Cold Pizza

This week's edition includes:

• Spring Intramurals are here! (Running, Cornhole Tournament (TENNIS IS FULL))
• Spring Sports Updates
• Track Action Shots
• Coach Spotlight
• 6th & 7th Grade Girls Basketball Open Gyms- 5/18 & 5/19
• Strongsville Boys Golf Camp Info
• Boys Soccer Camp Registrations are Open
• Spring Sports Update: Pics, Schedules, and Recaps
• Eligibility Information
• Yearly SMS Athletic Opportunities
• Spirit Wear
• Strongsville Athletic Booster Information
• Buy athletic event tickets from your phone
• Happy 25th Birthday to the Strongsville Recreation Center!
• Athletic Programming from the Strongsville Recreation
• Click/Tap HERE for previous editions of Cold Pizza

We are now taking registrations for Running Club (TENNIS IS NOW FULL). Details are pictured below.

We will also be hosting separate cornhole tournaments for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students in May. More details to come!

GET THE LATEST TEAM UPDATES:

• We post game/event results on Twitter HERE
• Follow game/event results on Facebook HERE

TRACK:

• Meet Schedule (First meet is 3/28!)
• Practice Schedule

INTRAMURALS:

• Tennis is full. Sign-up for Running Club HERE. The informative meeting is 3/29 but participants must register first.

Tell everyone a little about yourself?

• This is my 16th year teaching. My first 6 years I taught at Positive Education Program (PEP) which is an alternative school for students diagnosed with an emotional disturbance. While difficult work it was definitely rewarding and made me the teacher I am today. I started teaching at Strongsville High School in 2012. I have my masters in special education and the past two years I have been part of a team that created and continues to develop the Career Exploration Program which gives students an opportunity to identify possible career paths and shadow/intern with local businesses.
  
  I am married to my best friend who is an amazing wife and mother to our 3 kids. My wife Carrie provides school based therapy in the district. My oldest daughter Ashlin is finishing her first year at BW. My middle daughter Madison is a 7th grader at SMS and my son Matthew is in 5th grade at Kinsner. They're the best part of my world.
  

What teams do you currently coach (in and out of SCS)?

• I currently coach 8th grade boys basketball at SMS and my son's 5th grade travel basketball team.
  

Why did you get into coaching?

• Coaching is teaching. It would be ridiculous for me teach a unit in my classroom and when it came time for them to take the test I stood over them and yelled at every mistake they made. Playing sports is the same way. I enjoy taking a team of young athletes who walk in with a certain skill set and helping them learn how to get better in a positive and supportive way. Nobody is trying to make mistakes on purpose. Hopefully my teams learn how to play with confidence and develop skills that can be applied to things on and off the court.
  

What was your favorite coaching moment?

• There is a point in every season and with every player where something clicks and you can see growth. Those are definitely the most rewarding moments of coaching.
  

Who is your favorite coach and why?

• I try and pick the brains of as many coaches as I can. I think we have some talented coaches at all levels in the district across many sports. I also like to read/listen to as many coaching books, blogs and podcasts as I can.
  

Outside of the Mustangs, who is your favorite sports team(s)?

• All three Cleveland teams. I love the Cavs. I know the Browns will break my heart but I can't quit them. I'd say I'm most diehard about the Guardians though.
  

What is your favorite sport to play and/or watch?

• Basketball. I love to play and I can watch any game at any level.
  

What is your favorite sports memory?

• 2016 NBA Finals. Game 7. Really the whole series but I'll never forget watching game 7 with my wife and daughter.
  

Do you have a favorite sports quote? If so, what is it and why?

• "A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player." John Wooden
  

Tell us something that most people don't know about you?

• I've never seen Star Wars.
  

5th-8th grade boys have the opportunity to develop their golf skills at the Strongsville Middle School Golf Camp. The camp will be held on Wednesdays and Sundays throughout April and May and is designed develop the proper techniques in the golf swing as well as develop the skills for the short game and putting. Camp Directors and Instructors include the SHS Boys Varsity and JV Coaches, as well as current members of the SHS Boys Golf Team. Click HERE to register for this upcoming camp.

Improve your soccer skills - dribbling, juggling, passing and shooting - at the Strongsville Youth Summer Camp for boys ages 6-11. The camp will be held July 10-13 from 9-11:30am each day at the Foltz Soccer Complex (Fields 1-3). Former Ohio State Buckeye, Professional Soccer Player, and current SHS Boys Head Coach Kyle Veris will lead the camp with current SHS Boys Soccer players also providing instruction. Click HERE for the camp flyer.

Player eligibility is determined by SCS and OHSAA policies. Some of the eligibility criteria is listed below.

• Students must maintain at least a 2.0 G.P.A. Should their G.P.A. fall below a 2.0 they will be put on a weekly progress reports to assure assignments and effort are up to snuff. If not the players will be required to sit until improvement is made.
• Students must have passed at least 4 classes in the previous quarter (5 credits if at SHS). Should this criteria not be met a student will not be eligible for the forthcoming athletic season.
• Pay to Participate and previous year academic fees must be paid in order to partake in athletic games/contests. Students will be withheld from all contests until fees are paid.

• OHSAA Eligibility Resource Center

• https://ohsaa.org/Eligibility

See the graphic below for details regarding athletic opportunities for SMS students throughout the course of a school year.

If you're looking for some spirit wear to help support the Mustangs please know that spirit wear can be purchased through the Strongsville Mustangs Athletics Website linked below. Christmas is just around the corner, don't miss out on some great gift ideas! A couple of examples of the 100's of items found in our online spirit shop are pictured below.

There is lots of other information there as well!

http://strongsvilleathletics.org

• Game Schedules
• Game Results/Recaps
• Athletic Forms
• Sports Medicine Info
• Ticketing Info
• Online Team Shop
• Sports Registration/Tryout Info

The Strongsville Athletic Boosters is comprised of parent volunteers that raise funds and provide support to all of the Strongsville High School and Middle School athletic programs and student-athletes. Every dollar raised by the booster club is invested back into the student-athlete experience. We purchase uniforms, warm-ups, training equipment and other items to help our student-athletes perform to the best of their ability in representing Strongsville City Schools. Our ultimate success depends on the commitment of parents! Click HERE to join the Athletic Boosters for the 2022-2023 school year. Becoming a member not only helps your student's success but it also gets you some free SWAG. Details in the graphic below.

Anyone that plans on attending a home contest for the Mustangs can purchase their tickets multiple ways. Keep in mind that ticket prices are set by the GCC

All other VARSITY sporting events will have $7.00 tickets for adults and $5.00 for students.

For stand alone JV, Freshman AND Middle School games, tickets will be $4.00 and $2.00

1. Tickets will be sold online through our NEW online Ticketing Partner, Hometown Ticketing. The link can be found HERE. This is the preferred method of payment for all home contests. You can also purchase tickets by going to STRONGSVILLEATHLETICS.ORG and by clicking on each team's schedule, there is a BUY TICKETS option. If you have question, please reach out to the Athletic Office.

2. We will offer at the gate cash and CREDIT CARD sales for all home contests. Again, if you do not want to wait in line, the online ticket option would be best

3. SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNTS. The GCC will allow Senior Citizens into any contest free of charge. At Strongsville, we will be issuing Senior Citizen All-Access passes that will allow them to attend any HOME sporting event free of charge. Passes will issued at any ticket gate upon entrance to an event.

(Please keep in mind that when we play non-league contests away, those schools may have a different senior citizen policy)

If you have any questions about the ticketing policy, please do not hesitate to contact the athletic department.

Click/tap HERE for what sports programs are upcoming for the Strongsville Recreation Department.

Email: jkeppler@scsmustangs.org
Website: strongsvilleathletics.org
Location: 13200 Pearl Road, Strongsville, OH, USA
Phone: 4405727090
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Strongsville-Athletics/100057494767336/
Twitter: @scsmustangs