Dave Van Metre – Omaha
Contributor. A former Colorado College football player from Mount Vernon, Iowa, Dave Van Metre was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. After injuries ended his professional football career, he went into private business and has generously lended a hand to schools in Omaha and his native Mount Vernon. He has provided new weight training and […]
Ron Boone – Omaha Tech
Athlete. 1963 graduate of Omaha Technical High School, his high school career, perhaps stymied because he didn’t begin to get basketball height until his senior year, served as a springboard to a professional basketball career. He came off the bench and had some good games on the high school varsity in 1963 when Tech won […]
Roy Bassett – Hastings
Coach. Roy Bassett earned the title of “Coach.” For 40 years, he coached high school athletics at Nelson and Hastings High Schools. From 1932 to 1937, he coached football, basketball and track at Nelson, a coaching load he would take on for a few years at Hastings High School. He was the head football coach […]
Ray Knaub – Scottsbluff
Athlete. Ray Knaub’s athleticism helped make Scottsbluff High School a threat in statewide competition and his track exploits put his name on the all-time charts as he dominated the high school Big Ten Conference. He won state track meet gold medals in the 100- and 220-yard dashes and ran on gold medal-winning 880-yard relays teams. […]
Darrell Lenz – Chappell
Official When Darrell Lenz met with the captains before a game, he reminded them, “We are here to help you play your game.” Lenz started as a coach, but when he gave up the coach’s clipboard for the administrator’s desk, he held onto the whistle. Starting in 1964, Lenz embarked on a 42-year career of […]
John “Jack” McIntire – Falls City/Peru
Coach. Named The World-Herald’s Nebraska high school coach of the year in 1955 at Falls City and its college coach of the year in 1961 at Peru State. At Falls City from 1946 to 1956, his football teams were 71-17 and his basketball teams were 126-47 and won the 1956 Class A title. At Peru […]
Myron Oehlerking – Lincoln East
Coach. The only volleyball coach in Lincoln East’s 33 years (2006), Coach O won six state championships (74-77-82-85-86-88), three Class A state runners-up (89-93-94) and made 19 state tournament appearances. He coached more victories in volleyball than any other coach with a 726-367 record. Also head coach of a successful track program from 1973 to […]
Bobby Reynolds – Grand Island
Athlete–One of the most exciting athletes of all time, this 1949 Grand Island High School graduate showed his natural ability early. While an Islander sophomore, he was already a starter on the fine basketball team there which captured back to back Class A state championships. And in football, the Purple & Gold rolled over all […]
Joe Sukovaty – Swanton
Coach. After graduating from Swanton High School and Doane College, Joe returned to his home town in 1923 as coach, science teacher and assistant principal. In his 17-year tenure with the Jackrabbits he coached them to the basketball state tournament seven times, winning it twice. His 1933 squad was runner-up with only seven players on […]
Nikki Stricker Best – Lincoln East
Athlete. Lincoln’s second female athlete to earn 12 varsity letters, Nikki (Stricker) Best was the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star Athlete of the Year in 1990. She earned all-state honors in volleyball and basketball as well as Mizuno All-America honors in volleyball. She helped the Spartans win the state volleyball championship in 1986 […]