BY GREG GULAS
      Boardman News Sports
      bnews@zoominternet.net
      The 56th Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame banquet, sponsored by Briarfield Health Care Centers and Ed and Diane Reese, is scheduled for Sunday, May 4 with a dozen new members set for enshrinement during ceremonies at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center in Boardman.
      Former Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders and Oklahoma Sooners running back Greg Pruitt will serve as guest speaker.
      The 2025 class includes John Butera (sports media), Tony Congemi (football), Roland Commings (boxing), Tim Gleason (contribution to sports), Brian Gorby (track and field-cross country), Bob Jenkins (track and field), Doug Kuberski (bowling), Steve Leslie (contribution to sports), James W. Morrison (contribution to sports), Mike Pavlansky (football), Robb Schmidt (sports media) and Jim Vivo (football).
      Born April 29, 1967, Gorby is the lone track and field-cross country inductee and rightfully so because he stands alone on the area’s Mt. Rushmore of coaches who have taken their sport or sports to the next level when it comes to producing conference championships, player development and national individual event qualifiers.
      After a standout scholastic career at Boardman High School – he was a four-year letterwinner for the Spartans who helped the BHS cross country squad to three state championships – he matriculated north of the township and attended Youngstown State University where he earned four more letters for the scarlet and white from 1987-90.
      Upon graduation – he earned his undergraduate degree in 1990, his MA in physical education in 1994 and PhD. in educational leadership in 2003, all from YSU – he served as an assistant coach for both the Penguins’ cross country-track and field programs before his promotion to head coach of YSU’s cross country program in August of 1993, later taking over the reins of the track and field program in July of 1994.
      Now in his 33rd season as a member of the Penguins’ track and field family-cross country family – it is his 30th as head coach – this year’s honoree has built one of the elite programs in Ohio, the Horizon League and the entire East Region.
      Overall, Gorby has led the YSU women’s program to 33 conference championships and the men to 29 league titles for a total of 62 career championships, directing the women’s team to a pair of ‘Triple Crown’s ‘ (cross country indoor-Outdoor) in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
      The YSU men’s squad claimed the Horizon League’s ‘Triple Crown’ in 2016-17, 2018-19, 2022-23 and 2023-24 while the Penguin men also captured the Mid-Continent Conference ‘Triple Crown’ in 1996-97.
      On the individual level, he has produced 23 All-Americans, 35 national qualifiers, 12 junior national qualifiers and 124 NCAA Regional outdoor qualifiers.
      For his efforts, he has also won a staggering 55 ‘Coach of the Year’ honors.
      Under his tutelage, Gorby has built YSU into the Horizon League program of which other teams want to emulate as he has led them to 45 track and field titles, 26 on the distaff side of the ledger and 19 by the men.
      Since 2014, the Penguins have been on an incredible run with the women winning 10 consecutive outdoor championships, 10 indoor titles in a row and three straight cross country championships, the men following suit with nine indoor titles, eight outdoor championships and four cross country crowns.
      The Penguins hold the league record for most total titles by a women’s track and field program.
      Gorby has also led the Penguins to 434 individual titles and 31 relay wins in the Horizon League and additionally, YSU claimed eight Mid-Continent Conference Championships (1994-2001).
      Overshadowed by the championship trophies and individual accomplishments, Gorby has also guided YSU to runner-up finishes at the league track and field meet 27 times (14 by the men; eight outdoor and six indoor) and 13 by the women (eight indoor and five outdoor).
      Off the track, 255 student-athletes have garnered academic all-league plaudits under Gorby with Aaron Merrill a two-time CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-American (2009 and 2010) and Jarrod Davis, who earned Academic All-America laurels in 2006.
      On the national level, the YSU track and field program has been well-represented the past 10 years by the likes of thrower Bobby Grace (shot put), Conner Neu (hammer throw), record-setting hurdler Chad Zallow and Collin Harden, runner Jaliyah Elliott, pole vaulter Wyatt Lefker, Sean Peterson (1500m), Dorian Chaigneau (pole vault), Zach Gehm (discus), Erin Bogard (pole vault), Tye Hunt (long jump), Esther Solarin (women’s triple jump) and Luke Laubacher (110m hurdles), among others.
      In 2003, Kurt Michaelis moved the Penguin track and field program to a new level by becoming the school’s first Division I All-American while during the 2010 outdoor campaign, thrower Danielle Curry became the first YSU woman to advance to the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, finishing 24th overall.
      Others have also made a name for the program during his earlier seasons as head coach and his time as an assistant.
      He has coached 12 student-athletes who have qualified for the Junior/USATF Under-20 Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
      Since the Penguins were admitted to the Horizon League (2001-02), Gorby has led the Penguins to 45 conference crowns, 27 runner-up team finishes and 157 special individual awards at the conference meet.
      Starting with the fall of 2013, the men’s and women’s programs have won or finished second in 51 of 57 Horizon League championship events, which includes cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field.
      The Penguins have earned 37 championships and 14 runner-up finishes during that span.
      Prior to their arrival in the Horizon League, Gorby guided YSU to eight Mid-Continent Conference Championships over a four-year span, the men winning cross country championships in 1994, 1995 and 1996 while claiming both the indoor and outdoor titles in 1997.
      The women’s program won the league title in cross country in 1997, the indoor track and field title in 1996 and outdoor track and field title in 1997 as he coached three ‘Athlete of the Year’ and four ‘Newcomer of the Year’ honorees.
      Of note, a special accomplishment for Gorby has him taking great pride in winning three cross country championships with son, Beau, finishing in the top-25 (out of 110 runners on the YSU team at the championships while capturing over 30 championships with brother, Keith, as his trusted assistant coach.
      He also has a 63rd championship on his ever expanding resume as a coach when he coached daughter, Jersey, a shortstop, to the 2013 Boardman Little League Softball title, calling that one very special moment in his coaching career.
      Overall, his Penguin teams have combined to win over 100 team championships and runner-up trophies.
      A noted distance runner, he has competed in several marathons and competes in races throughout the year.
      He and his wife, the former Charlotte Jenkins, are the proud parents of daughter Jersey, a recent YSU graduate while his son, Beau, is a member of the YSU cross country and track and field teams.
      Recently, the family created “The Brian, Charlotte, Jersey and Beau Gorby Family Championship Cross Country Course’ in Columbiana, an NCAA-caliber course that is set to open in the fall of 2024.
      Curbstone Hall Of Fame Tickets
      Doors open at 4 p.m., dinner will be served at 5 p.m. with the program set to commence at 6 p.m. Individual tickets are $60 each, tables of eight $480 and will be available after February 1.
      Further information can be obtained by calling 330-506-6774 or by visiting the organization’s website at www.thecurbstonecoaches.org.