Walker, Stull made a difference at Mt. Lebanon
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Art Walker and his wife, Beverly, pose in front of the plaque noting the accomplishments of the long-time Mt. Lebanon High School football coach. For his achievements as well as his years of service as athletic director, Walker was one of the first members inducted into Mt. Lebanon’s Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Blue Devil.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Charlie Stull poses with Kirsten Turk, Gina McCallum and Kelley Kolankiewicz. They were among the 22 state champions he coached during his tenure at Mt. Lebanon High School. In 27 seasons, he guided the Blue Devils to 26 WPIAL titles (13 boys’ and 14 girls’) and compiled a record of 855-70.
When it comes to scholastic sports, Mt. Lebanon is not much different than any high school. The academic institution offers 26 different activities and nearly 1,200 students compete athletically.
Through sports, the school strives to teach many life lessons. According to athletic director John Grogan, this is done by “embracing” core values such as teamwork, leadership, sportsmanship, respect and honor, discipline and continuous improvement while also emphasizing the pride and tradition associated with Mt. Lebanon.
According to Grogan, too, Lebo successfully does this by employing educators that are terrific coaches who not only care about how the students perform but who they are as individuals.
At its annual Hall of Fame celebration, Lebo recognized two of its distinguished coaches. Art Walker and Charlie Stull headlined the first class of inductees as Distinguished Blue Devils.
More than 200 guests, most of them former players, attended the event held at Cefalo’s Banquet Facility in Carnegie.
“The huge turnout speaks volumes of the influence Art and Charlie had on all of the players,” said Berta Russo, whose husband, Vince, played football at Lebo and was also enshrined into the Distinguished Blue Devils club posthumously.
“Art was always there and a supportive coach. He played a positive role and big part in Vince’s career. Decisions he made were based on what he learned from him as a teacher and a coach.
“It’s not easy being a coach but he and Charlie were one of the positive influences at Mt. Lebanon. Nothing bad could be said about them.”
Indeed, there was only praise from former players for their mentors.
According to Dr. Robert Schilken, who played football on Lebo’s 1980 and 1981 WPIAL championships team before excelling at the University of Pittsburgh, respect best describes Walker and Stull. He surmised that Google’s definition of the word as a feeling of admiration for someone, excited about their abilities, qualities and achievements fit the coaches aptly.
Walker taught history at Lebo from 1959-87, coached varsity football for 21 seasons and served as athletic director from 1987 until 1993. During his coaching tenure, he compiled a 170-56-6 record that included 10 conference championships, three WPIAL runner-up trophies and five WPIAL titles in 1970, 1980, 1981, 1983 and 1984.
Stull taught math at Lebo and from 1969-97 served as the coach of the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams. He had a career match mark of 855-70 and coached 27 individual WPIAL champions (13 boys and 14 girls) and 22 PIAA winners.
Both are inducted into multiple halls of fame.
“As players we were lucky to have them as role models our whole life,” Schilken said. “Coach Walker helped formulate me and shape my life and two of his most outstanding qualities were his patience and his dedication.”
Walker was always dedicated to football. After playing four years of college ball at Waynesburg – two as a running back and two as a quarterback – he embarked on a career as a history teacher at Mellon Middle School. He helped coach the football team and start a junior high wrestling program.
Walker also has always been dedicated to family and community. Married for 61 years to his wife, Beverly, Walker is father to three daughters: Jeannine, Coleen, and Carrie, and a son, Art, with whom he has coached at Shady Side Academy, Central Catholic and North Allegheny supplementing his overall record to 207-73-6 and adding a few more district and state championship medals. Walker has nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Additionally, he has countless former players that viewed him as a father figure.
“Art was a great leader,” said Mike Lang. He played on Walker’s 1973-74 team. Dubbed the “Caviar Kids,” the Blue Devils beat Joe Montana’s Ringgold team in the semifinals but finished runner-up in the WPIAL, falling to New Castle, 3-0, in the championship game played at Pitt Stadium. “What I remember most about Art was the way he managed the team. He developed character. The whole coaching staff did and they molded the man that I am today.”
Jim Stevenson concurred. He played tight end on Lebo’s 1981 WPIAL championship club but ended up throwing the javelin in college at Southern Methodist University.
“Art was a wonderful role model. He delegated duties among his assistant coaches. He knew how to let people work and brought out their best qualities.”
The 1970 championship team was a great example of that. According to Bob Lohman, who was the oldest of five brothers to play at Lebo, that team, despite being the smallest team physically in the WPIAL, managed to go 10-0 and win the first championship played at Three Rivers Stadium. Lohman and Walker pointed out how Tim Miller weighed in at 190 pounds but ended up playing at Notre Dame.
“Art had the ability to motivate us to play above and beyond our capabilities. That was his most compelling attribute. Getting the most out of his material,” Lohman said.
“There are lot of memories,” Lohman added regarding Walker, “but he had a great sense of community. He was always there for weddings, funerals and community functions.”
Likewise for Coach Stull. He played a pivotal role in the lives of Kathy Kolankiewicz and Gretchen Rush among others. Both were state champions.
Kolankiewicz served as a coach for 30 years at the University of New Mexico and currently works at the USTA in Orlando.
“Coach Stull was a huge influence. He sparked me. My whole career is because of him,” said Kolankiewicz, who chose tennis over softball for her high school endeavor. “I would not be a state champion and Division I coach for 30 years if it weren’t for him. Obviously, I learned a lot from him and all my coaches. I took the best from each of them to become who I am today.”
Rush is mother to three grown children: Matthew, 24, and twins Marian and Katie, 22. She resides in Austin, Texas, and coaches at Trinity University, where she excelled as a collegian. After winning the Western Pennsylvania Amateur on her home clay courts in Mt. Lebanon, Rush enjoyed a professional career that included an appearance on centre court playing Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon.
“Mr. Stull was there,” Rush said of that match. She noted the many other times Stull was part of her life, including when she started playing tennis at age 8 and later when she played for the PIAA championship. And when she was inducted into the tennis Hall of Fame in Virginia.
“There would be no way on this planet I would be here if it were not for him being my coach,” Rush said.
She noted his strongest attribute that gains one’s attention when they look at old pictures of him was the eye contact. In every picture they show of him, she said, he was staring into the eyes of his students.
“When Mr. Stull looked into our eyes, he saw human beings. He saw tennis players. He saw people that loved what they did and he wanted to make us the best that we could be. When I think about him, I think about his passion, about how much he cared for me and how so many times in my life that Mr. Stull was right there with me. He had passion for tennis, for people and his students,” Rush concluded in her introductory speech for Stull at the Hall of Champions event. “They say that we will never know our legacy because we will never know the lives that we have touched. But Mr. Stull touched so many.”
For his part, Stull humbly thanked the players like Rush that brought notoriety to his name.
“I’m fortunate,” he emphasized. “I didn’t win any of those matches but I probably lost a few. When I look at all those banners and trophies, I know we won because of your hard work and your ability.”
Walker, likewise, acknowledged that fact, too.
“Great players make great coaches. There is no question about that,” he said.
Kelly Bird was one of them. He quarterbacked the Blue Devils during Walker’s early campaigns.
In his first three seasons, all Walker did was advance the Blue Devils to the 1967 AA championship, a pair of conference championships and a 23-3-2 record that included identical 7-1-1 marks in 1968 and 1969. Bird recalled meeting Coach Walker when he was in ninth grade at Jefferson Middle School. He had been a tackle at St. Bernard Elementary School before his conversion to signal caller.
“I owe a lot to my coaches,” Bird began. “I was one of 12 kids. Number 6. First of my family to graduate from college. Want to know why?” he asked then answered quickly. “Because of sports and incredible coaches like Art Walker.”
Bird, who graduated from Walker’s college alma mater at Waynesburg also noted Walker’s character. After Lebo pulled out a victory against rival Upper St. Clair, where the Blue Devils trailed, 18-0, Walker picked up the opposing quarterback, who was laying on his back after the last play of the game.
“When the final whistle blew, Coach Walker said to the kid: ‘Son, be proud of yourself and be proud of your football team.’ That’s the kind of man I want my grandson to play for,” Bird said of Walker.