Cold Pizza

This week's edition includes:

• Winter Game Schedules and Intramural Information
• Fan Behavior
• Sports Photos
• Coach Spotlight
• Hockey Camp
• Eligibility
• Athletic Opportunities at SMS
• Online Team Shop
• Athletic Boosters Information
• Ticket Price Increase
• Online Ticketing Information
• Strongsville Rec Department Program Offerings
• Click/Tap HERE for previous editions of Cold Pizza

GET THE LATEST TEAM UPDATES:

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

BASKETBALL/CHEER SCHEDULES & RESULTS:

• Gym/Practice Schedule

• GBB Game Schedule

• BBB Game Schedule

• 7th Grade Cheer Schedule

• 8th Grade Cheer Schedule

WRESTLING SCHEDULES:

• Wrestling Meet Schedule

INTRAMURALS:

• Basketball info COMING SOON!

Strongsville City Schools, its students, its staff, and its services are all part of a first class community. The roots of our first class nature are derived from the actions of the great families that comprise Strongsville. With that said, being first class doesn't mean being perfect in all actions. In part, it means having the desire, open-mindedness and skillset to get better when needed. Last year some of our students, perhaps unknowingly, engaged in some unsportsmanlike conduct from the bleachers at some recent athletic contests. Most of us know that being good neighbors to our opponents, their fans and the officials is a part of being first class. It might not be known to many middle school aged students who are starting to experience their first sense of freedom.

I am strongly encouraging all families to have the following conversation with your middle school aged child. Please inform them that the only acceptable behavior at sporting event is being positive. Any negative behavior/speech is strictly prohibited. Below is a brief explanation as it relates to acceptable and unacceptable fan behavior. Thank you for your cooperation!

Strongsville 7th Grade W welcomes you to the 23-24 Basketball Season. Look out!

Tell everyone a little about yourself?

• I am a Husband and Father first. My wife, Kathryn, and I have two daughters, Mackenzie, 11 and Winnie, 1. This is my 8th year as a Special Education teacher and Coach. I previously taught and coached at North Olmsted High School. I have coached Varsity Girls Golf, 8th, 9th and JV Basketball, and high jump for track.
  

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

• I am currently on of the 8th grade boys basketball coaches and will coach high jump for North Olmsted this spring.

Why did you get into coaching?

• Basketball has been apart of my family since well before I was born. I grew up watching my uncle, Jeff Shepherd, coach basketball at Brooklyn High School. I have always been inspired by those who work to inspire others to be better and want to live my life by that example. I am passionate about the development of young student athletes. I am focused heavily on not only athletic development but also the betterment of the individual in all aspects of life especially including social-emotional skills.
  

What was your favorite coaching moment?

• I have had quite a few but so far the best was this past track season having (then) junior, Megan McClain, qualify for the state track meet for high jump. Absolute chills. Megan hadn't high jumped since middle school and was able to embrace and realize her potential. It was awesome to witness and be apart of that.

Who is your favorite coach and why?

• I have many, obviously not a coach of mine but John Wooden is an idol of mine. I really appreciate his devotion to hard work and doing the little things well. He remains one of the greatest college coaches of all time (top 50 in wins).
  Another is Pat Summitt, she was a pioneer for the women's game. She too placed a heavy importance on hard work. She was hard on her players but also had a way of showing her players how much she loved and cared for them.
  

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

• All Cleveland teams, for better or worse
  

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

• Through college it was always basketball but the past few years golf has become a huge passion of mine.

What is your favorite sports memory?

• Mine come from coaching and as a parent. So far it has been watching my daughter qualify for the sub-regional for Drive, Chip, Putt.

What is your favorite sports quote?

• “Perfection is what you are striving for, but perfection is an impossibility. However, striving for perfection is not an impossibility. Do the best you can under the conditions that exist. That is what counts.” -John Wooden
  
  “Confidence is what happens when you’ve done the hard work that entitles you to succeed.” -Pat Summitt
  
  To me, these two quotes outline the essence of sport and life in general.

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

• My wife and I share a birthday.

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.

Greater Cleveland Conference Approves Ticket Price Increase

The Greater Cleveland Conference (GCC) will be raising admission ticket prices for all athletic events beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. In May, GCC principals approved the increase in athletic ticket prices after GCC Athletic Directors conducted a review of ticket prices for surrounding conferences in Northeast Ohio and found most to already be at these price levels. Ticket sales revenue generated from the events is the main source of funding used by member schools to cover costs for sports and the overall athletic department budget. While costs of game officials, security, sporting equipment, along with all the other costs associated with these events have increased and ticket prices have not. The increase is intended to help offset costs without sacrificing family, student and community experiences. This is the first price increase the GCC has issued since the formation of the league in 2020. The GCC consists of member schools Brunswick, Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Medina, Mentor, Shaker Heights, and Strongsville.

Varsity Football:

$10 at the gate for Adult/Student General Admission

$8 Adult Presale flat fee until 2 hours before kickoff (was $7)

$5 Student Presale (no change)

*Season tickets for home contests are at the discretion of the home school

Varsity/JV (All other Varsity Sports):

$8 Adult/Student (was $7)

Freshman or JV (stand alone):

$5 Adult/Student (was $4)

Middle School Sports:

$5 Adult/Student (was $4)

Senior Citizens Ticket Prices

Free admission (no change)

GCC Passes

Distributed by individual schools, GCC passes admit one spectator per pass

GCC Tournaments:

$8 Adult/Student (was $7)

No charge for pre-school age children

No Senior Citizen passes accepted

Sign-in sheet will be used for school officials

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