After nearly a year of intense organization and fund-raising, the next step in the re-building process for the Port Clinton Football Program began last Wednesday, as ground was broken adjacent to the locker room for a new weight training facility at True Lay Stadium. To date, over $80,000 in donations have been received to get this project off the drawing board into construction.
PC Football Coach, Toby Hammond, his staff and several community members have been hard at work in the daunting task of bringing a program that has been long dormant back to life. His main focus has been concentration on the football programs in the younger grades (7th, 8th and 9th) and that work appears to be paying dividends. There were 23 freshmen playing football last fall, and over 80 youngsters combined in the 7th and 8th program. Over 100 young athletes in all participated in football last autumn in those levels, which bodes well for the future.
The key is to keep these youngsters active and interested. In his talk prior to the groundbreaking, Hammond encouraged the parents in attendance to keep their youngsters coming to play football. "I'm the best and cheapest babysitter in town," chided Hammond. He also noted that it was important to begin discouraging athletes from specializing in a single sport and represent PCHS in a multiple of sports.
To date, the Redskin Rebuild Committee volunteers have completely repainted and cleaned the visitor's locker room at the stadium, repainted the bleachers and railings, put in new siding for the Press Boxes both on the home and visitors sides, along with several other improvements.
The emphasis on rebuilding the football program is long overdue. It has been 24 long seasons since Port Clinton High School saw a winning football team take the field. It has been over 30 years since PCHS saw a championship football team at True Lay Stadium. This year, the PCHS Class of 1978 will have its 30th class reunion. That class has several of its graduates as members of the PCHS Athletic Hall of Fame, including the likes of Jeff Scott. Greg Laird and John Sivinski, (just inducted last June). When they left Port Clinton High School, the football team had finished 8-2 during the 1977 season. In 1976, the Redskins recorded 7 shutouts on the way to a 9-1 and a Great Lakes League Championship. In 1975, they were 7-3. That's a combined record of 24-5 in three seasons.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, PCHS had several other top contending teams when they were members of the Great Lakes League, playing against the likes of Oregon Clay, Fostoria, Bowling Green and Toledo Whitmer. The Redskins won GLL Championships in 1968 and 1971 Hall of Fame Coach, Joe Lukac led the Redskins to undefeated seasons in 1960 and again in 1962 when they were in the Northern Lakes League with the likes of Maumee, Perrysburg and Anthony Wayne. Many of the players on all of those teams, are still around today and would love nothing better than to see the PC Football program revitalized and competitive again.
The drought began in 1980, with but one winning season since (1990). The Redskins went 6-4 that year under first year coach Carey Clum, currently PC's Athletic Director. The low point came in 2006 when only 23 varsity players took the field on Friday nights.
The Port Clinton Football Strategic Planning Team, formed in November of 2006 to address the problem. The team includes: School Superintendent, Pat Adkins, High School Principal Ralph Moore, Andy Benko, Tracy Bodi, Tracy Colston, Carey Clum, Terry Dunn, John Gluth, Jr. Coach Hammond, Rich Kokinda (both Sr. and Jr.), Dick Rhode, along with Mike and Jim "Snip" Snider.
Much is still to be done. Donation forms are available at the High School office, or donations can be sent to the Redskin Rebuild Fund, C/O Port Clinton High School, 821 Jefferson Street, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452. All donations will be gratefully accepted and acknowledged.
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