, 2008, 781 pts.
1500 meter: 4:21.05 Tom Kleban, 1989, 804 pts.
4,209 Second Day
8,776 Total

All you distance guys!! Give me your PR's in all the events in the comments, and let's see how we compare. Have any of you actually pole vaulted?