Teacher, Coach, Colleague, and Friend

Written by Bill Kouvolo, Class of 1966, Ambridge HS

I remember first meeting my "gym teacher", Mr. Meddock, when I was an eighth grade student at Baden Economy Junior High in 1962. At that time, I had no idea that this man would have a major impact on my life.

In one of my early gym classes, I did not follow his given directions. As a consequence for not doing so, Mr. Meddock administered the "board of education" to my posterior. It was my first and last meeting with the "board", but fortunately for me, it was not the last lesson to be learned from him.

One day, he asked me to take a shovel and turn over sod to help create a pole vault run way and vaulting pit on the lower field of the junior high. I had no idea at that time what vaulting was, but I did as I was directed. Later, to my delight, he introduced me and several other students to pole vaulting. Many young vaulters took turns turning over the saw dust mound that broke our fall from extreme heights of 7 to 9 feet. At that point in time, fiber glass pole vault poles did not exist (at least not at B-E), and neither did foam pole vault pits. I remember that we had one aluminum pole and a couple of bamboo poles.We were allowed to show up during the summer months and vault to our hearts content!

A few years later when I was in high school, he arranged for Pat Patterson, Elvasio Vaccaro, and me to practice pole vaulting at Montour High school, which had a real foam pit. A few years later, he would do the same for the Repp brothers and Jim Kruest. To think back now about the time commitment and support that he has given to so many young men over the years is awe inspiring.

Dale also introduced us to other track and field events. He gave me a steel javelin to practice with at home. My younger brother, Bob, and I would compete against each other in our back yard. Even though we did not have a junior high track program, "Coach" Meddock would take us (and other guys) to summer AAU meets in his car. A lot of times he would stop to buy us lunch. At that time, my brother and I never knew nor dreamed that throwing "the spear" would eventually pay for our respective college educations.

When Bob and I came home from college for summer vacations, Dale would ask us to help teach and develop younger athletes, who were still in junior/senior high school. I remember working with Roger Kowal (high jump), Randy Hawn (football QB), and Julius Parisi (javelin).

When we were in junior high school, Dale drove us to Penn State to watch the PIAA state track & field championships. I remember him conveying to us that with hard work, we could be state champions. Later in years, my brother succeeded in that accomplishment and was followed by our neighbor, Ray Mushinski, and several other B-E bred javelin throwers.

When I was in college, I would visit him at the home site where he was building his house. It was great to be included in putting in shingles, siding, and even wiring some electrical outlets.

After college, I landed a social studies job at Ambridge Area School District. When Ed Drake, my high school gym teacher retired, I successfully bid on his position. This is when Dale Meddock became my "colleague". Over my 32 year teaching career, he gave me countless advise on everything from coaching athletics, staying sane with school and teacher union politics, and even advice on how to best remodel my own home.

As my teacher, my coach, and my colleague, Dale Meddock has been inspirational, but I am most proud to also call him my friend.

Dale: Thank you for having played an important role been in my life.