Paul Hollern - Teacher, Athletic Director & Statistician
Paul Hollern’s legacy is rich, enduring, and memorable. In his forty-third year of teaching social studies at Bishop McCort, he was excited about his job, his students, and the people with whom he worked as when he began teaching.
Serving under seven of Bishop McCort’s eleven principals, Paul was a historian and archivist of the school’s sports records and alumni achievements. He was a source of facts pertaining to the school and its graduates. Mr. Hollern would have had direct teacher/student contact with close to 7,000 students during the span of his career. The knowledge he imparted and the impression he made were lasting.
Paul Hollern was honored by the Tribune-Democrat in the early seventies as Teacher of the Year and he also received official accolades for his geography instruction.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Paul assumed the role of Director of Athletics and golf coach. In the mid-seventies, Paul became the head statistician for both the varsity football team and boys’ basketball team—taking over for long-time statistician Howdy Sherman.
Paul Hollern was born on July 23, 1943 and he died on December 25, 2008. He was not only remembered for his countless hours serving the Bishop McCort Athletic Department, but also for his great love for St. Patrick’s Day and the celebrations that he orchestrated in his classroom.
Gene Schultz - Teacher, Baseball & Football Coach
In 2004, Bishop McCort lost longtime faculty member, coach, and friend, Gene Schultz. Mr. Schultz taught a variety of science and health courses for 40 years at Bishop McCort. He was associated with every one of Bishop McCort’s principals during his time as student, teacher, and coach.
Mr. Schultz was head baseball coach from 1967 to 1993 and a football coach for 40 years. During his time leading the Crushers baseball team, Coach Schultz accumulated 225 wins and earned the respect of countless young men that he worked with on a daily basis. His #24 still hangs in the hallway of the school as a tribute to one of the all-time great coaches of Catholic High. In 2011, the Bishop McCort Baseball Team created the Gene Schultz Memorial Baseball Tournament. The Crushers have won the tournament five times in its seven-year existence.
As an assistant football coach for Bishop McCort, Coach Schultz remained with the team until his retirement from the school less than a year before his death. Schultz had worked with six McCort football players who later played professionally, including: Jack Ham, Pete Duranko, John Stofa, Steve Smear, Artrell Hawkins Jr., and Andrew Hawkins.
Coach Schultz’s commitment to McCort athletics was uncompromising and has been an inspiration to decades of McCort athletes.
James Reiser, Sr. - Football Coach
James L. Reiser, Sr. was a dedicated coach and dedicated Crusher. Jim played for Johnstown Catholic as a varsity tackle from 1931-1933. He was named to the Tribune’s All Star team, Cambria County all-star team, and later to the Bishop McCort Hall of Fame. After high school, he played one year for Kiski Prep and then for the Johnstown Collegians, a local semi-pro team, and the Windber Ex-High Team.
He began his extensive coaching career at Johnstown Catholic in 1938. After 6 years as assistant coach, he served as head coach in 1945. His team’s play attracted record crowds with over 6,700 fans packing the Point Stadium for the McCort vs. Ferndale game that year. He had to give up the head coach position due to his regular employment, but he remained deeply involved with both the sport and the school that he loved all of his life. Fellow McCort Coach Joe Shumock gave Jim the nickname of “Knute” because of his strong resemblance to Knute Rockne, the late great coach of Notre Dame. During his 42 years of coaching, he was blessed to mentor many young men. Most notably, he coached Steve Smear, Jack Ham, and Pete Duranko when these football stars played for the Crushers. Together with Fran Zima, Gene Schultz, Jim Regula, and Tim Koshute, Jim led the McCort freshmen to capture their first Mountain Football Conference Championship during the 1977 season.
In addition to coaching, Jim dedicated countless hours to building local athletic programs through the Johnstown Catholic Athletic Association. He was a football official and president of the Cambria County Chapter, PIAA Football Officials. He also dedicated much time raising funds for McCort athletic programs.
Football was more than a game to Coach Reiser. It was a way of life and a means to foster the ideals of sportsmanship and teamwork in his young players. He especially enjoyed coaching the freshmen team and helping to mold players from multiple parochial teams into a cohesive high school squad. Jim coached his final season in 1981 and passed away on February 14, 1982 due to colon cancer. Jim is fondly remembered by his loving family and the many young men who were touched by his wisdom and guidance both on and off the field.
Howard "Howdy" Sherman - Statistician
Howard “Howdy” Sherman was a member of Johnstown Catholic’s graduating class of 1938. Mr. Sherman has been a mainstay in the stands cheering for his Crusher football and basketball teams. He has been attending McCort games since he was 10 years old and except for his time spent in World War II, he hasn’t missed a single football game.
In the early 1960’s, Mr. Sherman was the President of the Athletic Association, which at the time, was responsible for hiring and paying all Bishop McCort coaches. The Athletic Association was formed after World War II and was started by Msgr. Colley. Howdy was the Association’s third President. As the President of the Athletic Association, Mr. Sherman was responsible for soliciting local businesses to raise money for McCort Athletics.
In 1961, Mr. Sherman took over as the head statistician for the boys’ varsity basketball team and kept the title until the mid-seventies when Paul Hollern took over the position. The position enabled Mr. Sherman to travel all over Western Pennsylvania with the team and see some of the greatest basketball teams that the Crushers assembled on the hardwood.
According to Mr. Sherman’s son Tom, Howdy took the initiative and drove former Crusher great, Pete Duranko, to his initial visit to Notre Dame.
