Milt Place (2012)
About Milt Place
Over the past 36 years in track and field and 28 years in cross country, all Milt Place has done is win. A former runner under the renowned national coach, Joe Vigil of Adams State, Milt was a part of the 1971 National Championship team in cross country. In 1980, he began the women’s cross country program at Tiffin Columbian HS and guiding the Tornadoes to a Regional Runner-up title in 1982 as well as 13th and 15th place finishes at the 1982 and 1983 State Meets. Milt directed the Tiffin Cross Country Carnival that has become one of the biggest high school events in the nation. In 1983, Coach Place served as an assistant coach on the 1987 Mid East Championship squad. In 1992, when he came to Medina, he did it all over again. Milt began the Medina Festival as a way to continue promoting cross country in Northeast Ohio. As the boys head cross country coach, Milt’s teams have won numerous District and Regional titles. Medina has gone to the Cross Country Championships the past eight years consecutively earning State Runner-up honors in 2010 and winning the State Championship in 2007. Also in 2007, Medina was invited to compete in the Nike Team National Meet where they finished 12th in the country. Milt has numerous coaching awards including the Cleveland Plain Dealer Coach of the Year in 2007. Significantly, Milt has won the Distinguished Service Award in two separate Districts: District 6 in 1992, and District 3 in 1996 for his contributions to the sport. Milt continues to be a part of the OATCCC and will be the head boys coach for the Mid East Meet in 2012 and 2013. Team totals: District Champions: 6 District Runner-up: 2 Regional Champions: 3 Regional Runner-up: 3 State Champions: 1 State Runners-up: 1 State qualifying teams: 10
