Former Sylvania cross-country coach to be inducted into state Hall of Fame

BY SYLVANIA SCHOOLS

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A 2009 photo of Ross Deye. THE BLADE Enlarge | Photo Reprints

Former Sylvania teacher and cross-country coach Ross Deye was nominated for the Hall of Fame with the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches.

Ross was accepted and will be inducted on Friday, January 27 in Columbus. Ross is a 1972 alumnus of Sylvania High School. He came back “home” to guide Sylvania Southview and Sylvania Northview to statewide prominence.

Between the two schools, he garnered 32 Northern Lakes League titles in both girls and boys cross country combined. Ross’ teams won 17 District Championships and 12 Regional Championships while coaching Southview’s boys and girls, and four District Championships and one Regional Championship while at Northview.

At Southview (1983-1997) is where Ross developed one of the most dominate teams of the 1980s and 1990s as his boys went on a 11 year streak of qualifying to the state meet, winning DI Championship titles three of those years (’87-’91-’92) and runner-up titles in three others (’88-’89-’93).

Not to be outdone, his girls also went to the state meet eight of those years and won their own state Championship in 1994. At Northview — from 1998-2009 — Coach Deye continued his tradition of excellence taking the boys cross country teams to the state meet six of his 12 years. In track & field, Ross’ teams won six Northern Lakes League titles between the two schools Ross was the 1993 Coach of the Year for Ohio and in 2010, he was inducted into the Sylvania Schools Athletic Hall of Fame.

That same year that he won the Fred Dafler Career Coach of the Year Award from the OATCCC. Ross retired from teaching in the Sylvania Schools in 2010, but not coaching. He recently relocated to Michigan, where he remains active in coaching working with the Traverse City West boys’ cross country program. Ross was nominated by former student Matt Geha, now a principal in Springfield.

Ross was also inducted into the Sylvania Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. Team totals: District Champions: 21 District Runner-up: 10 Regional Champions: 13 Regional Runner-up: 4 State Champions: 4 State Runner-up: 3 State qualifying teams: 23.

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