Ron Botz is no stranger to the game of basketball. He graduated in 1956 from Parker High School and enjoyed many accolades along the way. He was easily a Pennsylvania All-State selection that same year.
Ron Botz has spent many years on the hardwood both as a player and a coach. His knowledge and love of the game has had a lasting impact not only the players and teams he once coached, but also the community to which will now honor his accolades and success which spanned his twenty-nine year coaching career at A-C Valley High School.
The A-C Valley School Board in recognition of the impact Ron Botz has made throughout his career at A-C Valley will hold a ceremony on Monday, August 21st at 5:30 PM in the high school gymnasium. The ceremony will name the A-C Valley gymnasium (Ron Botz Gymnasium) in honor of the former boys’ varsity basketball head coach.
Ron Botz and his family are scheduled to attend.
The school board invites all former players and staff to help celebrate and recognize this historic event.
Ron began his coaching career at A-C Valley in 1964. When his career came to a close in 1993, his final win loss record stood at 409 wins and 286 losses; a PIAA Class “A” Runner-Up finish in 1973, 5 time Clarion County League Championships and 3 District IX titles. Coach Botz was selected as the Clarion County League Coach of the Year three times. If you played for Botz you knew you were going to get an ear full. All of which made his teams better.
Botz also enjoyed a stellar career at Clarion University. Ron was an outstanding basketball player at Clarion for four seasons from 1957-60. The guard had a single season high of 365 points in the 1957-58 season, ranked #2 in the state in scoring and posted a single game high of 35 points. In the 1958-59 season he set the Clarion single game scoring record with 46 points in a game and ended his career as the #2 scorer in Clarion history with 1,098 points behind former great Don Stemmerich (1,200; 1950-53). Ron was a three-time All-PSAC selection and a Second Team All-State choice during his career under head coach Tom Carnahan.
The A-C Valley school district is planning to install a bronze plaque outside the gym as well as a possible mural on the inside wall of the gymnasium in honor of Botz and his commitment over the years to the basketball program. Other projects are also in the works.
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