Georgetown High School inducts two individuals, one relay team into athletic hall of fame

Georgetown High School inducted two individuals and one relay team into its athletic hall of fame on Feb. 2. The induction ceremony took place just prior to the start of the G-Men’s varsity boys basketball game against Miami Valley Christian Academy.

This year’s inductees were Mindy Gardner Hastings, Gary White, and members of the Georgetown 1995 4x800 meter relay team.

1995 Georgetown 4x800 relay team

The 1995 Georgetown High School 4x800 relay team was made up of runners Coy Paeltz (1996 graduate), Zac Corbin (1996 graduate), Cory Cahall (1995 graduate) and Tom Grennan (1995 graduate). The relay team was coached by the legendary “Coach” Vern Hawkins.

The Georgetown 4x800 meter relay ream finished their regular season as Southern Hills League champions and went on to win the Southwest Ohio Division III title.

Members of the relay team were recognized as SW Ohio First Team all-stars for being the best 4x800 meter relay team in Greater Cincinnati in 1995.

They advanced in the post season to finish as a regional runner-up, qualifying for the OHSAA Division III State Championship Track and Field Meet in Columbus.

At the state championship meet, the Georgetown 4x800 meter relay team placed sixth overall with its best time of 8:08.08, a successful end to a memorable season.

Accepting the hall of fame award on behalf of the late Vern Hawkins was his daughter, Tracy Hawkins.

Mindy Gardner Hastings

Mindy Gardner Hastings is a 1998 graduate of Georgetown High School. She was a four-year varsity team member in volleyball, basketball, and track and field.

She was a First Team All-League volleyball player in 1997, but it was in track and field where she excelled most.

She was a shot put and discus thrower on the Georgetown track and field team, setting the Georgetown High School shot put record with a throw of 36’2.25” in 1998.

In the discus, she set a school record with a throw of 124’8” which still stands as a school record today. She competed at the OHSAA State Track and Field Championship Meets in 1996 and 1998.

After graduating from Georgetown High School, she attended the University of Rio Grande where she was a four-year captain of the track and field team.

She graduated from Rio Grande with Summa Cum Laude honors and then earned a Master’s Degree in Education Leadership from the University of Cincinnati. She is now an instructor at Southern Hills Career and Technical Center in Georgetown, teaching Computer Aided Drafting and upper level mathematics. She also coaches track and field, as well as volleyball.

Gary White

Gary White is a 1969 graduate of Georgetown High School. He is known as one of Georgetown’s top running talents, earning honors in both cross country and track and field under the coaching of the late Vern Hawkins. His many notable distinctions include competing as part of the 1968 district champion cross country team of Georgetown, placing fourth individually at the 1968 OHSAA State Championship Cross Country Meet, earning track honors, competing as part of the 1969 district champion track and field team, and being the 1969 district champion in the two-mile run.

While at Georgetown, in addition to cross country and track, he also played basketball and intramural basketball, was involved in chorus and Ohio Youth Choir, and was a four-year member of the athletic association.

After graduating from Georgetown High School, White continued his running career at Morehead State University, setting Morehead’s school record in the mile run with a time of 4:03 and earning a Master’s Degree in Health and Physical Education/Fitness.

He got into coaching cross country, track and field, and other sports after college, starting out at Fayetteville High School.

He quickly moved on to the collegiate level to start and coach the cross country and track and field programs at both Tarkio College and Lindenwood University. McKendree University was next, where White once again started cross country and track programs.

At McKendree, White coached his athletes to five NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships, one NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championship, a runner-up team finish in the NAIA Cross Country National Championships, and one individual cross country national championship.

He later started the athletic department and 11 sports teams at Marymount College in Palos Verdes, California and served as its athletic director before retiring to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Gary White could not attend the Feb. 2 Georgetown High School Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, so accepting the award on his behalf was Bill White.