Rebecca Ball

Rebecca Ball attended Danbury Lakeside High School where she was coached by Brad Bauer. She participated in the shot put and the discus. Ms. Ball has three state championships in the shot put to her credit from 1992 to 1994. She also was Champion of many relays including the Sandusky, Oak Harbor, and Margaretta. Her greatest achievement in high school was to set the state record in the shot with a put of 47’ 10”.
While at Ashland University, Rebecca also participated in the hammer with a personal best of 194’2” and the weight throw with a personal best of 62’8 1⁄2”. She furthered her best in the shot with a put of 49’ 1”. This most deserving lady won four events in the DII NCAA and set nine Ohio collegiate records—four in hammer and five in the weight throw.
She was an 11-time All-American and was the DII NCAA Athlete of the Year in 1997 and also Ashland University Athlete of the Year 1997.

Mark Croghan

Mark Croghan attended Greenburg Green High School in the mid-eighties. His specicality was distance running. In 1986, Mark won the 1600 with a time of 4:10.78. He also won the 3200 with a time of 9:19. In 1984, he won the state cross country championship. Mark also has championships to his credit in many relays including Cleveland Heights, Copley, Green, Mentor, and the Mid West Meet of Champions.
While attending Ohio State, Mark won two Big 10 steeplechase events as well as the Ohio Collegiate CC race. Relays to his college credit include, Searay, NCAA, Ohio, and Jessee Owens.
On an international level, this outstanding runner participated in three Olympic Games, four World Championships, and two Goodwill Games,
Mr. Croghan is currently coaching at Kent State University.

Larry Jessee

In 1970 Larry Jessee began his pole vaulting at Miamisburg High School under the direction of Ralph Bergdoll. With a vault of 15’10”, he held a # 1 ranking for high school not only in the U.S. but also the world. Larry’s collegiate career was highlighted with an NCAA Indoor Championship, three-time All-American team, NCAA record holder (18’), W.A.C. all-time record holder for 17 years, and being only the 8th man in history to vault 18’.
As an international athlete, Mr. Jessee was the U.S. Indoor Champion twice, the American record holder in 1982, qualified for 5 Olympic trials, and had 100 career International victories.
At the current age of 44, Larry Jessee is still getting “up in the world”. He is the World Master’s record holder at 18’ 1⁄2”, holds 7 Master’s records, and is the first man over 40 to vault 18’.

Ken Lehman

Ken began his twenty-four year coaching career at West Liberty Salem High School and continued on to the college level. In 1975, Ken’s West Liberty Salem Cross Country team took third in the State despite an automobile accident that prevented three of his top five runners from competing. For the next four years, 1976 – 1979, his teams were State Champions. Outstanding athletes guided by Ken include Earl Ziles who won five State Meet events, Cory Frost who placed second three times at the State Cross Country and Track Meet, and Butch Sower who took third at State. He also coached Dan Bragg, Ken Day, Bruce Hooley, Greg King, Jeff Parker, Gary Phelps, Mark Plank, Duane Yoder and Neil Yoder. Mr. Lehman was an active member of OAT&CCC.
After high school coaching, Mr. Lehman moved on to the college level. At the University of Houston, his teams won three indoor, three outdoor, and three Cross Country Southwest Conference titles. At the NCAA, he guided his athletes to five second places including three at University of Houston and two at Arizona State University. Ken coached a total of thirty-eight NCAA All-American distance runners.

Terry Oehrtman

Terry Oehrtman is presently coaching his 37th season at Lancaster High School. During many of these years, Terry served as an assistant coach under two other Hall of Fame coaches, Bob Hamm and Bob Reall. Noteworthy athletes Terry has mentored include five times State Champion and Hall of Fame inductee John Zishka; Clark Haley, State 1600 M. Champion and State Cross Country Champion; Alysha Gossel, State Pole Vault Champion; Doug Conroy, Golden West 800 Meter Champion; and many other State Meet Runners Up and scoring competitors. Terry’s athletes have led their teams to numerous League, District, and Regional Championships, four State Team Runners Up finishes, and three State Meet Team titles.

Mr. Oehrtman’s credentials for supporting the sports of track and field and cross country are equally impressive. Terry has served as Secretary, Vice President, President, and Past President of the OAT&CCC. Through the years, he managed many local invitationals and the Indoor Classic Track and Field Meet for ten years. He has also managed OHSAA tournaments for 26 years; and is presently the manager of the OHSAA State Cross Country Meet. Terry received the Ed Barker Award in 2001.

William Sudeck

Bill Sudeck was head track and cross country coach at Case Western Reserve University and Case Institute for forty-six years. His twenty-three Conference Championships and ten- year sixty-six dual meet undefeated streak in cross country speak for themselves. Bill was four time NCAC Coach of the Year and three times UAA Coach of the Year. His athletes won four individual NCAA Div. III Championships and he qualified individuals in all but five seasons since 1954. He coached thirty Div. III All-Americans in cross country. All of the above accomplishments were made at the institution with the highest academic standards in Ohio. Coach Sudeck was inducted into the Case Reserve Hall of Fame, the first active coach to be so honored. He was also inducted into the Kent State Hall of Fame where he starred in basketball (at one time he was their all-time leading scorer) and baseball as well as cross country.
Bill Sudeck was more than a coach. He was a great teacher, a wonderful family man, and an ambassador for his university.

Donna & Butch Joseph

While it is unprecedented to present the Ed Barker award to a couple, it is obvious that the efforts of this husband and wife team have made a significant, positive impact at all levels. Their work on behalf of the OAT-CCC has aided in the development of our events and programs, and together they have built a tradition of doing for others.
Butch and Donna were successful coaches at Shadyside High School from1982 to 1998. In Cross Country, their teams won OVAC League titles 9 times. In girls track, they added 3 more. As registered officials for 28 years, this outstanding couple worked or managed many meets. They have co-directed the Shadyside Relays for over 20 years and officiated at the prestigious Bellaire Relays for 25 years. They are so successful that West Virginia even asked them to operate the computers and do the scoring and timing for the WV regional meets as well as for several WV invitational CC meets..
Donna has served the OAT&CCC in many capacities including Ohio Coach of the Mid West Meet, Meet Director of the Mid West Meet, Clinic registration chairperson, Membership Chairperson, and Executive Board Secretary. Whatever job she undertakes, Butch is always there to share in the work. They not only willingly take on many jobs, but they work hard to find the best possible approach. Together, Butch and Donna Joseph represent the ideals of service and integrity symbolized by the Ed Barker Award. Their positive, friendly, and efficient approach to officiating, coaching and helping our Association has created respect for them and for our sport.