RAY SWANSON | Keystoner Dieken, Fazio will speak at pre-tourney banquet

Plans for the 64th Sharon Lions Club/Hoyle Basketball Tournament have been finalized.
Two highly recognized sports figures with NFL ties, will be the featured speakers at the pre-tourney banquet. Doug Dieken, a 14-year performer with the Cleveland Browns at his offensive tackle spot, and Foge Fazio, former coach of the Pitt Panthers and now defensive coordinator of the Browns, will share the podium Thursday at The Radisson in West Middlesex. The fete will start at 6 p.m.
Dieken was a sixth-round draft choice of the Browns in 1971. He had the distinction of playing in 203 consecutive games until his retirement in 1985. Presently he is a color analyst on the Browns' radio network. Fazio is in his first year with the Browns after serving in the same capacity with the Bengals, Vikings and Redskins.
The banquet will precede the Hoyle Tournament, slated April 11-14 at Sharon High School.
Erme Awards: One of the highlights of the banquet is the presentation of the Erme Awards, which each year are given to a senior boy and girl who have displayed superior talent during their high school basketball careers. This year's recipients are Slippery Rock's Ben Zajac and Reynolds' Kristen Micsky.
Zajac is Slippery Rock's all-time leading scorer with 1,939 points, including 629 this season. He was the top scorer in Mercer County. Micsky was also a real scoring threat and led the team throughout the season.
The Erme Award was instituted in 1992 to recognize Mike Erme, Jr., for his support of the banquet since its beginning. Mike Erme III has continued the support since his father's passing in 1996.
Rich featured: Len Rich, a native of New Castle and an assistant football coach on the Westminster College football team, is among the coaches featured in a story on strength and conditioning programs in college football in the March 2001 edition of America Football Monthly magazine.
Rich, who serves as co-defensive coordinator and conditioning coach for the Titans, is quoted twice in the article. The Power Behind the Throne, by Jane Musgrave, which spotlights strength and conditioning coaches in college football programs.
Rich spoke about the need for year-round weight training and conditioning programs in the article, as well as the importance of a structured strength and conditioning program within the framework of a successful football program.
Rich completed his third season on the Westminster staff. The Titans posted an 8-2 record (5-0 against President's Athletic Conference teams in 2000) for first-year coach Jerry Schmitt.