Athletic Memories

The stories shared here by alumni are an entertaining testimony to the power and purpose of US Athletics. Here are their memories, in their own words, of the coaches, players, games, and other slices of sporting life that have left a lasting impression.  

Thank you to all who took the time to share their stories. The US community is a richer place because of you!  

Philip Cole ’50
In my University School junior year, we had an undefeated football team coached by Ralph Vince. He was a great coach with a commanding presence and a memorable ability to treat all of the players with great respect and dignity. I was never a starter. Jerry Conway was our star running back who later became a great player at Yale University. On a practice day and during a no-contact "dummy" scrimmage, I was playing linebacker and Jerry casually ran by me. Coach Vince shouted with anger “Hey Conway, EVEN COLE could have caught you.” At the time, Coach Vince’s tone probably didn’t bother Conway but sure did bother me.

Some many years later, at a dinner “fete” for Coach Vince that I could not attend, I sent him a letter reminding him of the “EVEN COLE” day and I am told the letter received a good laugh and certainly I can laugh about it to this day. I survived!

Terry Shockey ’57
From US News 10/19/56 pg. 3, "Gridders Down Mentor High by 33-0 score...broke the second longest winning streak in Ohio." It was Mentor's homecoming played under lights. They fielded about 60 players, dressed in white uniforms; they looked enormous, and nothing they did turned out right. This was not my best game (those came later in the season), but it was probably our most decisive victory. There were more than a few tears on the Mentor side of the field as we climbed back on the bus victorious.

Michael Dively ’57
In addition to swimming on our Freshman and Varsity swimming teams, I had the honor to serve as Manager of the Varsity Track team under Coach Dennie Lee. I have fond memories of Coach Lee as he juggled the track and field events at a meet while continually providing positive support to my classmates in their various events at the meet... a wonderful coach!!!!

Peter Bundy ’58
In 1956, Mentor High School needed only one more win to break the all-time state record for consecutive wins- something like 31. Mentor fans, with boxes of champagne at the ready, were devastated when the US football team beat Mentor in a night game to ruin their run. (Editor's note: Terry Shockey ’57 remembers this game too, above.)

Don't know how it is at US today, but back in the 50s, making the football team or the swimming team didn't get you a letter. In football, you had to play in at least 2 quarters of the games. In swimming, you had to win a certain number of points (5 for first, 3 for 2nd, 1 for 3rd). I played both sports, but was not a standout. I didn't letter in football until junior year and only got my swimming letter in senior year.

Swimming, however, deserves another note. US, during those years, was always the best team in the state (high school or prep). Every year, we swam twice against the perennial state champs, Canton McKinley High School, and beat them. US actually had one of the finest swimming programs in the country, so not surprising I wasn't the fastest fish in the pool. I fared better at Trinity College, swimming the 200-yard individual medley and being captain of the swimming team.

A tradition I hope has been retained was the All-Around Athletic Contest. As I recall, it was mandatory and you were ranked against the whole school, not just your class. The contest consisted of 10 or 12 events, 10 free throws, 50-yard freestyle, broad jump, high jump, pull-ups, push-ups - just don't remember the whole list. I was thrilled to be ranked number 6 in my senior year.

(Editor's note: Peter preferred to chat about his athletics memories, and this is a summary of an insightful and entertaining conversation.) Peter recalled his time in athletics at University School with pride, particularly in the pool. While he was captain of the soccer team, swimming was where he truly shined. As an All-American swimmer,

Peter helped lead the team through a memorable undefeated season in 1958–59, which included two victories over powerhouse Canton McKinley. He speaks with reverence about Coach Don Molten, who guided him in both swimming and soccer and remained a mentor and close friend long after graduation. “He was one of the greatest human beings ever,” Peter said.

Decades later, Peter’s connection to US swimming came full circle at the celebration for Brian Perry's 25th year as head coach. Peter, who still swims a mile five times a week, jumped (well, not exactly jumped) into a pool, lane one, for a competition, at 82 years old. The exhibition relay—made up entirely of family members, namely the brothers Frank ’20, Ted ’22, and Joey Applebaum '24 (Peter's grand-nephews)—was a highlight of his life. “To me, that was just unbelievable,” he said. “It meant a lot to me—not just personally, but for all of us who came back.” 

Peter shared another exciting moment from that exhibition meet. Frank Applebaum ’20 had previously owned the pool record at Hunting Valley for the 100-yard butterfly, but it had been broken. So Frank, a nationally-accomplished swimmer at the collegiate level, got back in the pool of the Weatherhead Natatorium and reset the record.

Peter has stayed very connected to US and the swimming program, and considers "Ronnie" Grant, long-time US head swimming coach and current assistant coach, a great friend. 

Dan Swander ’61
Don Molten and I began together at University School in the Fall of 1948; Don was a brand-new coach, and I was in kindergarten! In the Fall of 1960, the US Varsity Soccer team under Don's guidance had its first undefeated season, and I was fortunate to be the captain of that team. Don was both a mentor and a friend for almost 70 years and I still value the role that I know he played in the life of every US student he coached or taught, and mine in particular.

Barry Levin ’65
It was 1964. I went out for the wrestling team. I always lost in the wrestle-offs, therefore I was unable to compete in any of the matches. Finally, at the end of the season I won a wrestle-off and I was able to compete in a varsity match. It was against our great rival Western Reserve Academy. I didn’t do very well and I was pinned early in the match. I came off the mat depressed. Fortunately, my teammates came through, they won their matches, and we won the tournament by one point. The one-point victory caused great celebration.

I eventually got over my defeat; however, it was the only time I was able to compete in a varsity match—but it enabled me to buy a US corduroy jacket which I still wear today. Being on the team was a great experience and it helped me get in good physical shape. Much later on in life I took up the martial art sport Aikido. My US experience helped me do well in this sport. I won several tournaments mainly because I’m in the older age bracket and there’s not much competition. Most important—it taught me how to fall, thus sparing me from many injuries when I’ve slipped on the ice or fallen for other reasons.

Bob Mlakar ’66
Time flies when remembering sports, teammates, special games we played and why it all stays with us some 60 years later.

The most memorable of all were the great guys I watched with my brother Chuck and Dad from the US Shaker Football grandstand, Basketball court, or Baseball diamond long before I made it to US in the 10th grade.

US Athletics is all about role models for kids growing up and just dreaming to play with guys like this! Bill Schweitzer and Bob Ochs were the "Undefeated and Unscored Upon" leaders of the 1961 Varsity Soccer Team. I never kicked a soccer ball, but everything else they did, became what US Maroon & Black meant to me!

Ric Leavenworth, Fred Merrick, Bill Sawyer, and Cal Hay were teammates that fired us up to just want to play like them someday.

Then it became our turn to deliver, and I hope we did for the future of US athletes and classmates to follow.

Let me jump to those we played against, WRA, Buffalo Nichols, and Pittsburgh Shadyside were all teams we had great respect for. No trash-talking between players along the sidelines. No flipping the bat at the pitcher. US always raised the bar when competing with others. Football ’66 will never forget beating St. Edwards 7-6.

John Griswold ’67
My favorite memory of University School Athletics is not our 1967 Interstate League Champion Track team, nor setting school records in high hurdles and high jump (long since bettered dozens of times) but the gesture of Athletic Director Don Molten. One morning as I stepped out of Mr. Sanders Spanish class, Mr. Molten was waiting in the hallway. He offered me my first job—as a counselor for The University School Day Camp. I will always appreciate the opportunity he gave me and the faith he had that I could handle a real job. That position was still on my resume when the Walt Disney Company offered me a job my senior year at Cornell.

Dave Persky ’68
I do recall one humorous incident from my lackluster time on the tennis team. Each spring Coach Toby Perry would have challenge matches to see who would get to stay on the squad. In one of those matches, I was playing Jim Vaughn, who was in the class of ‘68 with me. It was a close match and Jim came up to the net and I hit a hard forehand; he missed and it hit him in the throat. I thought he was going to choke, but he recovered. It was a scary situation, but afterward, Jim and I both got a good laugh out of it.

Bill Hertel ’69
I was injured while playing soccer for Coach Molten. After recovery, I was anticipating being put back in the line-up at center forward. Before putting up the travelling team list for Kiski, Coach Molten called me into his office and advised that he wasn’t putting me in the line-up, advising, “You’re just not running with the reckless abandon we’re used to seeing from you.” I was crushed.

Well, I have thought about that for many years, even though I was put back in the line-up the following week. I have used that statement for me and the salesmen I have hired. There are a lot of hills and valleys in “sales.” Even during the “valleys” one will succeed if you continue “running” with reckless abandon. (Maybe not so much on the reckless.)

Cliff Simms ’70
In fall 1967 I was a sophomore. I went out for cross country because it was a no-cut team. I was terribly slow, both as a runner and in my adolescent development. When US had our first home meet the entire team got to run. My only goal was to not finish last, which I did. I pushed myself as hard as I knew how and after crossing the finish line, in addition to feeling exhausted I felt embarrassed and defeated.

The captain of the team was Steve Furrer. He saw me kneeling by a bench where I had gone so as not to collapse or allow anyone to see that I was fighting to hold back some tears. Steve walked over to me, helped me up, put his arm around my shoulders and said, "Cliff, you just took almost 2 minutes off your personal best! Do you know how great that is?" I share this memory as a compliment to the boys I went to school with! I would never describe myself as an athlete at US, although running returned as a part of my life. In 2001 I ran and finished the Boston Marathon. My message to all, including myself, is to become an encourager to someone you know. You will bless them, and you will be blessed too.

Jim Staples ’70
My favorite memory actually comes after my time playing soccer at US. It was the late 70s, and I had been coaching the boys' varsity soccer team at The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pa, for about five years. I called up Don Molten, who had been my coach at US, and asked him this question: "Coach Molten, I'm struggling with how close I should get to my players. Sometimes I feel I'm too close and that's not good for team management, and sometimes I feel too distant, and that's not good for team spirit and morale. How do I figure out the balance?" Coach Molten answered: "Jim, when you figure out the answer to that question, it's time to retire. You are always trying to achieve that balance, and it's different with every team!" Cheers from Philadelphia and to the memory of Don Molten.

Perry Howland ’71
As a freshman athlete, being voted football captain by the team, being an undefeated wrestler, catching a no-hitter by Kee Kravitz. As a senior, being the center for the extra point that beat Gilmore in 1970! Howland -Smith- Park.

Doug Ziurys ’71
Among a number of fond athletic memories at US, I have one that sticks the most in my mind. When I played varsity football we beat our arch rival Gilmour Academy in my junior and senior years, having lost the previous two years. Although the scores were tight and last-minute wins: 16-12 in 1970 and 21-20 in 1971, our team spirit and “never give up” attitude resulted in the wins. Gilmour was a highly rated northern Ohio team at that time. In fact, their key running back, Eric Penick, went on to a successful career at Notre Dame, winning the Sugar Bowl (National Championship) in 1973 and then played with the Denver Broncos. The fullback that blocked for Penick at Gilmour, Dave Janasek—big enough to be a tackle—went on to be the blocking back at Pitt for none other than Tony Dorsett, the later Dallas Cowboys star running back. To beat these athletes, who were “warming up” for their college/professional careers was an almost incredible success, but shows what a true team effort can do.

Marc Byrnes ’72
Favorite memory - 1968 undefeated 8-0 frosh football team co- captained by Marc Byrnes & Jim Gascoigne and coached by Cosmo DiBiasio & Tom Keller. First team defense in scored-upon, total points scored 190, total points allowed 14!

Chas Maloney ’73
Goodness, there are so many memories to recall over a 12-year experience. Football Saturdays at the Shaker Campus when I was in Lower School. The noisy PA, the smell of the leaves moldering, the roar of the crowd in the grandstand, playing touch football on the upper field.

Swim meets at the Shaker Campus. That tiny four-lane pool, with the observation upper deck. How it would shake, and the sound of the cheers would reverberate as we crushed all comers.
Running on that cinder track at the Shaker Campus … kids these days will never know. The Interstate League. Great competition, and a conduit to some lifelong friendships in Pittsburgh and Buffalo.

Overnight Road Trips … enough said. Every coach I ever had. Beating Hawken at everything … especially Swimming against Jerry Holtry and his lineup antics. Boatracing the competition to win the Interstate Track championships down at Hudson senior year. Finally …The Gym Show, and The All-Around Spaz contest, aka The All-Around Athletic contest. Good times, good times …

Jeffrey Starrett ’75
US vs Orange HS Basketball Winter of 1973. Orange was a top 10 team in Cleveland that year with 3 senior stars. US was also undefeated, but it was the upstart team, a "who had they played yet" type of team. The US was led by Art Williamson,'73, Ron Kubea '73, twins Tom and Jeff Heinen '73, and Jack Leizman '74. The game was played in the US before a standing-room-only crowd on a Saturday night. Every seat, every wall at both ends of the court was filled with a crowd divided evenly between Orange and US. Orange led the entire game by as much as 8, but US kept it close and never let the game get too far away. In the fourth quarter, US closed the gap and was down 1 with 1:30 left. Orange had the ball and decided to stall. Under pressure, Orange's point guard dribbled the ball on the half-court line—a turnover—with 53 seconds left. Coach Morton called a timeout and told the team, "We are going to win by one or lose by one because we are going to shoot the last shot with under 5 seconds to go." For 48 seconds, US passed the ball around the perimeter. With 5 seconds to go, Ron Kubea sprinted to a corner, received a pass, and hit a floating jump-shot that swished through as time ran out. The gym exploded. 

Bruce Brown ’77
On my birthday, October 16, 1976, I rushed for 233 yards on 16 carries, while scoring touchdowns of 8, 36, and 92 yards against previously unbeaten Buffalo Nichols. We won the game.

David Emerson ’78
Bob Oslen, Ron Johnson, Cal Martin, Frank Kanzinger, Warren Seikman, Rollin DeVere, Karl Lindholm, George Richards, Ross Smith, Ralph Chabert, and Tom Callow—my coaches during my years as a Prepper. Very different people, all with a mission to teach me discipline, sportsmanship, and leadership in addition to their respective sport. I am grateful to them all. Thank you.

J.D. Sullivan ’80
I was a pretty busy kid at US. I was a breaststroker on the swim team but also heavily involved in theatre stuff. I had a conflict on a winter Friday: a meet and a play at the same time. No problem: I swam in the medley relay (1st event) then ran down to the theater, changed into costume for my small part in the middle of the show, got that done, then sprinted back to the pool and into my suit for the 100-yard breastroke toward the end of the meet! Seems nuts today!

Winning the Lehigh National Prep Wrestling Championships in 1982. Led by Coach Mark Carle and co-Captain Tom Stanley, it was the sports highlight of my time at US.

I have participated in coaching and officiating high school and college wrestling since graduating high school - US forged my passion for the sport and all it has to offer young men. 

Rich Cochran ’87
Sports at US played a major role not only in my life before college but also ever since. From the spartan locker room at the lower school to the glorious fields at Hunting Valley, from the stoic coaching of Bob Oselin to the fiery leadership of Cliff Foust, from the thousands of hours spent competing with and bonding with so many boys who were trying to become men on the football field, the wrestling mat, the baseball diamond, and the lacrosse pitch... I was shaped in large part by athletics at US.

Out of the thousands of memories I have of those days, the one that stands out the most vividly occurred (strangely) in a meeting room at the Upper School during my junior year. Coming off of a few incredibly successful years during which we were led by luminary football players like Jason and Judd Garrett, Jeff Brown, and Steve Eilers, the fall of 1985 was not kind to our program. Towards the end of the season, Coach Foust held a team meeting in the terraced circular meeting room. I don't remember what Coach Foust said, but I remember very well that he read us a letter written by John Treadway, who had played for us the year before and was now a student at Yale. John wrote a beautiful and compelling message, which brought us great comfort during a time that felt pretty desperate. His message about effort, about the importance of the work and not the fruit of the work, was powerful and profound. We all learned a few years later that John was haunted by demons that led to his suicide, even before I graduated from college. May he rest in peace.

Peter Farah ’93
During my senior year of high school, our soccer team made it to the State Championship game. Before boarding the bus to head to Columbus, our coach called a special meeting to discuss the game plan, which we held in one of the classrooms on the upper level. When we headed down the stairs after the meeting, the entire school was waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs to clap us out of the building. We lost the game, but I will never forget how the entire school rallied around us on that special day.

Josh Staph ’97
It was the fall of 1993, and our freshman football team was 6 - 0 heading into our final two games of the season. However, our final two opponents backed out of the games because they didn’t have enough players to complete the season. Lake Catholic, who was also 6 - 0, had a similar situation, and our coaching staffs connected to organize a cross-town battle of unbeaten teams.

We traveled to Lake Catholic and battled a team with 2 - 3x as many players on an unseasonably frigid October afternoon. It was the hardest-hitting game of the year, and although we fought hard, we were getting pushed around for most of the game. This freshman class at Lake Catholic went on to beat St. Ignatius as seniors before winning the state championship that year.

We trailed 14 - 0 with 42 seconds left in the game with no timeouts and the ball at midfield. It certainly seemed like our perfect season was coming to an end. Coach Garrett dialed up a “Philly Special” long before the Eagles made it famous in the Super Bowl. I caught a pitch to the right and then threw a desperate halfback pass back as I got leveled to our QB Chris Nightwine who was sprinting down the left sideline. He made a great catch and was tackled on the one-yard line. We sprinted to the line and ran Power Right to score a TD. We kicked the extra point making it 14 - 7 with 12 seconds to go.

We had no choice but to attempt an onside kick, which James Vaughn recovered with six seconds remaining. We were barely in Lake Catholic’s territory, but somehow Chris Nightwine connected on a miraculous Hail Mary to Craig Miller who dragged his toe as he fell out of bounds. This may have been Craig’s first catch of the season.

We could barely comprehend the fact that we now had a chance to tie the game with no time remaining, but Coach Garrett had a different plan. He raised two fingers overhead, calling for a two-point conversion to win the game.

Once again we ran Power Right, and I dove over a Lake Catholic linebacker to land a half yard past the goal line. We hadn’t just pulled off the most unlikely comeback I’ve ever been a part of — it was the craziest one I have ever seen to this day.

That experience has stuck with me through my college career and adult life as both a memorable sports moment and life lesson. The only disappointing part is that my mom, who recorded every second of our freshman season on a camcorder, turned off the camera with 42 seconds remaining out of disappointment!

To this day, when I coach my kids or others, I remind them that the game is not over until it is over. Our legendary coaches that year—Jim Garrett, Cliff Foust, and Fred Heinlen—shaped who I was as a football player and man. We were incredibly lucky to have such a group leading us.

This is a photo after our comeback win against Lake Catholic.

David Koch ’98
“East side / West side connection.” Senior year multiple goals scored with me connecting with Regan Gettens our center forward on long balls which he volleyed into for goals. Playing Western Reserve at home, I scored two 30-yard goals to solidify a win against our long term rival.

John Redeker ’04
The Fall 2003 golf season, culminating in a State Championship and the lowest team score in Ohio high school history, was magical. The camaraderie among our team was so strong and it showed in our support of one another every time we competed. I will never forget the pure joy and elation we all felt during the 2-hour trip back from Columbus following the championship.

Christopher Suster ’05
JV Basketball – circa 2003/2004.

Coach Chris Osolin.

On the road at St. Eds.

We were outsized underdogs from tip-off. The game went down to the wire. Coach O drew up an inbound play with seconds left on the clock. The late great Shaka Kinney ’06 received a pass, crossed a defender, and heaved a prayer from half court. Buzzer beater. Preppers won.

We rushed the court, embracing Shaka. An indelible, thrilling moment for our team.

We’ll never forget him or that game. RIP, Brother.

Kevin Happ ’06
I will always remember when I was in middle school my mother brought me to Ron Grant’s final home meet when the team was competing against Hawken. The meet was very close and came down to the final relay and US won it in an electric finish. I can still remember the energy in the natatorium and all the excitement. That solidified that I wanted to swim in high school and be a part of that legacy. That then led me to swimming for Indiana University and now coaching Olympic gold medalists and NCAA champions at NC State University.

I am now the Assistant Coach for Swimming & Diving at NC State. Seeing the impact that coaches can have on student-athletes from my time at US and onward in my own swimming career and now coaching career is what motivates me to keep on this path. Athletics can teach so many life lessons and getting to see the impact that I have on so many young men and women is very profound.

Grant Cathcart ’07
Working my (rear) off at 5 am practice with the swim team with Mr. Neff. I'll always remember, "If you're still breathing you're not working hard enough."

Zach Halawa ’18
Winning the 2018 swimming state championship!

James Marquis ’24
Many of my favorite memories from my time at University School took place on the US Cross Country Team. My freshman year was the first time I ever ran competitively, and to say the least, running cross country for the first time was an uphill battle (pun intended). I was the slowest person on the team by far, and every day was painful. I didn’t expect much out of the experience and I was scared because I had no idea what to expect and all I knew was that, starting out, I was the least valuable newcomer runner. However, I got to know members of the team, and they were respectful and encouraging in ways I never thought anyone would be to “the slow guy.”

Then, I got to know Coach Somers. US’s veteran cross country coach showed up every day: being nearly always the first to arrive and the last to leave. At first, I was extremely nervous about whether I had what it took to satisfy a coach’s expectations in that sport. I lacked experience that everyone else, 9–12, had long before I started. I could hardly run a mile in 22 minutes. I knew many teams and coaches wouldn’t have considered someone with my level of experience or performance to be even worth talking to.

In high-level athletics, it is very easy and often deemed acceptable for coaches to see the value in potential athletes only in terms of how their natural prowess compares to numbers on a spreadsheet. In terms of my ability as a runner, to say that I was nothing special would be a vast understatement. But to my surprise, and eternal gratitude, Somers didn’t just see my ability (or lack thereof), he saw me.

How I’ve described it to others before is that Coach Somers TOOK A CHANCE on me. He thought me to be a kid worth taking under his wing, despite my near-complete lack of speed, skill, or fortitude at the time. When I was too slow to run with anyone else, Somers went out of his way to consistently run with me throughout the summer and fall, and he always did so with a smile on his face.

After he’d tell me about how big a fan of bananas his daughter was, he’d advise on my form, and say things like: “Our goal today, James, is two-fold. Just keep your knees up and don’t stop,” “Who wants to be a millionaire? Hey James, you see that stop sign up ahead of us? That’s a million dollars!”, “Come on, James! You’re almost there! You’ve got this!” “Need you to move a bit faster, there, James. I want you to catch up to me. You can do it, James! I know you can do it. Come get me!”

He almost never had to raise his voice an ounce to get our attention. His mere presence inspired respect in all of us because he never went a day without showing that same respect to us. In just about everything he does, he embodies our motto more than words can do justice. Every morning, afternoon, and evening, one has the opportunity to see how much he loves and cares for his family, his colleagues, his students, and his athletes.

His dedication that drives him in all he does serves as an unyielding inspiration for me. Coach Somers chose to believe in me. And I did everything I could to ensure that I made the time and care he invested into me worth its weight in gold. I cut more than 15 minutes off my time in my first season. And even when he left his coaching role after my sophomore year, it was (and still is) his voice that I hear in my mind during runs, whether practices, workouts, or races.

I don’t know where I would have been had it not been for Coach. More than just about anyone I know, for Somers, “Coach” is not just a title or role; but an expression of identity. Even when he went into his retirement from the Athletic Department, every time I would see him, I would still call him Coach. Coach was not just his job, no. Coach is who Mr. Jack Somers is. He inspired and continues to inspire the best in me, and many others as well. And for that, I can hardly put into words how thankful I am. And I am so very glad that a new generation of runners will get to be encouraged and inspired by one of the closest things to the “million-dollar-man” (pun also intended) I have ever known.

 

Aaron Moss ’25
My favorite memory was making the run all the way to the baseball state championship this past year. Although we fell just short, losing 1-0, the memories and relationships I made throughout the entire season will be with me forever.


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