Heidelberg Athletics Hall of Fame
Not many athletes can boast of being a four-year letterwinner in any sport, but Harry Groman did it it in two sports while at Heidelberg. In his four years at the 'Berg, Groman lettered in both basketball and track.
On the basketball court Harry Groman was described as an all-around athlete known for his rebounding as well as his scoring talents. Groman made his presence known immediately as he stepped in and started every game for the tricolor quintet his freshman year.
During his sophomore year the two sport performer earns into his own on the basketball court. He led the Student Princes In scorIng averaging 15.9 points par game while once again starting every game.
As a senior Harry Groman was unstoppable, leading the team in both scoring and rebounding. His 315 rebounds set a Heidelberg school record and placed him sixth in the OAC. For his performance he was named as the team's most valuable player and was awarded Honorable Mention All-Ohio Conference and All-Ohio.
Groman was just as prolific at running track. He was the teams leading scorer and recorded at least one first place finish at the OAC meet in each of his four years. As he had done on the basketball court, Groman had an outstanding senior year on the cinders.
He was the team's top point-getter, garnering 149 1/2 points. He set the broad jump record at the OAC meet with a jump of 23' 11 3/4", and he was the leading scorer of the meet with a total of 14 points.
A track coach for 11 years at three different schools, Groman guided Tiffin Columbian to five NOL championships and three district runners-up finishes. His basketball coaching career spanned 24 years at four schools. His teams won 336 games while losing 168. Included were eight league championships, nine sectional championshIps, and three district runners-up teams.
Groman was named Northwest Ohio Coach of the Year In 1966,was league coach of the year eight times and was named the second best coach in Cleveland in the Plain Dealer poll of Cleveland coaches conducted In 1993, one year after his retirement.
Groman has been active in the Cuyahoga and Ohio Coaches Associations, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and has been a church board member and treasurer for 19 years.
(This profile appeared in the 1987 Hall of Fame Banquet program. Â Mr. Groman passed away in 1994.)
