Ortman Jr. named Neshaminy mat coach

By KAREN SANGILLO

Courier Times

Mike Ortman Jr. has been named the wrestling coach at Neshaminy High School. It is the first head coaching job for Ortman, a 1992 graduate of Council Rock and 1996 Ursinus grad.

He replaces his former coach, Vic Stanley, who retired. He has been an assistant at Archbishop Wood, Neshaminy, and last year at Harry S Truman.

"Vic was my coach at Council Rock and then when he was at Wood, he gave me my first coaching opportunity," said Ortman, the son of Council Rock football coach Mike Ortman Sr. "I learned a lot from him."

He has not met with the team yet.

"That will be coming real soon," he said. "I expect a smooth transition because I already know a lot of the kids from when I was the assistant. I'm very comfortable there, and very comfortable with Mark Collins (principal) and Sheila Murphy (athletic director). I'm very excited and I'm really looking forward to the season."

Ortman teaches sixth grade at Franklin D. Roosevelt Middle School in the Bristol Township school district. He had been an assistant football coach, most recently at Truman, but will give that up to concentrate on wrestling.

"We're very pleased to have him on board," Murphy said. "He's young and enthusiastic and he has experience wrestling at a high level. Mark Collins and I felt that he had the best background and experience among the applicants. We're very fortunate to have him."

Wednesday, May 17, 2000