The Pride of Being a Northern Bedford Panther....

[Coach]

Getting the Pride Back

The last year has killed me as an alumnus, former player, a fan and now a coach of Northern Bedford athletics. Where is the pride that is the foundation of Panther sports? Why do I hear the words, “I don’t care…I don’t want to try...”? I am not putting anyone down on the teams now, but what I am saying is that I feel there is a loss in sense of P-R-I-D-E. A loss just seems to be shrugged off at times; A loss that isn’t understood by some of the young athletes in this era. Being a comedian has taken precedence over being a stellar athlete. The list of names that make up the TRADITION at NBC is a long one. Look at some of the coaches around the school: Dan Foor, Jeff Batzel, Barry Crawford, Jan Clark, Kevin Gable, Joe Over, Dave McIlnay, and many of the other assistant coaches. You think these people care about Panther sports, and the students at this school as a whole? I mean every single one of them is a former Panther that has come back to NB to carry the torch of tradition and pride. This is something that really has important meaning to me personally. I feel at home when I am at NB as I’m sure all of these guys do as well. This is my school, and I’m proud of it.

Many of the athletes today also should understand this tradition more than they do. A second generation is coming through the ranks, and when I think about it I get goosebumps. How awesome is it to know that you are wearing the same uniform and walking the same hall as your father who wore the black and white. It may sound nerdy or geeky or something, but it gives me a chill to think about that stuff. I can think of a few guys off the top of my head that I played with. Gable and Miller were names (I’m sure there were more) that Coach Nastasi coached in terms of father and then son. Rodland and Hall are names of guys that come to my head now when I think of father-son combos. (Again, my focus is usually on football as well since I know that the best.)

I want to use this paragraph to bring up some names of former Panther athletes that I’m sure rings a bell with quite a few people. I’ll start with Batzel as I feel this name has great significance in NB territory. Father and son, Dale and Jeff, have now been AD’s for the school district. That is significant in itself. How about the Nastasi’s? AJ, Joe, and Coach Nastasi…now that is a trio. Fred Glasgow, Mike Johnson, Brian and Jeff Koontz, Travis Brown, and Jim Cogan as well as MANY others...do those names ring a bell? They were all standout, and I mean standout, RB’s at NBC. Want some nasty guys up front? How about Norman Sollenberger, Ken Bussard, Leon Pepple, Bill Brown, Brad Shambach, Kelly Brown, and Kirk Stiffler. I can keep going with Tim Bowser, Jan Gable, and Dan Foor…I’ll stop before I get boring. Linebackers…a staple of NB football…Wayne “Weedle” Wright (the guy who cut his cast off so he could play), Brent Bowser, Rock Crawford, and Zach Sorrells are names that come to mind. Jesse Reighard, Joe Wachter, Jason Drenning, Mike Reed, Todd Eckenrode, Travis Brown, Kirk Morningstar…the names could go on and on and on fellas, but I really would bore you. Did I see most of these guys plays…heck no, but I have heard the stories, heard the names, and I RESPECT each and every one of them. I could go on through the other sports, but as I said this would get old in a hurry…

Panther athletes make something of themselves…that list would be huge, but I would like to see some of the names and where they are now if anyone wants to post a few. I know many are teachers, coaches, and administrators at the school. I know one thing is for sure…many of these guys are respected wherever they are, whatever they are doing. I can’t even begin to honor these names because I’m so young. Head Roadie is much better with this stuff than I am, and he knows a ton of stuff even before the time period I am posting about.

I guess I just want to make sure people remember the past. Remember the guys that came before you and respect what they did. Don’t shrug off a loss as if it doesn’t matter…EVER. Many of the names I mentioned are sitting in the stands watching you on a weekly basis and you don’t even know it. The names of the ones that are coming out now will go sit in the stands and watch. The cycle won’t stop…people are watching you…people that care, even if you say you don’t. You may not be the best, but be as good as you can be and give everything you have to be the best. I hope and pray that I get hired at NBC so I can help carry the tradition. I won’t let you forget about the past. I won’t let you forget about those that came before you. The coaches now haven’t allowed me to forget it…they have showed me how much people care. The amount of heart and soul that guys have put into this program make me shine with pride, and it gives me direction for what I want to do with my life. The impact has taken its toll on me in a GREAT way…This may seem like mindless rambling to some, but I’m just a guy that is proud of MY school and proud of the people there. Watching a video like that PSU one about family, teammates, coaches, and those that came before them just got me going and made me want to write something.

Just remember the names that came before you. Your father, a former Panther himself, may be watching. A coach that is an alumus may be pushing you to work harder. A fan in the stands may have played at Replogle or Smith. A fan in the stands played at Roaring Spring or Everett. Someone out there really CARES what is going on in each season. Remember too, the little kids watching. They can't wait to be you...Those kids look up to you, like it or not.

I know of some older folks that don't get out that much...this one brief story sums up what it means to some people. I was told by a teacher that her father sits and listens to wrestling matches on the radio every time one is on. He can't get out to watch the matches, but he sits and listens and writes down the names of the guys and the results of matches and he saves them. You may not care...but he does.



***A final note: This could be done for wrestling, baseball, or basketball at NBC. The tradition is rich here guys and I love it. I also know that other schools could make a list or post similar to this, so please don't trash anything in this thread.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Very nice post Coach and I am proud of where I played at.

[thepalerider]

Great Post Coach! I agree with you totally. NB is rich in tradition in every sport, but that tradition is really relevent in football. I am in the same boat with Coach and no matter how far you move away the people you meet, i bet if you ask anyone who wore the black and white, that they bleed those colors. I want everyone to think back what is was like when you were in 3rd grade you thought the football team was basically everything. Going to games catching footballs for every touchdown, and hoping to one day get to wear a Panther Jersey. As i look back on it now it was a total honor to wear it and the people that you played with you will always have a special bond. The reason i posted this was because i believe to often we take PANTER FOOTBALL for granted men dont understand what it means to wear the colors when they are playing, then years down the road they look back and wonder what if it stayed in the weightroom longer, gave everything i had on 4th and 1. Trust me I think about this when im at home and I watch my highlight film over and over, what if this happend or that happend. IM TALKING TO EVERY PANTHER FOOTBALL PLAYER GO 100% DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO BECOME A BETTER PLAYER AND TEAMMATE. STAY IN THE WEIGHTROOM 15 MORE MINUTES, DONT MISS SUMMER WORKOUTS, AND LISTEN TO YOUR COACHES. COACH 4 AND COACH BATZ, BURDA, AND COACH I HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE AND THEY KNOW THE GAME INSIDE GIVE THEM THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE AND SOAK UP ALL THE FOOTBALL KNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE.

I WANT TO WISH THIS YEARS PANTHER FOOTBALL TEAM THE BEST OF LUCK AND DONT WONDER WHAT IF, GO OUT AND GET IT DONE!

GO BLACK!

[Coach]

Great points Palerider....

I went to every game every weekend after I moved to NB. As a kid that was everything man...PCS just adds to it I think because the kids can see it every day at recess. Players now and young guys may think this sounds geeky and sappy, but you will understand when you can't put on that uniform EVER again. You will wish that you could just go out there ONE MORE TIME. It sounds cliche' but it is oh so true.

That thinking about it when you are home...I know there are tons of us like that. We watch our tapes all the time because those are the "glory days" as so many people say. It is true...you will look back on things and have great memories, but there will also be those what ifs that eat at you. I think about NBC football EVERY SINGLE DAY. Having that field out behind the school brings thoughts to my mind always.

Some of things that high school kids would rather do can be put on hold...there are only a few years for football and your other sports...give it your all...

[thepalerider]

WE NEED TO TALK TO COACH 4 ABOUT HOLLYWOOD AND I GETTIN JERSEYS AND RUNNING AROUND LIKE MAD MEN ON THE FIELD WITH TUSSEY AND EVERETT

COACH I JUST WANT TO PLAY ON THE NEW FIELD ONE TIME

[Captain Coveman]

Remarkable post Garry. I'm glad to know that you are around banging the drums to get back what we may have lost. The last couple years coaching have been a little unnerving. Each year during camp it seemed that we had more and more Friday night players than Mon, Tues, Wed, Thursday workers. It was sad knowing almost precisely where a season was going to go after the first week of practice. The first week of Practice!!! I wish we could find that fine line between instilling pride and tradition instead of creating overkill and redundance. I hope you guys find that line and master and dominate it and recreate the fierce pride that made our school very respectable.

[Head Roadie]

Your posts have got me thinking about something I think is really neat....The number of NB grads who had an experience as HS athletes here that was so rewarding that they wanted to coach themselves.

We all know that NB likes to bring back their own to coach...Bedford has used a similar formula with much success and Everett is now bringing back many more athletic alumnus to coach than they had before.

But lets look at the huge number of NB grads who are/were serving as coaches or seriously involved in athletics at places other than NB. The list is impressive.

Pat Crawford- Currently Bedford Superintendent who was a very successful Head Wrestling Coach at Everett. As a beginning teacher at Everett, Pat and I used to discuss "coming back" to Loysburg...a goal of both of ours.

Rob Reed- has coached foot/base/soft at Everett and Tyrone

Mark Muthler- coached Basketball and Track at Clarion HS, at Shikellemy HS, and now at Williamsburg

Scott Muthler- coached at Bedford

Ken Grace- Currently elem. principal at Ridge, coached multiple sports at Everett and Head Boys Hoops at Fannett-Metal

Gene Snyder- has coached at C.Ridge

Ken Bussard- Many years as head FB coach at Central Cambria

Brian Koontz- AD at Everett and former Head Football coach there

Tim Foor- Head Basket. coach and Assist. football at both Cameron Co. HS (Also AD) and now at Shikellamy HS as head hoops coach.

Gary Steele- Assist Bask. Coach at Everett and now in the state of Virginia

Kirk Stiffler- Coaching football in Maryland

Scott Knee- Head Coach Laurel Highlands of the WPIAL

Lucas Miller- Assist. Basketball Coach at Bedford

Mike Porter- not coaching but Head Trainer at Lock Haven U.

AJ Nastasi- G.A. at WVU football

Shawn Hicks- Assist. basketball coach at Mount Aloysius.

And don't forget the ladies:

Loretta Corle-Dodson- Track and CC at Parkland HS (Dist. 11)
Yvonne Bowser- starting track program at Claysburg
Debbie Guyer- Has coached Volley. and Basketball at Hyndman and Bedford


There are probably a few out there I'm missing as well as I'm hurrying through this. I think that's the ultimate testament to a good situation...people who want to do the same thing that their role models, their coaches did for them.

[IKE]

I keep reading all these posts about how none of the players here at Northern Bedford have any pride in their school or the sport they play. I am going to disagree. It's not that the players don't have pride in their school. I think it's the fans don't have pride in the players and school. This year has been a tough one. We all know that. It doesn't help that when you come to a baseball game or basketball game and look around the field or court and see 15 or 20 people there to watch. Of those 15 or 20 people 10 of them are parents of players. Our school does nothing to support the athletics. No announcements of games, no....good lucks over the PA system from the administration, nothing. All we hear from the teachers are....so you have to get out of class again for another game. Make sure you get your homework. In the fall during football season, every football player wears their jersey's on game day. I don't even know how many times teachers or other students would come up to me and ask...so you have a game today? What kind of question is that? No we don't. It's just a coincidence that we all wore the same thing today.
There are some teachers here that do care about sports and the athletes and thank you for that but there are many more that have no clue. So I don't think it's so much lack on pride with the players as it is with students, staff, and fans from the community. I could be wrong but that's just my opinion.

[Coach]

Wrong...the school isn't going to go out of its way to single out athletes. The school is to be more fair and equal to all students. Announcements of games, etc have been the same for as long as I can remember. They are the same now as they are when I went to school.

The problem now is hearing, "I don't care about _____". Fill in the blank: football, basketball, track, blah blah blah.

Example of the way things would be IF people/players really truly "cared". There would be more people in the weight room working hard. People would show up to the voluntary lifts, runs, summer stuff, Saturday workouts, etc. I was driving past Huntingdon's school...a school that has an awesome team year in and year out. It was a Friday evening a few weeks ago, and around 10 guys were out on the field PRACTICING on their own. No coaches at all...they weren't screwing around either. It was real patterns, practicing reads, guys were doing footwork stuff. They were doing a "skeleton" drill...all on their own. They WANT to smack people in the mouth and be the best they can.

[Coach]

and.....you added something.

You keep reading where NONE have pride? I didn't see that anywhere.