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Ritzenhein win ‘a stunning U.S. record’
‘This is a huge shot to prove you don’t have to be East African to be a great distance runner’
For the second time in two weeks Rockford native Dathan Ritzenhein made world news. The runner, who normally shines in marathons or 10Ks, set a new American record in the Weltklasse meet in Zurich, Switzerland on Friday, August 28.
Ritzenhein finished the race with a time of 12:56.27, beating the old American record of Bob Kennedy. The feat follows his sixth-place finish in Berlin with a personal record time.
For the second time in two weeks Rockford native Dathan Ritzenhein made world news. The runner, who normally shines in marathons or 10Ks, set a new American record in the Weltklasse meet in Zurich, Switzerland on Friday, August 28.
Of the Berlin race Ritzenhein told the Squire, “I was very happy with how the race went in Berlin. I have been focusing on the marathon for the past few years and I began to feel that I was losing some of my form. The benefits you get from racing short distances can really help with the longer events too, so I needed to get back to that.”
He got back to that in a big way with the Switzerland run, which USA Today called “a stunning US record.”
For much of the race Ritzenhein was in last place. With 800 meters to go he began passing other runners to take third behind world champion Keninisa Bekele of Ethiopia.
“What Dathan did today validates what everyone in this country has been trying to do—to show Americans can run with the best East Africans,” Ritzenhein’s coach Alberto Salazar said.
Dathan spoke about his coach and what he had done for the runner.
“I switched coaches this spring after four-plus years. I am now coached by the former world record holder in the marathon and NYC and Boston Marathon Champion Alberto Salazar. We are in the process of moving up to the NIKE headquarters in Portland Oregon, from Eugene Oregon where we lived for the last two and half years.
Ironically, Ritzenhein predicted an American record last week in an interview with the Squire.
He said of his Berlin race, “I knew going into the race I was in the best shape I had ever been in. The race was a modest pace at first but just before half way it really picked up and I just hung on and picked people off as the race went. I ran much faster the second half of the race and so I think in a much better paced non-championship race I can make a good shot at the American record in the next couple years. That time put me number four American all-time and the best finish by an American at the World Championships or Olympics since 1976, so I was very happy that I made a huge step and I was within sight of winning a medal.
The Squire asked Ritzenhein about his prospects for the next Olympics and he had this to say, “The 2012 Olympics will be in London and even though it is three years away it will be here before I know it. I will be 29 years old then and I will be a my physical peak at that time. I hope to have improved my 5 and 10k time by then, but my real goal will be the marathon. The real marquee events in track and field are the 100m and the marathon. I think this past world championship took me to a new level and it has helped me to realize that I have the ability to win a medal at the Olympics. I will hopefully have one or two more Olympics in me after London, but I know that will be when I am at my best.”
“I loved my time as an athlete at Rockford,” Ritzenhein said of his old home town. “I was fortunate to have such great support that helped me reach the level I did. I had great coaching, and the school was always behind me. There has been a great tradition in distance running there but I was really able to break the mold in the sport because of the support I get from home. That still keeps me motivated and gives me a sense of pride that everyone back home still is rooting for me.”
He had this to say to other possible future champions. “I would tell young athletes to not be discouraged and to stick to what you love to do. I was actually not a greta runner when I began running. It was just average for the first few years, but once I reached eighth grade I broke through. Sometimes you don’t know when you will break through or if you may ever, but if you truly enjoy whatever you are doing you will have success.
Finally, the “Ritz” talked about balancing family and his athletic career. “Being a father has been the most meaningful thing in my life. My wife Kalin and I have been truly blessed to have Addison and to be able to travel the world,” he said.
“She [Addison] has just totally adapted to our lifestyle and she just goes with the flow. She has brought a perspective to my life which I did not have before. No matter how I run i know my girls still love me and that gives me encouragement and I reason to do my best. I want to be able to tell them I did my best and gave it everything I had.”
How much do you have to travel? Do you still have a normal family life?
-I travel so much that I feel like a nomad. Right now I have been away from our home in Eugene Oregon for eight weeks! We have been just living out of bags. That is how the life or a track athlete is though. The big competitions are in Europe and so I usually come over three to four times a year and stay for a while. Also being on the West Coast, we make a lot of trips back east so we try to come back to Rockford as much as possible, usually three times a year. Sometimes we are gone so much that Rockford is really the only place we call home. It is home in our hearts and we will move back when my running career is over.
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Ted Stadium re-dedication Thursday, September 3
HISTORIC GAME—fans will se the varsity football players on the new Mondo turf field for the first time Thursday, September 3.
If you missed the dedication of the Ted Carlson in 1993, you have another chance. The stadium will be re-dedicated Thursday, September 3 at 6:30 p.m. before the varsity football team plays on the new artificial turf field for the first time.
Athletic Director Tim Erickson said members of the Carlson family will be on hand, and fans will notice the new, classier look of the facility.
All Alumni Class Reunion also to be held
A first-ever party for all Rockford grads will take place nearby from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The All Alumni Class Reunion picnic is offered by Rockford Community Ed and will hopefully be a new annual event. Parking is suggested at Roguewood, and alumni will gather near the tennis courts (west of the high school).
No RSVP is needed. Just show up and enjoy hot dogs, chips, lemonade, music, and great company of other Rockford grads. Attendees will be able to purchase game tickets at a reduced price.
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Authors, visitors enjoyed first reading festival in Rockford
Only Rockford Ambulance was disappointed in the first Reading Rocks in Rockford festival organized by Rockford Rotary. The Ambulance booth, featuring bicycle safety, was too close to the allure of the Fire Department’s big red trucks, so youngsters tended to pass them by. The Rockford Fire Department was busy all day long during the event on Saturday, August 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. “We have had at least 100 kids through here today,” said fire fighter Robert Berkstresser.
Berkstresser helped youngsters up into the department’s newest truck and offered coloring books, stickers and free play fire helmets. The event began with a breakfast at Krause Memorial Library with authors and included a wide variety of reading-related events held all over downtown. Despite cooler temperatures, cloudy weather and a little rain, most events were very well received.
Authors Row at Garden Club park featured a dozen authors who were on hand to talk about their profession, tell about their books and sign their works. Rockford sports teams read to youngsters at different locations around town and programs ran at the library throughout the day. Organizers, including Susan Bodenner at Bishop Hills Elder Care Community, were pleased with the turnout. Bodenner said it was hard to tell how many children and adults showed up because events happened all over town.
MAYORAL DUTIES—Rockford Mayor Chi Chi Rogers, dressed as a sneech and followed by Thing One and Thing Two, issued a mayoral proclamation for the Reading Fest in downtown Rockford and then wandered the event. She is pictured here by the Rockford Farm Market.
Author Shirley Neitzel said, “ The event was so well organized, it’s hard to believe this was the first year for it.”
Authors Karen and Darrin Brege said, “Thank you so much for having us at your lovely book festival. Your adorable town has become one of our new favorites. For your first year, it seemed like a wonderful success.”
Author Kim Delmar Cory said, “Thank you for inviting me to present in Author’s Row this past Saturday for the first annual Rockford Reading Festival. I thought you did a marvelous job organizing it. The parade of book characters, the constant entertainment, the Girl Scout helpers, it was all just top notch! Despite the weather, a good time was had by all. And what an absolutely lovely town you have.”
TRASH TO TREASURE—Three-legged Tater Tot, looking like a contortionist as he listens to Nicole Karnowski read to her son, three-year-old Dublin Hanrahan, of Rockford. Tater Tot is a Ruff Reader therapy dog who was rescued from a dumpster where he was found with an untreated broken leg which had to be amputated. The 10-month-old Great Dane is owned by Jeanne Lewis of Grand Rapids.
PLAYING WITH CHARACTERS—Youngsters enjoyed interacting with a variety of storybook characters during the Reading Rocks in Rockford festival. Some young ones were shy around the over-sized characters while others danced with and hugged them.
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Superintendent shares progress, problems facing district
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT—Rockford Superintendent spoke before business people on Rockford schools and the education system in Michigan.
Football should be played on grass, believes Dr. Michael Shibler, Rockford Public School Superintendent. He also stated that Head Football Coach Ralph Munger believes football should be played on grass. Nonetheless, as the new Mondo artificial turf multi-use (formerly football) field opens this Thursday, September 3, Shibler is thrilled with the new field.
With state-of-the-art technology that allows the artificial turf to one day be recycled, stay cooler during hot game or practice days, and allow extended use of the field, the new field is a wonderful addition and made possible by last May’s successful millage. “I believe in doing it right the first time, especially when spending taxpayer dollars,” said Shibler. He was one of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce guest speakers at the every-other-month luncheon series.
The field will be “unveiled” during a rededication ceremony of the Ted Carlson stadium at 7 p.m. (see story on page 1). It was one of many topics Shibler discussed during the business luncheon held at Bostwick Lake Inn. Improvements to the district are possible through the community’s support of its school through millage approvals as well as the strong base of volunteers Rockford enjoys. Shibler took the time to educate those in the audience on all the district has accomplished through support from the residents, parents and staff.
Shibler stated that the district has changed in many ways since he began as superintendent. He praised the great working relationship between the school and the business community, and said one of the first things he emphasized 23 years ago was that the school be an active partner with businesses, the City and our townships.
“This is my 42nd year as a Michigan educator and I can’t think of a better place to be,” Shibler said. He said when he started the district had 4,100 students and now there are 8,100 in grades kindergarten through 12. In 1989 the district began planning its RAMS program (Rockford Action Model for Success). Each RAMS is a three-year plan of improvement now in its seventh version. The district has 1,000 employees and a $74 million annual budget, but receives the lowest funding per student in Kent County.
Ending or lessening the difference in per-student funding—comparable schools receive as much as ten million more per year because they receive more per student—has been one of Shibler’s long-term goals. Another long-term goal that was met this year was working to have each school in the district earn the prestigious Blue Ribbon designation. “We started in 1993 with Valley View,” Shibler said. “Sixteen years later, Meadow Ridge became the final school in the district to earn the designation. Talk about perseverance.” Shibler said Rockford is the only large district in the state to have all schools earn the Blue Ribbon.
“We are far from perfect,” Shibler stated. “I believe in continuous improvement. I believe we are better this year than last year. We are not perfect, we make mistakes.” Efforts to improve the school are evident. Shibler used as an example the fact that the district received straight As for the last five years in a row from the program Education Yes. Only one other district in the county achieved this.
He is also proud of the school’s language program, which he called second to none. He praised the Ram Café, a student-run business. He is proud of the amazing and continuous success of the Rockford Odyssey of the Mind program which regularly heads to world championships and this year took second by only a few points to a team from Singapore.
Shibler told diners that a new school web site would shortly be unveiled (see story on page 8). He also said that in 1994 Rockford became the first and only district to offer a guaranteed diploma. Those hiring Rockford grads can be confident the students have received an excellent education. “I put my phone number on each diploma,” he said. “If the kids don’t have the skills they should, we offer free night school to give them those skills. “Shibler also pointed out that in the last 12 years Rockford athletics have earned 29 state championships.
Shibler said voters can be confident the money they approved for the school is being put to very good and necessary use. He also stressed that the school district is a West Michigan stimulus. “Seventy-percent of the businesses we hire [for improvements] are from West Michigan,” he said.
There are many issues facing districts today, including Rockford. Shibler said his job description has “changed radically” over the years. He said passage of Proposal A took much of local control away from schools. He Superintendent shares progress, problems facing district
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT—Rockford Superintendent spoke before business people on Rockford schools and the education system in Michigan.
Football should be played on grass, believes Dr. Michael Shibler, Rockford Public School Superintendent. He also stated that Head Football Coach Ralph Munger believes football should be played on grass. Nonetheless, as the new Mondo artificial turf multi-use (formerly football) field opens this Thursday, September 3, Shibler is thrilled with the new field.
With state-of-the-art technology that allows the artificial turf to one day be recycled, stay cooler during hot game or practice days, and allow extended use of the field, the new field is a wonderful addition and made possible by last May’s successful millage. “I believe in doing it right the first time, especially when spending taxpayer dollars,” said Shibler. He was one of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce guest speakers at the every-other-month luncheon series.
The field will be “unveiled” during a rededication ceremony of the Ted Carlson stadium at 7 p.m. (see story on page 1). It was one of many topics Shibler discussed during the business luncheon held at Bostwick Lake Inn. Improvements to the district are possible through the community’s support of its school through millage approvals as well as the strong base of volunteers Rockford enjoys. Shibler took the time to educate those in the audience on all the district has accomplished through support from the residents, parents and staff.
Shibler stated that the district has changed in many ways since he began as superintendent. He praised the great working relationship between the school and the business community, and said one of the first things he emphasized 23 years ago was that the school be an active partner with businesses, the City and our townships.
“This is my 42nd year as a Michigan educator and I can’t think of a better place to be,” Shibler said. He said when he started the district had 4,100 students and now there are 8,100 in grades kindergarten through 12. In 1989 the district began planning its RAMS program (Rockford Action Model for Success). Each RAMS is a three-year plan of improvement now in its seventh version. The district has 1,000 employees and a $74 million annual budget, but receives the lowest funding per student in Kent County.
Ending or lessening the difference in per-student funding—comparable schools receive as much as ten million more per year because they receive more per student—has been one of Shibler’s long-term goals. Another long-term goal that was met this year was working to have each school in the district earn the prestigious Blue Ribbon designation. “We started in 1993 with Valley View,” Shibler said. “Sixteen years later, Meadow Ridge became the final school in the district to earn the designation. Talk about perseverance.” Shibler said Rockford is the only large district in the state to have all schools earn the Blue Ribbon.
“We are far from perfect,” Shibler stated. “I believe in continuous improvement. I believe we are better this year than last year. We are not perfect, we make mistakes.” Efforts to improve the school are evident. Shibler used as an example the fact that the district received straight As for the last five years in a row from the program Education Yes. Only one other district in the county achieved this.
He is also proud of the school’s language program, which he called second to none. He praised the Ram Café, a student-run business. He is proud of the amazing and continuous success of the Rockford Odyssey of the Mind program which regularly heads to world championships and this year took second by only a few points to a team from Singapore.
Shibler told diners that a new school web site would shortly be unveiled (see story on page 8). He also said that in 1994 Rockford became the first and only district to offer a guaranteed diploma. Those hiring Rockford grads can be confident the students have received an excellent education. “I put my phone number on each diploma,” he said. “If the kids don’t have the skills they should, we offer free night school to give them those skills. “Shibler also pointed out that in the last 12 years Rockford athletics have earned 29 state championships.
Shibler said voters can be confident the money they approved for the school is being put to very good and necessary use. He also stressed that the school district is a West Michigan stimulus. “Seventy-percent of the businesses we hire [for improvements] are from West Michigan,” he said.
There are many issues facing districts today, including Rockford. Shibler said his job description has “changed radically” over the years. He said passage of Proposal A took much of local control away from schools. He said he now has to be politically involved to see that changes are made in school financing. He is the chair of the Kent County grass roots Political Action Committee, which speaks of funding issues in Lansing. “The State of Michigan is in a world of hurt,” Shibler said. He praised a formula which will gradually equalize per-child funding, but said much more needs to be done. “Insurance cost is a huge issue. We need a law passed that requires all public employees to pay part of their health insurance.” He also disagrees with new state requirements for graduation. “We went from nonexistent requirements to the toughest in the country,” he said.
Shibler promised that he is not done in his efforts to improve the district and education in the State of Michigan. “We have something special in Rockford. It’s the community. I’m 62 now. I’ll turn 63 on September 3. I’m healthy, I feel good. The only other job I would consider is if I decide to run for state legislature. It’s the people of Rockford that make this district what it is. That’s why I came here and that’s why I’ve stayed.”
said he now has to be politically involved to see that changes are made in school financing. He is the chair of the Kent County grass roots Political Action Committee, which speaks of funding issues in Lansing. “The State of Michigan is in a world of hurt,” Shibler said. He praised a formula which will gradually equalize per-child funding, but said much more needs to be done. “Insurance cost is a huge issue. We need a law passed that requires all public employees to pay part of their health insurance.” He also disagrees with new state requirements for graduation. “We went from nonexistent requirements to the toughest in the country,” he said.
Shibler promised that he is not done in his efforts to improve the district and education in the State of Michigan. “We have something special in Rockford. It’s the community. I’m 62 now. I’ll turn 63 on September 3. I’m healthy, I feel good. The only other job I would consider is if I decide to run for state legislature. It’s the people of Rockford that make this district what it is. That’s why I came here and that’s why I’ve stayed.”
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Birthdays – September 5-11, 2009
5th
Mike Bolthouse
6th
Shirley Burtt, Ivan Judson, Kym Steffes
7th
Maxine Alber, Faith Clark, Marilyn Neidhart
9th
Billie Stout
10th
Bernie Danielski, Peggy Fowle, Pearl Roberts,M. TenHave-Champman
11th
Tom Fowle, Macie Kunkle
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