FR adds wrestling as a club sport

FORT RECOVERY — Students will have the opportunity to wrestle competitively at Fort Recovery High School next year.

Fort Recovery School Board on Monday authorized superintendent Tony Stahl to approve high school girls and boys wrestling as a club sport activity and approved the club as an Ohio High School Athletic Association tournament sport for the 2024-25 school year.

School board members also accepted Brian Hemmelgarn and Reece Grieshop as volunteer wrestling coaches for the club, which could begin practice as soon as September.

Hemmelgarn, a Coldwater High School graduate and J&M Manufacturing employee, has lived in Fort Recovery for about a dozen years. A lifelong wrestler, he started participating in open tournaments at 7 or 8 years old and continued his involvement through high school. Hemmelgarn served as volunteer wrestling coach for three years at his alma mater before stepping away to focus on his career and family.

“I never thought I’d really, after moving to Fort Recovery, I’d have a pitch in it again, and then one of the Grieshop boys has been in my ear since (forever),” he said.

Hemmelgarn said he expects anywhere from nine to 15 students to join the club initially, with hopes to draw more to the team as time goes on. He noted details are still in the works but expressed excitement to launch the club.

“(I’m looking forward) to getting back into it,” he said.

Also Monday, the school board hired Taylor Thien to fill the full-time high school math teacher position formerly filled by the late Joe Bruns, who died in August after a battle with cancer. Bruns had served in the role for 27 years.

Fort Recovery High School principal Ryan Steinbrunner noted there were 12 applicants for the position, with Thien’s application and interview standing out among the rest.

“I am more than pleased to say that we found a candidate that’s not only got a strong passion for math, but also a strong passion for Fort Recovery,” said Steinbrunner.

Thien, a 2018 Fort Recovery High School graduate, earned her bachelor’s degree in math education from Bowling Green State University.

“(I’m) looking forward to the upcoming school year, and I’m excited to be an Indian again,” she said.

In other business, school board members Mitch Fullenkamp, Sean Kahlig, Greg LeFevre, Nick Wehrkamp and Don Wendel:

•Approved — Kahlig dissenting — a three-year agreement with Fort Recovery Education Association that calls for raises each year for Fort Recovery Local Schools employees. Staff will see a 3% salary increase in school year 2024-25, a 3.5% salary increase in school year 2025-26 and a 3% salary increase in school year 2026-27.

•OK’d Fort Recovery High School band and choir to visit Chicago for an overnight trip from Feb. 27 to March 1, 2026. Plans are to put the trip on a rotating cycle with the band and choir’s quadrennial trips to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, allowing the students to go on a trip every two years.

•Accepted resignations from teachers Patricia Lefeld and Chris Guggenbiller effective at the end of the school year.

•Were reminded Fort Recovery High School is hosting its annual promenade starting at 6 p.m. April 26.

•Renewed or approved various contracts with staff, including Lindsey Bruggeman, Courtney Westgerdes, Melissa Homan, Jill Ranly, Matt Kerns, Renee Huelsman, Charley Vasey and Chad Miller.

•Approved the list of high school graduation candidates for the 2023-24 school year.

•Renewed or approved various contracts with high school coaches and athletic staff, including Travis Guggenbiller as volleyball coach, Brent Niekamp as football coach and weight room supervisor, Christy Diller as cross country coach, Dean Sanders as boys golf coach, Jeff Vaughn as girls golf coach, Bob Leverette as boys basketball coach and Tyler Deitsch as girls basketball coach.

•OK’d Reese Rogers as a volunteer assistant baseball coach for the remainder of the year.

•Accepted the following volunteer coaches for next school year: Scott Dilworth as assistant boys basketball coach; Amy Bihn as girls golf coach; Tiffany McEldowney as assistant volleyball coach.

•OK’d three-year contracts starting in August with district technology coordinator Ryan Fullenkamp and building maintenance and custodial supervisor Kevin Will.

•Accepted donations, including $500 from Psi Iota Xi Sorority for drama club ($100), Senior Fest ($200) and students’ field trip to Barnes & Noble ($200).