Sunday, September 26, 1999
Fund raising for new Withrow gym stalls
BY DAVE SCHUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The outlook for a new gymnasium at Withrow has turned from bright to dismal.
“I've never been so disappointed in my life,” boys basketball coach George Jackson said. “We were depending on Tyrone (Hill), but at the last minute, he told us he wasn't giving anything.”
Hill, a graduate of Withrow and Xavier University, is now playing in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers. He was expected to contribute heavily to the proposed gym.
The initiative to build a new community athletic center at Withrow was stimulated late last year when local businessman Richard Lindner pledged $1 million of the $6 million needed.
But Lindner attached the contingency that the remaining $5 million needed must be raised by Sept. 1, 1999. When the goal wasn't reach, Lindner extended the deadline to March 15, 2000.
The Cincinnati Board of Education is expected to contribute $1.5 million and the state $3 million. The remaining $500,000 is to be raised locally.
Withrow's boys' and girls' gyms are run down and in poor condition. There are leaks in the roof that have resulted in warped floors, the lighting is poor, several windows are broken and seating is limited.
“We've raised $452,000 to date,” said fund raising chairman Kent Holwadel. “I've tried numerous times to reach Tyrone and this is the first I've heard of his decision. Yes, it's disappointing.”
The decision surprised Jackson.
“On several occasions, Tyrone told us he was going to give,” Jackson said. “At the last minute, he finally returned my call and said he can't do anything.”
When Withrow needed money to keep the program alive several years ago, Hill quietly donated $50,000.
“People have a right to do with their money what they want and who am I to tell them,” Jackson said. “I'm not only disappointed in Tyrone but also a lot of other Withrow graduates who haven't contributed or who made a small contribution.”
Holwadel remains confident the goal will be achieved.
"We'll just have to do a little more work,” Holwadel said. “We're too close to quit now. Somehow we'll achieve the goal.”
NEW ST. X COACHES: Former St. Xavier soccer players Shawn Rockey and Pat Sunderhaus have taken over the school's varsity and junior varsity coaching positions.
“The program wasn't headed in the direction we wanted,” St. X athletic director Pete Boylan said. “We wanted to make the change while it was still salvageable.”
Boylan said rumors that former coaches Mark Poblano and Jim Lazarchak were fired for miscon duct are unfounded.
OHSAA TV DEAL: The Ohio High School Athletic Association has reached an agreement with the Ohio News Network to televise selected state playoff games.
ONN will broadcast Division I state semifinal and championship football games. No Division II, III, IV, V or VI playoff games will be televised.
All girls' and boys' state championship basketball games will be televised.
ONN is not carried by Cincinnati cable companies and the telecasts will not be available in the Cincinnati area unless they are picked up by a local channel. However, cable companies in Lebanon, Wilmington and Middletown feature ONN.
VOLLEYBALL CHANGE: The site for the local Division II and III regional volleyball tournaments has been changed, with Wilmington replacing Centerville as the host.
The Division I and IV regionals remain at Vandalia-Butler.
SOCCER SITE: The Winton Woods Soccer Stadium will be the site of the Division II girls state semifinal game on Nov. 10.
The other three state semifinals will be played at West Carrollton (girls Division I), Troy Memorial Stadium (boys Division I) and Centerville (boys Division II). Fields at Lakota West, North College Hill and Winton Woods will be used for other regional games.
HOT TICKET: Tickets for St. Xavier's Friday football game against Moeller will go on sale at St. X Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
COACHING OPENINGS: Summit has the following coaching positions available: assistant varsity girls basketball, junior varsity boys basketball, freshman boys basketball and middle school boys basketball.
Call Terry McConnell at 871-4700, ext 252 or fax a resume to 533-5372.
Turpin is looking for a girls track coach. Call Tony Hemmelgarn at 232-7770 or fax a resume to 232-9047 before Oct. 8.
Loveland is looking for a middle school wrestling coach. Call Mike Rich at 683-3100 (school) or 677-1068 (home).
Seton is looking for a freshman basketball coach. Call Mary Ritter at 471-6594.
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