Vern Kiehl (2015)
Ed Barker Recipient
About Vern Kiehl
The Ed Barker Award is given as an acknowledgement to the individual who has shown the most exceptional service to the OAT&CCC and to the sports of Cross Country and Track & Field in Ohio. This year's winner is Vern Kiehl of Rossford High School. Vern is a widely respected teacher, coach, official, contributor to his community, and contributor to our sports. With over thirty years of coaching on his resume in cross country and track at all levels from elementary programs through high school varsity programs, Vern has been a leader and advocate of young people. Vern got his start while coaching football at Perrysburg when he volunteered at the Perrysburg CC Invitational. This experience led to him being Perrysburg's cross country coach where he worked with both the boys and girls programs. As track coach, Vern worked with all event areas and built a respected program for his athletes. He volunteered to start a league JV meet so these kids could compete in a championship setting; he volunteered to run the community's elementary school track & field day and make this program a success for younger athletes; and finally, he began the Indoor Track program at Perrysburg, also coaching this program for free until his leaving Perrysburg in 2010. In the winter and spring of 2012, Vern joined the Maumee High School staff as an assistant track coach and helped them begin their indoor track program. The fall of 2012 saw Vern move to his current position as head coach of Rossford High School Cross Country. Vern has also been an official for over 20 years working with many junior high track and cross country meets. He also officiates OHSAA District and Regional Meets as well as serves on the Games Committees for these competitions. He has served the coaches of Northwest Ohio as a district representative, served as an assistant and head coach for the Midwest Meet of Champions, been the OATCCC Vice President and OATCCC President, and served on the OHSAA State Rules Advisory Committee. He is currently the Chariman of the OATCCC Consitution and Bylaws Committee. In 2012, he won the OHSAA Award for Sportsmanship, Ethics, and Integrity Because of his many efforts on behalf of our sports, the athletes and coaches, and his community, we are proud to recognize Vern Kiehl as the 2015 Ed Barker Award winner.
