Ron Gatski

Category

A 1952 graduate of Hazleton High School, Ron lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. He served as co-captain of the football team his senior year and was selected All-Regional his junior and senior years. At West Chester University, Ron started as a freshman on both baseball and football teams. He served as football captain his senior year. Midway in his senior season he suf­fered a severe knee injury, which ended his career and chance to tryout with the Philadel­phia Eagles. In 1956 he began teaching and coaching at West Hazleton High School. After a num­ber of years coaching at the junior high level, Ron became head basketball coach in 1963. West Hazleton won five league championships in the ten years he coached, and the school’s first and only District Championship in 1963. Ron became vice-principal at West Hazleton High in 1975, Director of Athletics and Physical Education in the Hazleton Area School District in 1986. In this position, he was responsible in coordinating the merger of the athletic teams from Freeland High, Hazleton High, and West Hazleton High School. Ron has served two terms as State Representative for the 116th Legislative District, and the last four years as an elementary and secondary principal in the Hazleton Area School District. Ron has been married to his wife Eleanor for thirty-nine years, and has one son, Gary, and one granddaughter, Kimberly.