Sometime this week, perhaps its already done, there will be interviews for the vacant Columbia High School football coaching position. Next week, Columbia High School is expected to have a new leader for its football program, which went 0-10 this year and 3-18 over the previous two seasons.
Perhaps as many as six people have been interviewed, unfortunately, I won’t be able to tell you before everyone else in the local media who the Tide’s next boss will be.
This is the last time, perhaps only for a while, or maybe forever, I will write a column for a newspaper. I’m trying to re-discover blog writing, which I did about a year ago (barry-ford.blogspot.com) to let the people know what is happening in our town.
This was one of the stories I was actually looking forward to writing. See by the time, Columbia had a new coach, there would only be the Tide boys in the district playoffs and the wrestlers would be getting ready for sectionals.
But, there won’t be that “home town” feeling in stories about our new coach.
I’ve asked and many of who that have attended basketball games or wrestling matches in recent weeks have probably seen me talking with CHS AD Jim Rhoads.
He did tell me he got 15 applicants for the position, which I found amazing and shared with me who some of the names were. I’m not going to share them, other than one, the person I think and some other I’ve talked with can do the job and that would be current Tide assistant Mike Burke III.
Outside of being away from the game for a couple of years and returning this year as defensive coordinator, Burke has given most of his post-high school life to the program, from junior high coach to coaching at the varsity level.
Of the names I’ve been told, there’s no one there that jumps out at me and says hire him.
I know MB3 had a meeting last month shortly after the rumors were confirmed of Jason Shoff’s departure with prospective players in grades 7-11 and close to 90 kids showed up. There have been a couple of Sunday workouts with around 40 kids showing up.
That’s a positive. I’ve talked with some of the prospective players and those I’ve talked with at basketball or wrestling, all favor MB3.
Since my days as a student at Columbia High School, then as a reporter, Columbia hasn‘t had much success with outsiders coming in and trying to coach our teams.
Basketball tried it three in the last 30 plus years. I remember when I was a student, George Hanna coached the Tide for one year and left and then there was Gary Sutton. He’s the only one who enjoyed success. Then there was John Larkin and many couldn’t wait for him to ride out of town.
There are a few in other sports, but two current ones that come to mind are Bob Pederson, who will be in his second year with the Tide in baseball and appears to have the Tide headed in the right direction and new softball coach Brad Brubaker, who many are looking for good things out of.
But Columbia has never enjoyed the success in those sports that they have in football and basketball.
And for that reason I was surprised there were 15 applicants for the position, knowing the school usually stays within the Columbia family.
Okay, sure, you can say bringing someone in from the outside might revive the program. They might, but it will take them a few months to learn the kids, set up the off-season and learn the L-L League. And there probably won’t be 90 kids at a meeting either. There’s also the need to get a staff in place along with the schemes the Tide will use. Right now, I here there’s a pretty good staff in place and the schemes are already there, they just need tweaking.
I hope the powers to be up on the hill realize this is one position to keep “in house” and keep it “within the family.”
Showing posts with label View from the Sidelines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label View from the Sidelines. Show all posts
Friday, February 12, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Will the memories be the same?
It’s kind of hard to believe but the 2009-10 winter sports season ends in a little ore than 12 days and then comes the endless post-season as teams and athletes prepare to make runs at state championships.
Columbia fans might want to mark next Wednesday on their calendars. Sure, its nothing more than the final regular season game of the season with Pequea Valley, but its also the last game for the Elmer Kreiser Gym as we have known it for more than 50 years.
That’s because shortly after the end of the season, the gym will begin receiving a new look as the final part of the renovations at the high school complex.
Should it be a night to remember the past? It might be for the thousands of fans who have attended games and school events over the years.
In case you haven’t heard, the wall on the south end of the gym will be removed, kicked out to the sidewalk. There will be renovations to the locker areas, along with locker areas and team rooms added. The officials will finally have their own place to go and the entrance will be changed to the west end of the school.
And, there will be bleachers added to the south end of the court.
So as the Kreiser Gym moves into the 21st century, does that mean the Crimson Tide will loose its home court advantage?
That question won’t be answered until next year but I still marvel that even after all these years, there are still teams that enter our little band box of a gym and marvel at its history, whether it be the multitude of trophies in the gym lobby or the banners and retired uniforms inside the four walls.
That and the closeness of the crowd make our gym unique and probably worth a few points or wins.
But as I look back over the many years as a student, fan and reporter covering events inside the gym, there are a lot of memories, many of them good.
As you walk into the gym, you always know where people sit. If they are not in their usual seats, you have to wonder if something is wrong. If most fans are not greeting the officials as they come in with a smile and “hey if you heed help,” its very unusual.
There have been the May Day celebrations, an unique spring activity, just for Columbia,
and the anxious moments of prospective graduates before commencement. Also the many dances held in the gym back in the day.
And the endless basketball games and wrestling matches.
I’ve heard all the stories from folks a lot older than me of having to stand in line for hours to get into the gym for a big game. Those type stories never get old.
When I was a student, there was nothing better than hearing the German Band, now called the Pep Band blaring their tunes from the press box as the Tide took the floor in those white satin warm-ups.
Sure, there were some down times since I was a student in the 1970s, but the place on the hill was always special.
The 1980s brought a rebirth of Columbia basketball, both on the boys and girls side. Oh those big games and great players. The good teams that use to visit and the legendary coaches.
The packed houses, night in and night out. Now about the only time the “old barn” is packed is when a certain tea wearing purple makes their annual visit. So, I big gym with more seating might not be the best thing that happened.
I got to see, as many others did, some record setting performances by teams and individuals.
There are a couple of events that really have stood out over the years for me.
First and foremost, was the big rally in the gym after the Tide won the state championship in 1987. I never saw the place that full before and probably won’t ever again. The memories of that entire post-season run won’t soon go away.
Second was probably the night Columbia played Warwick in boys’ basketball back when Jack Hurd was a Warrior and Mike Wisler wore the crimson and gold. It was a much anticipated match-up of premier players and teams. Warwick entered the game with a 59-game winning streak. The streak ended that night.
Third had nothing to do with a game being played on the court, but the night the gym received its name. There was a night honoring the late Elmer Kreiser, the longtime principal and coach at the school. So many of the greats came back that night to honor the Coach.
I can remember doing an interview with Mr. Kreiser at his home the week before the ceremony and I’ve never been that nervous interviewing someone in my life, because he was such a special person.
There were a couple of other retirements since that time, but none had the impact of that night.
There were the classic girls’ games when Warwick and Craig Wagaman and Ephrata and Jan Witmer visited. I remember one night, the lights went out in the gym and the game was moved to Park School.
And lastly was the night in the early 1990s when Columbia and Solanco had very good teams and many thought Solanco had some illegal players on their roster. A packed house, which included officials from the PIAA saw a dandy of a game that night. Oh by the way, that year, Columbia went to the eastern finals and I think Solanco was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
There are probably many nights and games I could write about. These are just some and I’m sure other people have more.
Did some changes need to be redone inside the gym? Yes. Will it lose its charm as one of the “most hated places” in the L-L League to play a game in? I hope not, but I know it will take a little bit of adjusting too next season as the gym now gets a long overdue make over.
So in a lot of ways, I think Wednesday, Feb. 10 will be an historic night as will the first game in the “new” Elmer Kreiser Gym.
Columbia fans might want to mark next Wednesday on their calendars. Sure, its nothing more than the final regular season game of the season with Pequea Valley, but its also the last game for the Elmer Kreiser Gym as we have known it for more than 50 years.
That’s because shortly after the end of the season, the gym will begin receiving a new look as the final part of the renovations at the high school complex.
Should it be a night to remember the past? It might be for the thousands of fans who have attended games and school events over the years.
In case you haven’t heard, the wall on the south end of the gym will be removed, kicked out to the sidewalk. There will be renovations to the locker areas, along with locker areas and team rooms added. The officials will finally have their own place to go and the entrance will be changed to the west end of the school.
And, there will be bleachers added to the south end of the court.
So as the Kreiser Gym moves into the 21st century, does that mean the Crimson Tide will loose its home court advantage?
That question won’t be answered until next year but I still marvel that even after all these years, there are still teams that enter our little band box of a gym and marvel at its history, whether it be the multitude of trophies in the gym lobby or the banners and retired uniforms inside the four walls.
That and the closeness of the crowd make our gym unique and probably worth a few points or wins.
But as I look back over the many years as a student, fan and reporter covering events inside the gym, there are a lot of memories, many of them good.
As you walk into the gym, you always know where people sit. If they are not in their usual seats, you have to wonder if something is wrong. If most fans are not greeting the officials as they come in with a smile and “hey if you heed help,” its very unusual.
There have been the May Day celebrations, an unique spring activity, just for Columbia,
and the anxious moments of prospective graduates before commencement. Also the many dances held in the gym back in the day.
And the endless basketball games and wrestling matches.
I’ve heard all the stories from folks a lot older than me of having to stand in line for hours to get into the gym for a big game. Those type stories never get old.
When I was a student, there was nothing better than hearing the German Band, now called the Pep Band blaring their tunes from the press box as the Tide took the floor in those white satin warm-ups.
Sure, there were some down times since I was a student in the 1970s, but the place on the hill was always special.
The 1980s brought a rebirth of Columbia basketball, both on the boys and girls side. Oh those big games and great players. The good teams that use to visit and the legendary coaches.
The packed houses, night in and night out. Now about the only time the “old barn” is packed is when a certain tea wearing purple makes their annual visit. So, I big gym with more seating might not be the best thing that happened.
I got to see, as many others did, some record setting performances by teams and individuals.
There are a couple of events that really have stood out over the years for me.
First and foremost, was the big rally in the gym after the Tide won the state championship in 1987. I never saw the place that full before and probably won’t ever again. The memories of that entire post-season run won’t soon go away.
Second was probably the night Columbia played Warwick in boys’ basketball back when Jack Hurd was a Warrior and Mike Wisler wore the crimson and gold. It was a much anticipated match-up of premier players and teams. Warwick entered the game with a 59-game winning streak. The streak ended that night.
Third had nothing to do with a game being played on the court, but the night the gym received its name. There was a night honoring the late Elmer Kreiser, the longtime principal and coach at the school. So many of the greats came back that night to honor the Coach.
I can remember doing an interview with Mr. Kreiser at his home the week before the ceremony and I’ve never been that nervous interviewing someone in my life, because he was such a special person.
There were a couple of other retirements since that time, but none had the impact of that night.
There were the classic girls’ games when Warwick and Craig Wagaman and Ephrata and Jan Witmer visited. I remember one night, the lights went out in the gym and the game was moved to Park School.
And lastly was the night in the early 1990s when Columbia and Solanco had very good teams and many thought Solanco had some illegal players on their roster. A packed house, which included officials from the PIAA saw a dandy of a game that night. Oh by the way, that year, Columbia went to the eastern finals and I think Solanco was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
There are probably many nights and games I could write about. These are just some and I’m sure other people have more.
Did some changes need to be redone inside the gym? Yes. Will it lose its charm as one of the “most hated places” in the L-L League to play a game in? I hope not, but I know it will take a little bit of adjusting too next season as the gym now gets a long overdue make over.
So in a lot of ways, I think Wednesday, Feb. 10 will be an historic night as will the first game in the “new” Elmer Kreiser Gym.
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