Athletic Wall of Fame

As many of you know, Bulldog athletics have been successful, VERY successful. In this year alone, we enjoyed two state championships in team sports and saw 10 individuals and one relay team earn the highest award in their sport by either being named 1st team All-Ohio or becoming a State Champion. In a classic case of “a good problem to have” the CG Athletic Wall of Fame in the HS gym has grown to a point that a change is needed.  We are out of room to add more All Ohio plaques on the wall. If we were to add another row of plaques below the existing bottom row, they would be constantly damaged by balls during practices, games and P.E. classes. If we were to continue to add plaques on either side of the existing plaques, it would difficult to keep them in chronological order, or maintain the current uniform structure of the plaques. Either of the above options would also only move the problem down the road, so to speak. The Athletic Department has worked with the administration for the past two years to propose a solution that is acceptable to most involved. In situations like this, it is difficult to meet everyone’s desires.
This past spring, the Athletic Board, comprised of all the head coaches, the weight room supervisor, a Board member, the principal, and the superintendent received three options to solve the overcrowding issue.  The coaches voted on the third option presented, and we then added another component in an effort to properly honor all the great athletes Columbus Grove has been blessed with over the many years of athletic competition.

If you have followed high school athletics recently, you know there have been many changes with regards to division expansion in most sports, changes in the way All Ohio athletes are selected, and differences among every sport regarding the number of All Ohio athletes selected per sport. For instance, in basketball there are only 5 players from the entire state in each division selected to the first team All Ohio.  In football, 52 are selected to the first team All Ohio. In baseball, there are 18 players selected to the first team All Ohio list. This creates a huge disparity in recognition.

There was a time in the history of Columbus Grove athletics, in which CG athletes were not meeting the criteria to be selected for the Wall of Fame. At that time, it was thought that if the requirements were lowered to second team All Ohio, or state runner-up in individual events, more athletes would make the Wall of Fame.  This allowed several more athletes to be included on the Wall of Fame.  Then the coaches and administration changed the requirements back only a  State Champion in the individual sports of track and wrestling, and first team All-Ohio in sports such as football and cross country, and more recently, soccer.  Other sports were uniquely set up to include first and second team selections or first, second, and third team selections to be included. The thought process was that each sport was given between 15-20 athletes a “chance” to make the Wall of Fame per sport. Yes, this is that complicated.

Columbus Grove has experienced unprecedented success the last few years. We have added 22 All Ohio plaques in just the last 5 years and there does not seem to be a reduction in that number anytime soon.  Again, this is a great problem to have.

Now for the change.  There is a three-fold solution developed.  The first part of the solution will be a revamping the wall in the gym.  The wall of fame in the gym will honor individual state champions and first team all Ohio athletes only, except in a rare situation where the OHSAA or a Coaches’ Association is not honoring 15-20 athletes per sport.

Any athlete who was previously on the Wall of Fame in the gym, but earned a state runner up, or non-first team selection will now be honored through the use of a digital monitor located in the hallway across from the gymnasium.  You have likely seen these units in other schools.  This monitor was purchased by the Athletic Department last spring and will be installed this summer by the custodial staff. The monitor will contain the All-Ohio athletes and any athletes who receive second, third team or honorable mention All Ohio in their respective sport.  The athletes will be organized by sport and the monitor is a touch screen, so people will be able to easily find the athlete for whom the chosen athlete.  This will allow for an expansion of the number of athletes honored at CG.

The third phase of the change will involve All Ohio “boards” that will be placed in the hallway between the gym and the restrooms, near our current League Championship boards. These boards will list the names of all the All-Ohio athletes by sport and year. These boards will be ordered in the fall and will hopefully be installed before the winter sports’ season.

Columbus Grove has enjoyed great success in athletics, both with teams and individuals.  We want our athletes to be honored for their accomplishments, giving them the recognition they deserve. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call.  We know this is a challenging situation to understand.