THIEL Dickason retires; coached all sports

The coach/educator is ending a 34-year career at the college.
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- John Dickason, a long-time Thiel College teacher, coach and administrator who formerly was a teacher and coach at Boardman High, is retiring after 34 years with the college.
Dickason joined the Thiel faculty as an assistant professor of physical education in 1969, and coached football, basketball, tennis and golf while also serving as director of recreational programs and as coordinator of the Paul Bush '66 Memorial Fitness Center.
Prior to Thiel, he was a physical education teacher, assistant football coach and wrestling coach at Boardman High from 1963-1969.
A native of Oberlin and a graduate of Ohio University, Dickason became interim athletic director at Thiel in 1981 and was named athletic director during the 1981-82 academic year, holding that position until 1988.
He served again as the interim athletics director from 1991 to 1992, and in 1988 was promoted to associate dean of students, holding that position until 1992.
Expanded curriculum
As a teacher in the physical education department, Dickason added archery, bowling and golf to the curriculum and reintroduced badminton.
He also assisted in developing classes for Thiel's Center for Lifelong Learning and developed a water aerobics program for senior citizens in cooperation with Thiel's Productive Retirement Center.
Dickason has also held the position of treasurer with the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) since 1984.
Dickason earned a bachelor of science degree in health and physical education at OU in 1961, and his master's degree in physical education in 1963.
During that span, he served as a graduate assistant, physical education teacher and assistant football coach.
While an OU student, Dickason was the senior class president and a starter on the Bobcats' 1960 NCAA College Division championship football team, and won OU's Senior Athlete of the Year Award for 1960-61.
He and his wife, Mary, live in Greenville.