By Dean Eversole
MaxPreps.com
The multi-sport star is a common sight in Ohio small school sports. In fact they are the backbone of these programs and without them many would at best be less competitive and at worse disappear.
However, conventional thinking tells us as you move up the divisional ladder they become less common. By the time the athlete moves to the collegiate ranks they are almost non-existent. But Coldwater's Tasha Stucke is going against the grain.
Stucke, who was the anchor for both the Cavalier softball and basketball teams, has signed with Defiance College, a Division III school in northwest Ohio. Stucke is going to keep her multi-sport label, playing both sports for the Yellow Jackets.
However, Stucke had to make some sacrifices, going with a D-III school to continue her passion for both sports.
"I wanted to play both sports and Defiance was one of those places that allowed it," Stucke said. "At the bigger colleges it would very tough to play both if they even let you."
In high school, Stucke played guard for the Lady Cavs, leading the team in assists (four per game) and steals (2.9). As a junior Stucke led her squad to the regional finals, something that remains fresh in her mind.
"Going to the regional finals my junior year is probably my best memory because it was just so much fun and the team really got along so well," Stucke said.
Stucke's game is all about speed and quickness. On the hardwood, it made her a defensive specialist and a nightmare for opposing teams. This asset also transferred off the court and on to the softball diamond.
The speedster hit .579, scored 35 runs, and stole 26 bases, leading her team in all three categories.
It isn't hard to see why choosing between the two sports was a difficult task.
"I really like both sports," Stucke said. "I'm not sure I could pick one over the other."
However, playing multiple sports in college is a far cry from doing it at the high school level. Facing the adjustments that all freshmen face combined with playing sports can be overwhelming, but Stucke feels she is ready for the challenge.
"At times in high school it was difficult. It can be tough juggling both workouts and working on both sports," Stucke said. "I know another girl that played both sports at Defiance and they said it was fine to do both."
Stucke is about to find out if she can manage the challenge or not.
Football: Divisions Shuffled, Debate Sparked
High school football in Ohio doesn't officially start for another month, but the wheels are already turning and the debate is on between fans.
The OHSAA announced the divisional breakdown for the next two seasons. The most interesting result was defending Division III champion Steubenville falling to Division IV, making an already difficult alignment simply brutal. This has fueled a debate between the Big Red fan base and D-IV powerhouse Youngstown Cardinal Mooney on which team is the favorite in D-IV.
The other defending champion moving is Division VI champion Marion Local. The Flyers have won three D-VI titles in the decade, but are moving up to Division V where St. Henry reigned supreme in 2006.
With a number of traditional powers on the move and the Cinderella teams lurking somewhere, the 2007 football season should be another wild ride.
