Rick Hartings Introducing Linus Hartings
Linus Hartings Speech
Eric Goodwin Introducing Rick Hartings
Rick Hartings Speech

COLDWATER, Ohio — Two men whose names have become synonymous with bowling in Coldwater are now members of the inaugural class of the Ohio High School Bowling Coaches Hall of Fame.

Linus Hartings and his son, longtime Coldwater High School bowling coach Rick Hartings, were inducted Sunday, August 30, joining the first group honored by the newly established Hall of Fame.

For the Hartings family, the recognition represents decades of work that stretches far beyond wins, losses and championships.

Linus Hartings was among those who spent years working to have bowling recognized as an official high school varsity sport in Ohio. He served with the Bowling Centers Association of Ohio and was involved in efforts to convince the Ohio High School Athletic Association to sanction the sport.

During his induction speech, Linus recalled the question that helped begin that effort.

“Twenty-seven years ago, I had an idea that why can't bowling be a high school sport?” Hartings said.

That effort eventually succeeded. After several years of state tournaments operated through the Ohio High School Bowling Coaches Association, the first OHSAA sanctioned state bowling tournament was held in 2007.

Linus also used his speech to recognize the people who have shared the journey with him, beginning with his wife Carol, whom he said he has been married to for 64 years, along with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He also thanked what he called his Pla-Mor Lanes family and the Coldwater school community.

Rick Hartings was introduced during the ceremony by Coldwater Athletic Director Eric Goodwin, who has served as the district's athletic director for 29 years.

Goodwin detailed a coaching résumé that has made the Coldwater bowling program one of the most successful in Ohio.

Rick is entering his 28th year as head coach of the Coldwater boys bowling program and his 17th year as head coach of the girls program. Goodwin said Hartings has compiled 508 wins against just 68 losses.

His teams have won 27 conference championships and 27 district championships while recording eight state runner-up finishes and nine state championships.

Coldwater has won five girls state bowling championships and four boys state championships.

Goodwin said those numbers, as impressive as they are, do not fully define Hartings' impact. He pointed to Rick's work developing youth bowling in Coldwater and throughout the area and his willingness to promote the sport at every level.

Rick used much of his own Hall of Fame speech to redirect the recognition toward those who helped build high school bowling.

He thanked Ohio High School Bowling Coaches Association cofounder Greg Coulles along with Bowling Centers Association of Ohio representatives Frank Ruggerie and his father, Linus, for the years of meetings and work that eventually resulted in OHSAA recognition.

“It was not easy,” Rick said. “It took many years and a lot of meetings.”

Rick also recognized his wife Patty, his family, longtime assistant coaches Kyle Bruns, Wes Stienecker, Greg Duker Bruns, former coaches, Coldwater administrators and the hundreds of bowlers who have gone through the program.

He noted that many former Coldwater bowlers have returned as adults to bowl in local leagues, helping continue the bowling culture that was created through the youth and high school programs.

Rick currently serves as president of the Ohio High School Bowling Coaches Association in addition to coaching at Coldwater and operating Pla-Mor Lanes.

The Hall of Fame recognition comes during another milestone year for the Hartings family. Pla-Mor Lanes is celebrating 50 years in Coldwater after opening in 1976.

For Linus and Rick Hartings, Sunday's ceremony celebrated more than two individual careers. It recognized a family that helped take high school bowling in Ohio from an idea to an officially sanctioned sport, while building a program in Coldwater that has produced generations of bowlers and nine state championship teams.