Loveland, Ohio – Wednesday, April 26, was the day athletes, coaches, teachers, and moms and dads gathered in the Loveland High School gym for National Spring Signing Day. It’s when student-athletes who have earned a college scholarship sign their intent to play at the next level. In this video, Athletic Director Righ Bryant talks about each student’s athletic achievements, academic success, and community involvement.
Congratulations to the following student-athletes who will be continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level:
Max Jody – Tennis-Ohio Wesleyan University
Cole Carrigan – Baseball-Mount Saint Joseph University
Owen Huynh – Volleyball-Baldwin Wallace
Olivia Raby – Basketball-Huntington University
Cayden Dyer – Cross Country/Track and Field-University of Virginia
Cincinnati, Ohio – Flying Pig Marathon Weekend, one of the largest and most popular running events in the United States, has announced the addition of two new divisions for 2023: a 10K Handcycle Division and a Para Athlete Division. These new divisions will provide opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities to showcase their athletic abilities in a “supportive and inclusive” environment during Flying Pig Marathon Weekend, which is scheduled for May 5 through 7.
While planning to add these new divisions, the Flying Pig Marathon partnered with The Bridge Adaptive Sports and Recreation, a non profit dedicated to breaking down barriers to sport and recreation for people with disabilities in the Greater Cincinnati area. The Bridge has worked with the race to ensure the new divisions will be safe and accessible for all participants.
The Toyota 10K Handcycle Division will allow handcycle athletes to participate in a timed 10K race on Saturday, May 6th. Handcycles are specially designed bicycles powered by the user’s arms rather than their legs. The top three male and female 10K Handcycle division athletes will be recognized with awards.
The Para Athlete Division will offer opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities to participate. This division will include a range of events, including the 5K, 10K, and full and half marathons. The top three male and female Para Athletes in each event will receive an award.
“We are thrilled to add these new divisions to the Flying Pig Marathon Weekend,” said Iris Simpson Bush, CEO of the Flying Pig Marathon. “We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to participate, and we are excited to provide that opportunity to handcycle athletes and para athletes. We hope that these new divisions will inspire more people to get involved in our race experiences while making the Flying Pig Marathon Weekend even more diverse, inclusive and accessible.”
Registration for the 2023 Flying Pig Marathon Weekend is open, and athletes interested in participating in the new 10K Handcycle Division and Para Athlete Division can sign up by reaching out to registration@flyingpigmarathon.com
What is the Bridge?
We are a diverse group of professionals who envision a community where people, regardless of ability, can fully participate in competitive and leisure activities.
Our mission is to increase awareness and promote opportunities for individuals to participate in adaptive sports and recreation in order to improve their quality of life.
Understanding the challenges to doing this alone, we are bringing together the community to share, collaborate, create and redefine adaptive sport opportunities as we know them.
We are bridging the gap from clinic to community by connecting people with disabilities to adaptive equipment & existing adaptive sports programs – and by creating what does not yet exist. Learn more…
The Flying Pig PigAbilities is a movement for inclusion that supports our families and friends who live with disabilities. Our one-mile event is designed for participants (and supporters of participants) to run, walk or roll at their own pace so they can cross the official Flying Pig Marathon Finish Swine, just like everyone else.
Lisa McNally, Tori Morrison, Gina Marek, Angie Perkins, Amy Arellano, and David Arelanno
David Miller and the Loveland Tiger in their teal spirit wear supporting mental health awareness.
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – Last week during Women’s and Men’s basketball games students, staff, families, and community groups brought awareness to mental health issues. The theme was “Teal Out”. My Fave Five, The Ben Morrison Fund, and Loveland High School’s Hope Squad brought resources and awareness to their mental health initiatives.
The Ben Morrision Fund proudly says, “We are dedicated to erasing the stigma of mental health struggles, opening conversations, and offering lifelines to help save lives of young people in crisis.”
MY FAVE FIVE is a mental wellness tool, in the form of a mobile app, which helps individuals identify, connect and build relationships with trusted people in their life. It was created by Loveland mom Gina Marek.
Loveland’s Hope Squad uses faculty advisors and trusted peers to identify students at risk for suicidal ideation and behavior, and ultimately, to save lives. Read more about the 1,600 Hope Squads around the country. Read even more about Loveland’s Hope Squads HERE. Follow the LHS Hope Squad on Twitter.
Next year is sure to be a busy one when it comes to education in Ohio, with potential state agency overhauls and funding changes still on the agenda for the state legislature.
The end of 2022 was capped by an 11th-hour push and ultimately failure for an attempted overhaul of the Ohio Department of Education and the state Board of Education. Senate Bill 178 was never passed in an Ohio House committee, so it was folded into another bill with controversial provisions, House Bill 151.
House Bill 151 included bans for trans youth in participating in sports based on their gender identity, and after SB 178 was included, the bill came in at more than 2,000 pages. But despite delaying the vote until after 2 a.m. on the last day of the legislative session, the bill and its many provisions failed to garner enough votes in the House.
LGBTQ advocates hailed the failure of House Bill 151, which still would have required the use of birth certificates to prove a student’s gender, despite the elimination of a provision that would have required a genital exam.
“I can not begin to express my gratitude to the hundreds of community members and advocates who stood up for the rights of all transgender youth to participate in all parts of life as whole people, including sports, just like everyone else,” said Alana Jochum, executive director of Equality Ohio, after the bill failed to pass.
Dr. Rhea Debussy, director of external affairs for Equitas Health and former facilitator for the NCAA’s Division III LGBTQ OneTeam Program, said the thrill of seeing the legislation voted down was tempered by concern that the bill even existed.
“It’s very alarming that a group of legislators thought bullying gender expansive and intersex youth was an urgent need for the final hours of Ohio’s 134th General Assembly,” Debussy said in a statement.
Senate Bill 178
Education officials not only celebrated the failure of HB 151’s anti-trans legislation, but the downfall of the rapid-fire education overhaul they overwhelmingly said needed more time and more vetting.
“OEA believes it is worth taking a hard look at how Ohio’s schools are governed and supported at the state level,” said OEA President Scott DiMauro in a statement. “However, collaboration is key.”
Senate President Matt Huffman said he was “disappointed that our school reform bill and our attempt to do something about girls’ sports … I’m disappointed that those things failed.”
But Huffman maintained the stance he took after the Senate passed HB 151 on to the House for a vote earlier this month, that if the education overhaul part of the bill didn’t pass during the 134th GA, it would move on to the 135th.
“I’m glad we took the vote because we kind of have on the record who’s where, and there probably is a lot more due diligence that needs to be done on that issue,” Huffman said.
Some ups, more downs
While some funding changes were implemented — such as $56 million in state funding for Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid, increases in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds and federal monies for school security and safety — public schools are still looking for full funding of the Fair School Funding Plan (formerly called the Cupp-Patterson plan, after Speaker Bob Cupp and former state Rep. John Patterson, the legislators who created it). The plan was previously funded for the two years of the current General Assembly, but needs another four-year commitment of funds to be fully phased in.
That plan, according to the OEA, “represents the first constitutional school funding system in the state in decades.”
The effort for better public school funding is flanked by a lawsuit moving forward in Franklin County Common Pleas Court that seeks to nullify the EdChoice private school voucher system in the state. A coalition of school districts and individuals joined together to file the lawsuit, and Franklin County Judge Jaiza Page recently ruled against the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, who argued the lawsuit should not be allowed to continue.
“This means we will put vouchers on trial in a court of law,” the coalition behind the lawsuit, Vouchers Hurt Ohio, wrote in an email newsletter, though the timeline for the court case could go on for some time.
Private school vouchers are on the minds of congressional Ohioans as well, with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown pushing for more investment in federal Head Start programs and more funding for public schools.
“We have a state government, one of whose major aims seems to be to privatize public schools,” Brown said in a press call. “They have moved more and more money out of public education into religious schools and other private schools … and really undermined what state government should be doing and that is funding public education for the great majority of students in our state.”
Teachers unions and public officials alike wanted to see efforts to stem the state’s teacher shortage, a rise in the teacher wages that have stagnated over the last 25 years and changes to the third-grade reading guarantee, both of which saw action in the legislature, but did not come to fruition.
As the state’s Board of Education awaits the fate of the department and the board itself, they still have a decision to make: the search for a superintendent of public instruction.
The board spent months on issues such as a resolution condemning racism in education, then a resolution repealing that racism measure, and finally a resolution urging the federal government not to include gender identity in anti-discrimination language that would impact education policy.
But in their December meeting, they decided to punt on the issue of hiring a search firm to select candidates to fill the open position that heads the department.
The board voted to wait until SB 178 was passed or rejected by the legislature, for fear that candidates for the position might change their minds once they found out how the roles of superintendent would change under the new bill.
Loveland, Ohio – On November 9th the weather outside was more Summeresque than almost winter. Inside the Chuck Schmidt Auditorium at Loveland High School, the reception for student-athletes was even warmer as proud parents, school staff, coaches, and fellow athletes gathered to witness the signing of letters of intent to further academic and athletic careers at institutions of higher learning.
When you view this video, pay special note to the grade-point averages of these student-athletes.
Athletic Director Rich Bryant introduced:
Sophia Kapszukiewicz – Soccer at at Northern Kentucky University
Campbell Massey – Soccer at Taylor University
Courtney Haneline – Soccer at Webster University
Madison Conatser – Cross Country/Track and Field at the University of Cincinnati
Callum McGill – Baseball at Morehead State
Victoria Blum – Cheer at Mt. St. Joseph University (could not attend the ceremony)
Loveland, Ohio – This year’s Loveland High School Homecoming Parade will be on Thursday, October 6.
The Homecoming Game will be Friday, October 7 against the Little Miami Panthers. The Tigers are on a 3-game winning streak and now 3-4 (3-3). The visiting Panthers are 2-5 (1-5).
The Loveland Athletic Boosters Homecoming Parade, celebrating Loveland High Schools Homecoming is a Loveland tradition. The Parade starts at the Moose Lodge Hall on East Loveland Avenue and proceeds to West Loveland Avenue, to Rich Road, and ends at Loveland High School.
The annual Powder Puff football game will be held at Tiger Stadium immediately following the parade. The school is at #1 Tiger Trail.
The Grand Marshal this year is Jeff Williams. Jeff was president of Loveland Athletic Boosters for over 10 years. Parade organizer Tori Morrison said, “He was instrumental in getting funding for our first turf field and building our Athletic Fitness Center which is used by athletes in grades 7-12. I can’t think of a better or more deserving person to serve as our Grand Marshal.”
A 2009 Loveland Magazine file photo of Jeff Williams doing his thing. raising money for a turf field at Loveland High School. Williams pulled off the installation fundraising during a recession.
Loveland, Ohio – John Muenzer will be attempting to swim from Catalina Island to Long Beach California August 2, at 11 PM. If accomplished, this will be the final leg needed for his Grand Slam and Triple Crown of open water swimming.
Muenzer says it will be his last long-distance swim and he decided to add more purpose. In addition to obtaining his personal goal, he’s is raising money for his nephew Graeme who was born with Dravet Syndrome. “This is a devastating form of epilepsy. Children afflicted with this have many seizures from daily to monthly and often times are resistant to medication,” Muenzer said.
John Muenzer
Muenzer was born in 1961 and grew up in Maumee, Ohio. He started swimming in high school and went on to have a successful career at the University of Toledo where he set 7 school records and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.
Muenzer had hopes of qualifying for the Olympics. However, in 1980, led by the United States, 66 countries boycotted the Olympics entirely, because of the Soviet-Afghan War so Muenzer went to Indiana University and trained under Doc Councilman that summer. Councilman had just become the oldest person to swim the English Channel. He was the Olympic Coach in 1976 and coached Mark Spitz to seven gold medals. Councilman told Muenzer, “You can’t make it deep into the Olympics, you can make the trials, maybe, but, I think you can be a great open-water swimmer.”
Muenzer said it was the first he’d ever heard of this sport.
If successful, the 60-year-old will become the oldest person and 27th person in history to accomplish the Grand Slam of Open Water Swimming which includes the English Channel, 20 Bridges, Catalina Channel, and Tampa Bay Marathon Swim.
Muenzer on August 25, 2018 at Manhattan Swim in the Hudson River
Fast forward, Muenzer set a World record in 1984, a 36- mile swim taking 24 hours and 20 minutes swimming from Point Pelee, Canada to Ohio. “There was no GPS in those days. Laugh out loud. So it took a long dang time,” says Muenzer.
Upon setting this record Muenzer got married to Mary and they have seven children. Their last three were adopted, “By the grace of God at birth. So, we have a blended family. My first four are white and my last three are black. It’s been a beautiful experience and I will forever be grateful to God,” said Muenzer
Muenzer also started a business, so from 1984 until 2007 he swam 4,000 yards 4 or 5 days a week waiting for the chance to do the swims. He did the Tampa Bay 24 mile and English Channel 20.5 mile swims in 2009 at 48 years of age. Then the economy hit his business very hard. “I had to take care of my family and business so back to the pool 4-5 days a week swimming 4,000 yards a day until the Fall of 2015. Then I started training for a “Manhattan” which is 28.5 miles.
“Then while training in March of 2016 my beautiful son Dan was killed in a motorcycle accident. Obviously, a tragedy I can’t explain except a deep sadness and loss that never goes away. My wife Mary and I made a pact going down on the 5 AM flight to the hospital that we would form a pact to keep our family together and navigate through the terrible loss. We knew Dan would want this,” said Muenzer. He added, “We have a beautiful daughter-in-law and granddaughter, so we were blessed.” Muenzer’s son’s best friend from West Point would eventually go on and marry his daughter-in-law. “Again, so blessed, I think my son Dan was involved with this, with God.”
“So, I heard Dan tell me, Pops, time to do the Manhattan Swim. I started training and did the swim in August of 2018 at 57 years of age.” He said that The Manhattan Swim Organization was gracious and let him in without having to go back on the waiting list. Then, started delays like Covid so, MuenzerI began swimming 4,000 yards a day again.
Muenzer said, “So, here I am four years later, just about 61 years old and way past where I saw myself doing these swims.” He began training again last October with world-renowned coach Marcia Cleveland who had been his coach on all of his swims.
Muenzer leaves on July 29 for Long Beach, California. His swim will start at 11 PM West Coast time on August 2. It’s a night swim so it is dangerous. He will leave at night so he can get a solid push in the first seven hours before the winds pick up. “My crew is coming in for the swim. They have been with me on all my swims. We have aged together,” said Muenzer. His lead is Mike Carson who he believes is the best manager. There will be real-time tracking and videos and pictures. Muenzer has a camera crew doing underwater and drone footage. He said, “I want to give people the opportunity to see what this sport is all about.”
Muenzer will be the 27th person to do the Grand Slam and the oldest. He will be the 269th to do the Triple Crown and the 6th oldest. To date, 268 have done this challenge, 103 women and 165 men. Only 124 of this 269 have been Americans.
“I hope the story is interesting. With my 12th and 13th grandchildren on the way, this has really changed for me over all these years. In the beginning, I was about the records, now, I want to make competitive swimmers aware of this world of open water swimming. Most importantly, I want to be an example to my grandkids that you set goals, work hard, and never give up. It’s funny how my mindset has changed with age,” Muenzer mused before he set out on his adventure.
Muenzer has had a title sponsor step forward in a big way. He said, “It’s the company MEGA CORP. They have been in the news lately for building a new corporate office and naming rights to the Cincinnati music pavilion. This was so appreciated. These swims cost $10,000 plus to do, so it’s a big deal for me.” Five Seasons Family Sports Club also provided Muenzer with pool facilities for training.
Muenzer is renowned for his feedings during his marathon swims. His menu for the Catalina Channel includes chocolate, Lays potato chips, peanut butter and jelly squares, three cans of Coca-Cola, tea, and water.
This will be my last swim and I decided to add more purpose in addition to obtaining my personal goal. I am raising money for my nephew Graeme who was born with Dravet Syndrome. This is a devastating form of epilepsy. Children afflicted with this have many seizures from daily to monthly and often times are resistant to medication. All funds raised will be donated to life saving research as well as necessary medical equipment to help these children with this debilitating disease. Graeme is happy go lucky and would steal your heart in seconds. He has inspired me at some of my toughest moments to push through and stay determined! Please help me to raise funds for the Dravet Foundation.
Dravet syndrome, also known as Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy of Infancy (SMEI), is a rare form of intractable epilepsy that begins in infancy and proceeds with accumulating morbidity that significantly impacts individuals throughout their lifetime. It has an estimated incidence rate of 1:15,700. To better understand this condition, and the work DSF does, check out their website www.dravetfoundation.org
Darnell D. Parker, Jr. Beloved husband of Samantha Parker. Devoted father of Alexis, Madison, and soon to be born, Jalen Parker. Loving son of Nina and the late Darnell Parker, Sr. He is also survived by numerous extended family members and friends. Darnell passed away peacefully surrounded by the people he loved the most Sunday, July 24, 2022, at the age of 44.
Darnell was born and raised in Findlay, OH where he attended Findlay High School and played basketball. His education and basketball career continued at Bluffton University. His passion for basketball lead him to coaching high school basketball at Finneytown, Glen Este, Clark Montessori, CNE schools and finally spent five seasons at Loveland.
Darnell graduated from Bluffton University with a bachelor’s degree in Business and spent most of his professional career as Vice President at Beal Bank and Chase Bank. His last job was with Peoples Bank where he served as the Dealer’s Service Manager.
Above everything, Darnell loved his wife, daughters, family, and loved making memories with them. He will be greatly missed because he was deeply loved.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. until time of service 11:00 a.m. at The Vineyard Church-Chapel, 11340 Century Cir East, Springdale, OH 45246. Interment to follow at Oak Hill Cemetery. A celebration of life reception will be held at the Loveland High School Gymnasium, 1 Tiger Trail, Loveland, OH 45140, from 2:00-4:00 p.m.
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