Jim’s entire 39 year teaching career was spent as physical education and health teacher at Chagrin Falls Middle School. He was the 1st Athletic Director at Chagrin Falls Middle School holding the position for 23 years. He started many of the athletic teams at CFMS, including being the first coach for track, wrestling and gymnastics. He spent over 30 years coaching football holding the positions from Head Varsity to Middle School coach. For 17 years, Jim was also the Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach. Jim continues his dedication to Chagrin athletes by currently serving in the athletic department.
Trish Kruse
Trish has had success in three sports for the Tigers earning accolades in all three. Her 12 varsity letters were in soccer, basketball and softball. She was a key starter of the 1998 State Championship Team and 1997 State Runner-up Team in basketball and the 1996 State Championship Soccer Team. Her skills earned her 2nd team All-Ohio recognition in soccer and basketball in 1997 and 1st team All-Ohio recognition in soccer and basketball in 1998. She was also selected MVP of the 1998 State Basketball Tournament. She scored 100 goals in soccer and over 1000 points in basketball. Trish continued her basketball career playing collegiately at the College of Charleston. Outside of being a health and physical education teacher, she is the Varsity Girls Basketball Head Coach at Solon High School. She joins brother Travis ’95, a 2005 inductee, in the Athletic Hall of Fame.
JENNIFER LANKFORD
During her career at Chagrin, Jenny achieved so many awards that it is impossible to recount them all here. She was the captain of the first girls state championship soccer team, a 2 time All-Ohio selection and won numerous player of the year awards in both her Junior and Senior years. In addition she had the highest GPA in her class and was named the Outstanding Senior in the English Department, Outstanding Student in the Math Department, won the Neal Wheatcraft Senior Science award, was Vice-President of Student Council, President of the National Honor Society and a National Merit Commended Student. Jenny attended Princeton where she was a 4 year varsity starter. During her senior year she was the captain of Princeton’s 2000 Ivy League Co-Champion Team, 1st Team All-Ivy, Academic All-Ivy, Team MVP and was 2nd Team Mid Atlantic Regional All-American.
BRYE GERHARDT
Brye had an illustrious soccer career at both CFHS and the United States Naval Academy. Playing for veteran coach and father Dr. Mario Gerhardt, Brye earned accolades at all levels. During his junior year he was selected 2nd Team All-Ohio, while his senior season he was tabbed for 1st Team. In his final two seasons, Brye was named Regional All-American. Also during the fall of 1996, he was recognized as the Greater Cleveland Division II Player of the Year and was the first Chagrin boys soccer player to earn All American honors. Gerhardt took a strong academic resume with his soccer skills to the Naval Academy where he played all 4 years. While there Brye was the leading scorer for 3 seasons. He finished his career 9th in points in Navy history (58) and 6th in assists (14). He was also selected to 1st team Patriot League during his senior season and 2nd team the previous year.
SHAWN CONLEY BOTTCHER
Shawn is one of the best female runners to ever graduate from Chagrin. She was a 3 time letter winner in both cross-country and track and was captain of both teams her senior year. During her senior year she was selected 1st Team All-CVC and All-Ohio in cross country. During her senior year at Baldwin Wallace College, she was named the school’s Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year and earned All-American honors.
TRAVIS PETERSON KRUSE
Travis earned 12 varsity letters in four sports while at Chagrin. During his four year career in soccer he scored an amazing total of 62 goals, once getting 5 in one game. During his senior year he became one of the top scorers on the football team in his role as the kicker (punter/place-kicker/field goal kicker). Also in that year, he qualified for the OHSAA state track meet in the high jump. Additionally, he was very successful in the long jump. Come winter, he spent three seasons on the varsity basketball team. Travis continued with his soccer at the University of Pittsburgh where he was named captain of his team during his senior year. He also did double duty as the place-kicker/punter for the football team during his sophomore year. Travis played professional soccer with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and the Cleveland Crunch.
RACHEL FRESHMAN JOHNSON
Rachel was a great all-around athlete, but was known best at Chagrin for her accomplishments as a gymnast. During her freshman year she qualified for the state meet in four areas and was named the Most Valuable Gymnast in the Chagrin Valley Conference, She also was named Most Valuable Gymnast in the conference her sophomore and senior year. She was injured most of her junior year, but still placed at the state meet with a fourth in the beam. During her senior year she qualified to the state meet in all 5 events and was named the Northeast Ohio District Scholar Athlete of the Year. She was the captain of both the gymnastics team and varsity football cheerleading squad during her senior year.
LENNY MAY
This esteemed English teacher also distinguished himself as a coach and athletic director at Chagrin Falls High School. As varsity baseball coach for 18 years, Lenny’s teams compiled a 217-152 record. Six times he was named Chagrin Valley Conference Coach of the Year. In 1980 he was Geauga County Coach of the Year. For 20 years he was an assistant football coach, helping develop some of the finest athletes in the school’s history. During his 12-year tenure as athletic director, the athletic program grew to house 24 varsity teams. Four teams won state championships and three were state runners-up. Individual athletes excelled at state and national levels. Lenny has overseen 28 league championships in 11 sports.
ROBERT B. OHLRICH
Early in his teaching career at Chagrin Falls High, Bob was a boys basketball coach, but it was with girls basketball that his name became synonymous. Starting the girls basketball program in 1975, this math teacher’s coaching numbers speak for themselves: 304 wins, 73 losses, a State Runner-Up, 3 State Semi finals, 6 District Champs, 12 Sectional Champs, and 9 Chagrin Valley Conference Championships. Twice he was named Associated Press Northeast District Coach of the Year. Seven times, he was selected Coach of the Year in the Chagrin Valley Conference. In 1991, Bob retired from coaching girls basketball. He had also coached golf and baseball at CFHS.