August 21, 2008

sports

Peters new athletic director at YSHS

By Virgil Hervey

Long time cross country head coach and assistant track coach Vince Peters was approved by the school board at its Aug. 14 meeting as the new Yellow Springs High School/McKinney School athletic director. Peters has coached running at the high school for 25 years.

Tracked down on the athletic fields recently, Peters was already hard at work laying lines for a football scrimmage and warming up his cross country runners before their daily run. He had also just finished painting his new office.

“Painting lines is just one of the athletic director’s duties,” Peters said. His job also includes such things as requisitioning for items ranging from paint, to porta-johns, to golf caps, and scheduling games and officials.

“Luckily, for the start of this season most of it has already been done by Chris Rainey, who did an excellent job as AD over the years,” he said.

Peters, who has also coached at the Miami Valley Track Club (MVTC) since 1979, retired three years ago from the Aerospace Division of Ball Corp. After getting out of the Air Force, he obtained a degree in math and computer science from Wright State and settled in the area. He ended up in Yellow Springs in 1982, when Gudgel, who in his capacity as track coach had been bringing runners to MVTC for summer programs, asked Peters to fill a vacant coaching position at the high school. The success of the high school’s track and cross country teams during that period is legendary.

In a recent interview, former YSHS state 1600 and 800 meter champion and current Big Ten 1500 meter champion, Sam Borchers said, “Vince is incredibly connected. All the coaches know him. He should be coaching at a college.”

Not surprisingly, Peter’s own two children who attended YSHS have had great success as track athletes. Daughter Tina, a high school race walking champion, is at Goshen College in Indiana. She recently competed for the U.S. team in Mexico, where she came in fourth against teams from North and Central America. She is an Olympic hopeful for the 2012 team. Son Andy graduated from YSHS this year and will attend St. Xavier University in Chicago on a combined track and cross country scholarship.

Peters, who was named Metro Buckeye Conference Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2006, serves on the board of directors of USA Track and Field and is the the national chairman of USA Race Walking.

“Vince is dedicated to the young people of Yellow Springs, not only as pertains to cross country and track,” Gudgel said in a recent interview. “His own kids were involved in a number of other activities at the high school, including other sports, and Vince was a regular supporter at basketball and soccer games.”

In other school board business:
• Board member Ann Erickson, standing in for board Chair Aida Merhemic, presented retiring math teacher Chris Rainey with a plaque honoring him for his 35 years of service. Rainey is also the outgoing athletic director.
• The board accepted the resignation of school nurse Susan Praeger with thanks for her 28 years of service.

• Elisabeth Ventling Simon was approved for a one-year limited contract as a part-time (.71 FTE) Art Teacher at YSHS/McKinney School, Level III Step 8, for the 2008–2009 school year.

• The board approved a 25 cent increase in the price of lunch, including milk, at Mills Lawn School to $2.50.

• The board approved a 25 cent increase in the price of lunch, including milk, at YSHS/McKinney School to $2.75.

• The board approved the following substitutes for the 2008–2009 school year: teachers at $80 per day/$40 per half day are Robert Hardin, Luan Heit, Margaret Johnson, Shirley Martin, Natalie Noble and Kari Tulecke; aides at $10 per hour are Carl Bradley, Karen Hammond, Shirley Martin and Ted Wasserman.; secretaries at $10 per hour are Karen Hammond and Shirley Martin; custodians at $10 per hour are Mindy Partee and Larry Shaffer.

• The following were approved for district one-year non-certificated co-curricular contracts: Peter Dierauer (seventh/ eighth grade boys track coach, $959), Jim Hardman (head boys soccer coach, $4,130), Isabelle Drierauer (seventh/eighth grade girls track coach, $959), Judy Parker (seventh grade volleyball coach, $1,211), Vince Peters (head girls track coach, $4,130), Roberta Perry (site manager, $1,513), Vince Peters (head cross country coach, $4,130), Vince Peters (athletic director, $5,448), Mike Reichart (golf coach, $1,816), Don Nowak (MLS Webmaster, $959), Don Nowak (district Webmaster, $1,086).

• The following were approved for district one-year non-certificated co-curricular contracts subject to pending BCI and/or FBI background checks: Jay Jones (head football coach, $3,128), Mike Galiardi (assistant football coach, $2,119), Craig McCann (assistant football coach, $2,119), Ben Van Ausdal (assistant boys soccer coach, $2,119), Ryan Berning (reserve volleyball coach, $1,211), Crystal Hannah (8th Grade Volleyball Coach, $1,211).

• The board accepted with “great appreciation” the donation of an elliptical bike and a multi-press weight machine from The Antioch Company for use in the YSHS/McKinney School fitness room.

• Schools Treasurer Joy Kitzmiller reported that July receipts from the income tax went down 2.8 percent. This is the first time there has been a decrease in the July payment since the schools had an income tax, she said. However, she reported that there was a 5 percent decrease in the health insurance premium due to the new insurance plan that was worked out in teacher contract negotiations. A final draft of the new employee handbook is almost ready and will go out next week, she said. This is the first time the district has had an employee handbook.

• School Superintendent Norm Glismann said that the open enrollment figures continued to be strong enough to support the new teachers at Mills Lawn School. A few students had withdrawn due to the increased expense of driving to Yellow Springs, but they were being replaced by new applicants, Glismann said. He reported that the YSHS ACT scores from last year exceeded the state average.

• Sean Creighton reported that the YS Promise Committee has had three meetings and developed an organizing process and has been discussing the best option for our community. They have targeted November for a recommendation.

• The second board meeting of the month was canceled, noting that there will be a second meeting of the month in September that will serve as a committee of the whole for community discussion.

Contact: vhervey@ysnews.com

Fun Run winners take the lead
Jacob Gunderkline, a senior on the Yellow Springs High School cross country team, picked up the win Sunday evening in the 23rd annual Village Fun Run. The USATF National Junior Olympic champion in the 3,000m race walk, Gunderkline ran this two-mile test of fitness in 10 minutes and 47 seconds.

Fellow seniors Brock Gunderkline, second in 11:15, and Anthony Pettiford, third in 11:52, have it as their goal to join Jacob in leading the Bulldogs back to the state championships in cross country this season.
Winning the women’s race was eighth-grade standout Paloma Wiggens. Fellow eighth grader Lois Miller was second in 13:17. Collegiate standout Tina Peters, on the round to recovery from a bout of bronchitis, was third in 14:05.

Tops among the high school women was team captain Reini Brickson. The junior was the fifth female overall in 14:27. Track sprinter standout Elizabeth Gonder was second in 15:14. The master men and women divisions were topped by Michael Duricy in 12:47 and Jeanne Ulrich 17:12. Mill Lawn age divisions were won by Fielding Lewis for the boys in 14:32 and Evalynn Orme taking the girls’ title.

Youth rec soccer signup for fall set
Registration for the Yellow Springs youth recreational soccer program will be held Saturday, Aug. 30, 9 a.m., at Gaunt Park. A skills clinic will follow at 9:45, featuring instruction from the Yellow Springs High School girls and boys varsity soccer teams. All youth players first grade and older should plan on attending the clinic.

Forms for signup will be handed out at the registration, but will also be available at the Yellow Springs Community Library, Mills Lawn School and the Antioch School.

Anyone interested in coaching or volunteering should contact Lynn or Bill Hardman for Gold Cup (sixth through eighth grade) and Silver Cup (fourth and fifth grade) at 767-8433; Bob Curley for Bronze Cup (first through third grade) at 767-7070; or Jim Hardman for Copper Cup (4 years old through kindergarten) at 767-2200.

Games will begin on Sept. 12 (Gold Cup only) and Sept. 13 (all others). If unable to attend the registration, youth wishing to play should contact one of the league coordinators prior to Aug. 30. Late registrants may not be assigned to a team until after the season starts.

Bulldog golfers take first match of season
The results of the first golf match of the season, played Monday, Aug. 11, are Yellow Springs High School (178), Troy Christian (181), Xenia Christian (198). The Bulldogs scores were Max Fleishman (senior), 43; Carl Wiener (sophomore), 44; Joe Fugate (senior), 45; and Lucas Donnell (junior), 46. Luke Chafin of Troy was the match medalist with a 39. The YSHS team season record is now 2–0.