‘Girls needed a chance’

By Sherry Larson

People’s Defender

Judy Hazelbaker grew up loving and playing sports. She was an athlete but never had the opportunity to be a student-athlete in organized sports. Her role model was her cousin Sue “Dotson” Parker, a physical education teacher. Judy said, “I couldn’t wait for her to come every summer.” Sadly, Sue passed away from Hodgkin’s disease at the age of 27, Judy was a senior in high school. Sue inspired Judy to a lifetime of dedication to women’s sports. In a sometimes emotional interview, Judy talked about her journey of bringing women’s sports to Portsmouth West and continuing with her many years at West Union High School.

“Girls needed a chance,” said Judy. Title IX, which disallowed the exclusion of girls from school sports, was nonexistent. Judy had attended college with girls from places that played organized girls’ sports, and she saw what a difference it made. She realized what the benefit of playing organized sports would have had in her own school experience. After college, Judy returned to her home at Portsmouth West in Scioto County, where the district had just built a new school building. Judy explained that she didn’t even have an interview. The school officials showed her around the new school in the flats and she joined the staff.

Judy loved that she was teaching at the new school, and she was happy because it was her home. She knew everyone, and everyone knew her. “It was a great experience,” she said.

The only organized sport for girls then was track, and Judy was more of a softball, basketball, and swimming athlete. Although she never formally had the opportunity to play sports in high school, her Dad encouraged her athleticism, and she played recreationally as much as possible.

Judy shared stories from her childhood, high school and college that put a fire in her belly to change things for women’s athletics. One day, as a child, she went to Little League baseball practice with her brother and cousin. Her hair was short, and the coach asked, “What’s your name, young man.” Disheartened, Judy replied, “I’m a girl and I can’t play.” She was crushed. She played ball with her brother and cousin all the time, but it was all backyard stuff because there were no girls’ sports. Luckily, the Little League coach allowed Judy to practice sometimes, so she got better. She could hit better than some of the boys. The coach made her the scorekeeper so she could be involved.

At Morehead State University, Judy played intramural sports and had to compete against girls who had been on organized sports teams. She joined every team she could—swim, golf, volleyball and basketball.

The Morehead Women’s Recreational Association decided to compete in basketball against other schools. Even though she had no formal training, like the other girls, Judy made the team. She said, “My training came from my father.” When her Dad was home from work on the railroad, he would take her with her brother and cousin to practice at a nearby Boy Scout Camp.

At that time, girls’ basketball consisted of six women from each team on the court at once. Judy explained that the thought was women didn’t have enough stamina to run the entire court. Judy could travel with the basketball team for awhile but didn’t make the travel team for the last game. She was distraught and vowed to show the coach she deserved to play. Judy worked hard as a defensive player and was determined. In the end, she was a starter.

As a new teacher, Judy took on her new physical education position zealously, starting with the track team and cheerleaders. She approached the administration about starting a girls basketball team. They said, “Go for it.” She coached her first six-player basketball game at Northwest High School in Scioto County, where her grandkids now attend.

Judy explained, “We played but didn’t have a schedule. We just called to see where we could play.” They played against North Adams and Manchester and even traveled to Ashland, Kentucky. Even when she knew her team didn’t have much chance to win because of their inexperience, Judy took them to play and learn. She said her girls were good, but they were just getting started.

Judy’s husband Jack, who she married after college, taught in Highland County and coached a girls’ team at Whiteoak. Judy asked him, “Why don’t you invite us?” It was a two-hour bus ride, but she was willing to ask, and the administration said, “Yes.” That first year, her husband’s team won. Judy said, “He had a good team and we packed that gym.” The following year, Judy said, “He got beat, and we ended up winning. We packed the gym again, and it was fun!” Judy and her husband were good sports about the competition. She said she was grateful for the opportunity to take her girls to play.

Having coached at Portsmouth West for four years and seeing her freshman group graduate, Judy and Jack decided to take new positions in Adams County. She would teach and coach at West Union High School, and he would serve as Blue Creek’s Principal. Within five years, the couple both went back to school at Xavier College to receive their master’s degrees before they started a family.

Judy jumped in at West Union High School, taking over cheerleading, softball, basketball, track and later volleyball. She said, “Here I had an organized league, a schedule to keep and I was in my element.” She even inherited formed teams. But her duties didn’t stop with sports. Judy coordinated the prom, served on the Honor Society selection committee, and oversaw morning attendance. She said, “I guess I was a jack of all trades, master of none.”

Forty-five years at West Union provides many stories about lots of young people. Judy taught and coached (taking some time off) for 35 years and monitored in-school suspension for 10 years. She fondly remembers the kids, her teams and countless others who enhanced her experience. She chuckled and said, “No one wanted to be in Hazelbaker’s in-school suspension.” Some cherished memories were working with students with disabilities and partnering with student-athletes for a shared experience. Judy has faithfully served for eight years on the Adams County Board of Developmental Disabilities and continues in that role. After retirement, Judy became a volleyball official – a job she still does today.

Volleyball was not a sport that Judy had played or coached. West Union Principal Dale Grooms approached Judy about coaching. He had a daughter who played and a vested interest. Judy said, “I told him I didn’t know a thing about volleyball.” She told him “No’ – four times but gave in when she discovered there wouldn’t be a team without her. She obtained the team two days before their first legal match. She said, “I’ll never forget.” She knew the rules but had much to learn about plays. The games were over quickly, she explained with a chuckle.

The volleyball program gave girls who didn’t have a sport something to play, explained Judy. She said, “I’m really glad because it gave kids a sense of belonging to the school.” As the program grew, Judy enlisted one of her former basketball players, Debbie McClanahan, to assist with coaching. Debbie had played volleyball before moving to Adams County and knew the game. Judy said, “Together, Debbie and I built the West Union Volleyball program.” She added, “We became contenders. She was a big part.”

Adding co-athletic director to her resume, Judy gave up coaching and served in that role for 10 years alongside Phil Rhonemus. She said, “It was a “co” super-good working relationship.” But true to form, she returned to the volleyball court helping Coach Susan Shelton, who had taken over the West Union team. After Shelton moved on to coach at Shawnee State University, Judy would be instrumental in encouraging McClanahan and her daughter to take the team.

Judy lights up when talking about her former teams, particularly in basketball. She is in contact with many of her players and has even participated in one of her players’ weddings.

In 2018, Judy was recognized and inducted into the West Union High School Hall of Fame. At that time, a People’s Defender article touted some of her accomplishments: “In 1976, Hazelbaker led the Lady Dragons basketball squad to a sectional runner-up berth, the first in school history, but her biggest legacy will be her work on the volleyball court. She led the Lady Dragons’ volleyball teams for 22 seasons, a run that included three Southern Hills League titles and a trio of sectional championships, also being named SHL Co-Coach of the Year in 1997.” In 2019, Judy was inducted into her home school’s Hall of Fame at Portsmouth West. She was the first woman inductee at the school.

Judy and Jack have three children: Bryan, a farmer, and Adams County teacher, Jeremy, who lives in Maryville, Tennessee and owns a flooring company and Jennifer, the Director of Nursing at the Adams County Manor. They have six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. It sounds like there may also be some athletes in their crew—go figure.

Judy was gracious about being honored by West Union and Portsmouth West. Regarding her home school, she humbly said, “I wasn’t an athlete. I was someone who came in and built their athletic program.”

She gets emotional when talking about receiving the call telling her about the Hall of Fame induction at Portsmouth West, which inducts only one person a year. She said, “The tears were flowing. To return to your home high school, having never played a sport, and consider your impact on these girls. It gave me a sense of pride.”