Investing in futures: Athletes of Action scholarships awarded
Athletes of Action scholarship recipients (left to right) Maurice Griffin, Marcus Griffin, Zoe Woessner, Hailey Staub and Jailya Kerney. The Griffin brothers and Kerney attend Sto-Rox High School and Woessner and Staub are Montour High School seniors. (Photo courtesy of Melissa Woessner)
The importance of community – and giving back to it – was the theme of the day at Saturday’s 15th Athletes of Action Memorial Scholarship Luncheon in McKees Rocks.
The group’s motto – Building Community, Honoring Legacy –- tells you most of what you need to know.
For the past 15 years, the group has raised enough money to award $100,000 in scholarships to 75 student-athletes from Sto-Rox and Montour high schools.
This year’s recipients — Jaliya Kerney and twin brothers Marcus and Maurice Griffin, of Sto-Rox and Montour seniors Hailey Staub and Zoe Woessner — each received a $2,000 scholarship.
Bob Zitelli, one of the key players in the AOA group, told a gathering of about 240 people at the VFW Banquet Hall in McKees Rocks that none of the good work could take place if it weren’t for people in the community giving their time – and money.
“This won’t happen without you coming,” he said, in reference to the annual scholarship luncheon.
The event’s roots reach back to 1945, when local business owners, educators and those involved in public service would hold small gatherings at local churches to pay tribute to the hundreds of local athletes who had passed before them. Zitelli said one of the key figures in that effort, the late Lenny Cersosimo, asked Zitelli to keep the gatherings alive in one form or another after he passed on.
“So here we are,” Zitelli told the group. “We’re continuing to perpetuate the legacy of those who came before us.”
In addition to the high school athletes, three people received lifetime achievement awards: former Cornell and Montour basketball coach Ed Wovchko and two Montour graduates who enjoyed outstanding football careers in Nick Haden and Dean Caliguire.
Woessner thanked the AOA group for the generous scholarship and the community in general for caring enough to help her and the other graduating seniors being honored Saturday.
“Your generosity and commitment to supporting student-athletes genuinely makes a difference, and I’m incredibly grateful to be standing here because of you all,” said Woessner, who will attend Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., where she will study business.
Woessner said her experiences in athletics – she played basketball and volleyball at Montour and was team captain in both sports her junior in senior years — “shaped me in ways that go far beyond winning and losing. Sports have taught me discipline, resilience and how to lead, not just by example but by supporting the people around me. “
Sports, Woessner added, “pushed me through challenges and taught me accountability lessons that I’ll carry with me long after high school.”
Staub, a softball standout at Montour, will continue her career at Colgate and plans to major in biology with an eye toward becoming a physician assistant specializing in pediatric oncology.
She told the group that as a first-generation college student coming from a single-parent home, “this support means more to me than words can fully express.”
Staub said she had planned to take on a part-time job at Colgate, but the prospect of balancing work with a full course load and her sports responsibilities “would have added more stress to the college experience. Because of your generosity, I now have the opportunity to focus more fully on my studies and my commitment to softball.”
Kerney, who played multiple sports and was the captain of the Sto-Rox cheer squad, expressed her gratitude for the scholarship and said the award means more than dollars and cents.
“It’s not just a financial gift – it’s an investment, in my future and in my dream,” said Kerney, who plans to major in pre-veterinary science at Penn West California. “It lifts a significant burden and allows me to focus on my academic and my athletic goals with confidence and determination.”
Marcus Griffin, who plans to attend Penn West California and major in information technology – as will his brother Maurice – said he was truly honored to receive the scholarship and thanked the committee “for believing in me and supporting my goals.” The award, he said, “will help me stay focused on my education and motivated to achieve my goals. This means a lot knowing people were willing to believe in me and help me succeed.”
Maurice Griffin echoed much of what his brother said. “I sincerely appreciate this because it means I’m one step closer to pursuing my goals,” he said. “I thank everyone for being here and supporting my goals and aspirations.”
Wovchko talked about his lengthy career as a coach and noted how many of his former players now refer to him as a “legend.” He said he didn’t understand it at first, because while his 400-plus wins, .800-plus winning percentage and many other coaching achievements certainly warrant respect, he never felt worthy of the legend tag.
But when he said when he thought about his somewhat unorthodox coaching techniques, such as having his players wear boxing gloves, football pads and heavy vests to practice, requiring them practice with their hands behind their backs, putting just four players on the court in one game and having them scrub their own locker rooms, that might be where his former players came up with that title.
“Maybe that’s what that ‘legend’ stuff is about,” he said. “You know that song Frank Sinatra sang, that ‘I’ll do it My Way” – I kind of had my way.”
Haden, who was part of a national championship team at Penn State in 1982 and played several years in the NFL, said events like the one held Saturday “don’t happen in other communities.” He said he’s had many of his former college teammates come through Pittsburgh and they all know “what McKees Rocks is all about.”
“It really is a special place,” he said. “You can tell by the people in this room. You come here because you care, and you care from the heart.”
Haden said he was motivated by the fact that just up the street from his boyhood home in Kennedy Township, players such as Chuck Burkhart of Penn State, Dave Havern of Pitt and Rick Ferko of Ohio State were making names for themselves while he was growing up. He recalled one night when his father allowed him to watch a Monday Night Football game because three local products – Ted Kwalik, John Hufnagel and Carl Schaukowitch – were all playing in the game.
“I knew something was going on here,” he said of his boyhood community’s rich football tradition, “and I wanted to be a part of it.”
Caliguire, who grew up in Ingram, played at Pitt after graduating from Montour and had a short stay in the NFL, told the scholarship recipients that while there is plenty special about the local community, “the world is bigger than the 15136.”
Caliguire also referred to a famous phrase that former UCLA coach John Wooden was known to use: “Learn like you’re going to live forever; and live like you’re going to die tomorrow.” Wooden explained the quote in his book: “Be voracious in your daily desire to acquire knowledge, information and wisdom. Be joyful and appreciative of the blessing of this day you’ve been given.”
Caliguire encouraged the scholarship recipients to “appreciate where you are in the process. When you’re in school, when you’re coming out of school and learning your craft, appreciate every step – because pretty soon you’ll be 59 (years old) and have gray hair.”
Staub played volleyball and softball during her time at Montour and is headed to Colgate to play softball. A serious travel league softball player, she played volleyball because “it was a good way to get away from softball. A lot of my life revolves around that sport.”
A Kennedy Township resident, Staub also works at 7 Brew, a drive-thru coffee location in Moon Township, where she’s a shift lead. Staub said an opportunity to job shadow at a local hospital sparked her interest in the area of pediatrics, and she felt an immediate connection.
“I love being around little kids,” she said. “I want to be able to help people and when I think about being able to help kids, I get really excited.
“It feels like it’s what I’m meant to do.”
Staub said she’s looking forward to continuing her education – and her career on the softball diamond – at Colgate. Her visit to the Hamilton, N.Y., campus – about four hours from New York City – convinced her it was the right place.
“The coaches and the atmosphere were unmatched,” she said. “The head coach (Marissa Lamison-Myers) is super-chill, but she can be hard on you when she needs to be. She can put you in her place. And the campus is gorgeous.”
Woessner played basketball and volleyball all four of her years at Montour and didn’t consider either one to be her favorite. “Both just kind of happened,” she said of the two sports.
Woessner said she learned of the AIA opportunity from information that the school counselors disseminated. “Kids started talking about it and I figured I should apply,” she said. “It’s a known (scholarship) that everyone applies for.”
When she learned she had been selected to receive the scholarship, she said she was “shocked – honestly.”
“It’s really cool that they do this for student-athletes,” she said of the AIA scholarship program. “I feel really fortunate to receive it. I’m committing to Indiana University (in Bloomington, Ind.) this week and this will really help me, especially in my first year.”
A Robinson Township resident, Woessner said she had been considering going to Penn State but opted for the other Big Ten school. “I really wanted the opportunity to go a little farther than Pennsylvania,” she said. “It’ll be good for me to branch out and see a new environment. And the business school (at Indiana) is ranked seventh in the nation – that swayed me in my decision.”
Woessner, who hopes to continue playing sports at the intramural or club level in Bloomington, said she’s leaning toward entrepreneurship or executive management as an academic major.
“I’ve thrived in leadership positions the last few years,” she said. “Running my own company is something I want to do.”
Kerney played volleyball for three years and softball for two seasons during her time at Sto-Rox and also was on the cheer squad all four years, serving as cheer captain during the football and basketball seasons.
She learned of the AIA opportunity through her counselor at Sto-Rox, Joe Herzing, who encouraged her to apply. She wasn’t sure she’d do it but decided on the final day to complete the essay. She planned to submit it that day, but a snowstorm got in the way, and she had to wait an extra day to turn it in.
“I really didn’t think I was going to get it,” she said of the $2,000 award. “It’s such an unexpected thing.”
Kerney said in her essay she wrote about the fact that while she was involved in sports, her real passion was interacting with the community at various events, such as fundraisers.
Kerney said she plans to continue with cheer when she enrolls at Penn West California, where she wants to study veterinary science.
She said that’s a field she’s had an interest in for a long time. Helping to care for a pet rabbit as a youngster made her interested in the field. And one of her kindergarten class projects required her to make a vest that signified a certain career field — and hers was a veterinarian. “Which is crazy,” she said.
Kerney said she’s most appreciative of the AIA scholarship. “It’s nice to get recognized for getting good grades and pursuing sports,” she said. “Sports helped get me out of my comfort zone. I’m pretty shy.
“It’s nice to have this kind of financial support, especially going away to school.”
The Griffin twins – they are the fraternal variety and Maurice is 2 minutes older than Marcus – focused mostly on basketball while attending Sto-Rox, but Maurice also played football as a sophomore.
Both brothers plan to study information technology at Penn West California, although Maurice said he also is interested in mechanical engineering.
“My uncle works in that (information technology) field, and I would see him work on things, and that made me interested in it,” Marcus said. “I could see myself doing that in the future.”
Maurice said he watched some videos that talked about both of those fields and both of them interest him.
Maurice said he feels grateful that the AIA gives students like him the opportunity to obtain funding to help with his schooling.
Younger brother Marcus agrees. “I feel like this is a great opportunity for students to get a chance to get ahead for school and for their education,” he said.
Wovchko achieved plenty of success at both Cornell and Montour. At Cornell, his teams won eight section championships, four WPIAL titles and appeared in the PIAA Final Four on four occasions, getting to the title game once. At Montour, he guided the Spartans to a section championship and a Final Four appearance.
But if you ask him his coaching record, he has no idea.
“People would ask me what it was,” he said, “but for some reason, I never paid attention.”
A Robinson resident, Wovchko grew up in the McKees Rocks Bottoms, which he recalls was a “sports haven” in his youth.
“They had a football field, a baseball field and a Boys Club, and right across the street from where I lived was a softball field,” he said. “Sports was something that went on all the time.”
Wovchko, now 88, said he remembers when the Sto-Rox area fielded three semipro football teams. “That’s how many athletes were around the area at that time,” he said. “McKees Rocks, along with Stowe, just grew athletes.”
Wovchko said he appreciated being a part of Saturday’s event, as many of those in attendance are getting up in years.
“Their days are waning,” he said. “I get to see guys I ran into through coaching or playing against. It’s a really nice social outing.”
As for the scholarships, Wovchko said he couldn’t be more supportive.
“I’m in favor of any type of program like this, especially when you’re honoring kids not only for what they’ve done athletically but what they’ve done in the classroom,” said Wovchko, who taught just about “everything but language and home ec” during his nearly 40 years in the classroom.
“Being that I was involved in teaching and coaching, I’m glad happy to see any type of scholarship that can be obtained,” he said. “And anything I can do to add to it or contribute to it, I’m happy to do it.”
Haden, the former Montour standout who went on to help Penn State win a national championship in football in 1982 as a center, played four seasons in the NFL with the Los Angeles Raiders and the Philadelphia Eagles. He moved to the Eagles just when Buddy Ryan arrived as head coach after a successful stint as defensive coordinator with the Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears.
“It was an experience,” he said of his time with Ryan and the Bears. “He never shut his mouth.”
Haden said those who work behind the scenes to make the annual event and the scholarships materialize “genuinely care.”
“You don’t find that many people who are that real and that authentic,” Haden said. “I’m just honored they thought of me.”
Haden got involved in the energy services business after retiring from pro football and is still connected to it, working as a consultant and project manager. “It keeps me busy,” said Haden, who grew up in Kennedy and now lives in Robinson.
Caliguire, a 1985 Montour graduation, played center and guard at Pitt from 1985 through 1989 and after a short stint with the San Francisco 49ers played for the Steelers in legendary coach Chuck Noll’s final year and Hall of Famer Bill Cower’s first year with the Steelers.
He called his time in the NFL “bittersweet.”
“It was not the career I wanted, but the opportunity to play during that time was an awesome experience,” said Caliguire, who called such immortals as Joe Montana and Jerry Rice teammates while playing for the 49ers.
Following his playing days, Caliguire began selling refractories – materials used to resist heat — to entities within the steel industry. He considered getting involved in coaching, but the nomadic lifestyle of a college assistant didn’t mesh with his idea of family life.
“There are some potentially lean years and a lot of moving around,” he said of those serving as assistant coaches in the college ranks. “I probably would have been a better coach than a salesman, but I chose not to do it for those reasons.
“It’s a tough life. They don’t get enough credit for the time and sacrifices they make. To me, I felt like I did sacrifice something I could have been really good at. But family is the most important thing, and I made that conscious decision.”
Caliguire said those who are involved in the AIA luncheon and the other events they put on during the year are “top-notch.”
“Bob Zitelli is a great guy to carry on this legacy,” he said. “His son, Emmett, and all the girls and guys and women – there’s probably 25 people involved. The time they put in and the people who contribute to help kids get an opportunity to potentially save a little money and to be recognized for their effort is truly what it’s all about.”
