Long-time Bluffton High School track coach, Steve Bruskotter, will be inducted into the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame this month.
Bruskotter will join the Hall during a banquet ceremony on Friday, Jan. 30, at the Hilton at Easton, Columbus, according to Neal Charske, Hall of Fame chairperson.
The official 2015 class includes:
Ed Barker Award recipient:
Vern Kiehl
Hall of Fame inductees:
Steve Price
John Sence
Steve Bruskotter
Jeff Arthurs
Ed Lidderdale
Mike Holloway
Here's the write-up on Bruskotter to be presented at the event:
Northwest Ohio offers some of the best cross country and track and field to be found and Steve Bruskotter helped Bluffton High School become part of that conversation of "great programs" and "great teams."
Beginning his career in 1973 as an assistant coach, Bruskotter took over the head coaching position in 1977 (boys' in 1977, boys and girls' in 1985) and held that position until his retirement in 2008.
In that 26 year period, Bluffton made going to the state championship a routine part of their season. Once they got there-they made an impression all Ohio track teams.
Thirty-five boys have won state championship titles as individuals or as part of relays including two time individual champions, Shane Shockey and John Guagenti. The Pirates set three state records along the way while winning team honors as state runners-up in 1978, 1985 and 1992. In 2008, they took home the state champion title.
The girls have been equally as successful with 11 girls winning individual atate champion titles including three-time winners Bonnie Stratton (100M, 200M) and Ann Stechschulte (800M, 1600M, and high jump) and four time shot/discus specialist, Caity Matter.
Along the way, the Pirate ladies set two state records and won the State Runner-up team tile in 1997. That same year, Bruskotter won the Fred Dafter State Coach of the Year Award.
Bruskotter served the OATCCC as the District 7 representative until his retirement. In 2010, he joined the staff at the University of Findlay and helped Bluffton High School's own Shan Shockey go to the next level and eventually win the NCAA Division II national Indoor title in pole vault. Corey Shank also won All-American honors for pole vault in 2013 (7th, Indoor). Bruskotter is still the assistant coach at the University of Findlay.
