The "Reliving The Good Years One More Time" Story

Plaque displayed in a showcase near the Manheim
Township High School gymnasium which featured
photos of members of the Class of 2009 Hall of Fame.
The 1972 Rifle Team is featured on the plaque.

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished running a couple of cases of #10 envelopes and a case of 28 lb. paper through the AB Dick printing press in the high school print shop for the Manheim Township School District Office.  After cleaning the press, and myself, I thought I would head to the high school athletic office to ask the secretary for a list I needed to help identify the students from the Manheim Township Middle School who were on athletic teams that I planned to place their photo in the Middle School Yearbook.  Just before I entered the gymnasium I saw the showcase that displayed photos of individuals and teams who had been inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame (HOF) at the high school.  

State Championship banners displayed
on the wall of the gymnasium.

Yep, there was a photo of the members of the 1972 High School Rifle team that had won the 1972 State Championship and had been picked for entry into the HOF in 2009.  Only eight of the dozen or so members were able to attend the HOF football game ceremony.  Some had moved from the area during the past 37 years as well as one member had died.  We all had a great time that evening and our photo is displayed in the showcase outside the gymnasium.  I managed to snap a photo with my phone and headed once again toward the office.  On the upper level of the gymnasium are a series of showcases that display all the trophies won since the school district began.  I found the case that contained the rifle trophies and after attempting to take another photo, knew I needed to have it open due to reflection from the glass.  

Trophy case displaying trophies won
by the high school rifle team.

Then I turned and looked at the large banners on the gym walls that listed all individuals and teams that have won State Championships.  There, on one wall were the three banners; one for the 1972 Rifle Team and two for the 2011 and 2012 Golf Teams.  Pretty neat to know I was responsible for one of those banners.  I found my way to the athletic office, got my information I needed and asked if someone could open the display case for me to take a photo of the trophies.  Earliest one was from 1937-38, two years after Manheim Township entered a team in the county rifle league.  There on the bottom shelf was the 1972 team Lancaster County League trophy as well as a District trophy and State trophy.  Sitting in front of them was a plaque that was awarded to the 1972 team as Lancaster Newspapers Team of the Year.  I still get chills when I think back to the five years I coached the rifle team and how we won the state title.  Not bad coaching job for someone who had fired a real gun probably half a dozen times in his entire life.  I'll tell you, I never tire of reliving the happy times in my life and those five years were some of the best!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

Lancaster Newspaper awarded the rifle team the Team of the Year award.