JACKSON TWP. — Dustin Dingler had been thinking about a return to coaching for the past several years.
“I missed it a little bit. I really enjoyed it. I was just sort of sitting back waiting and watching,” Dingler said. “I knew that my son (Jasper, going into his freshman year) was going to be of age at some point and he’s been working on his game since he was very young.”
It was attending a junior high band concert at Jackson High School’s gymnasium that really got Dingler thinking about a return to high school bowling coaching.
“I was at my daughter’s concert when I looked up at the walls and saw all the banners hanging for Jackson’s teams,” the 46-year-old Jackson Township resident said. “There hasn’t been anything up there for bowling in about 10 years. That’s when I started thinking about this.”
Dingler, director of purchasing for Kenan Advantage, has been hired as Jackson’s new boys head varsity bowling coach, replacing Tim Reddish, who resigned the position. In addition, Bill Dunn, who served as a volunteer girls assistant coach last season, will be the girls head coach.
“I knew Bill through the (Northeast Ohio) travel league over the years, and he had me come out to a couple of matches to see what was out there,” Dingler said. “We had some conversations, and I told him if he heard of anything, I might be interested in throwing my hat in the ring.”
The 50-year-old Dunn, a truck driver for Tri-County Pallet in Akron, has a daughter, Rylee, who will be a sophomore for the Polar Bears. That’s what drew his interest.
“I used to come to matches and I knew right from the get-go that they only had two coaches (Raddish and girls coach Brandon Burgess) and they could use some help,” Dunn said.
“I wanted to do what I could do. I absolutely love coaching the youth in this sport that has done a lot for me. I just want to give back.”
It became official in July. Although Dingler and Dunn still are building a coaching staff, both agree returnees will see changes in their philosophies.
“We need to have little more structure as far as practices go … some kind of order or system to get them going so we can teach,” Dunn said. “We’re not here to change anyone’s style; we’re here to help them.”
Dingler calls himself a “very structured person … that’s what drives me and it’s right up there with my background of expertise.”
The Tuscarawas Township native didn’t start bowling until age 11, when a friend convinced him to give the sport a try at the former Starway Lanes.
“I worked on my dad for three weeks to let me go,” said Dingler, who grew up on a farm and attended Tuslaw High School. “I just fell in love with it.”
From there, he was a walk-on at Erie Community College (N.Y.) under late USBC Hall of Fame coach Kerm Helmer, who won 16 men’s and 21 women’s junior college national titles. After that, it was a couple of years as night manager at Stonehedge Family Fun Center in Akron under PBA and USBC Hall of Famer Fred Borden.
“I didn’t even know how big their program was,” Dingler said of ECC, which has produced Professional Bowlers Association players Brad Angelo, Ryan Ciminelli and Joe Ciccone among others. “Kerm had a passion for the game and would do anything for his kids. Then with Fred, it gave me the opportunity to grow and meet a lot of people in the industry.”
Dunn, an Akron native, cited Summit County bowling legends Mark Bradley, Ed Carter, Bill White Sr. and Rick Davis as people who influenced his bowling career. His daughter has worked with Ron Bell, Frank Testa and Lake girls coach Jeff Mowls.
“I tell my daughter to listen to everybody and take what good you can from all of them to make your game better,” Dunn said. “It might not work, but try it because you never know.”
PREPARING THE BEARS
Dingler said the neat thing about bowling is everyone has the ability to do it.
“It’s all about connecting with each person’s different approach and learning what works for them,” Dingler said. “Just teaching them the basics of the game.
“You don’t go out there to change anybody. You go in there to work with what you’ve got and develop them. I don’t think we have much depth coming in. I think it’s going to be a lot to develop for the future and we know that going in.
“I’ve had a lot of people contact me about wanting to help and I think that’s awesome. Bill and I know a lot of people in this industry and we will take all the help we can get.”
But Dunn saw some promise in the 2022-23 Polar Bears despite the two teams combining for a 6-16 record.
“I think that we have some talent there. No knock on (Raddish), but I didn’t think it was used right and the practices weren’t what they should be,” Dunn said. “I’ve worked with these boys and I think they can shock some people. Dustin will be pleasantly surprised with this team.
“But winning builds confidence because they believe in themselves. That’s what I’m all about. This game brings people of different backgrounds together.”
Dingler agrees.
“Confidence building and winning always helps for what it does for a person on and off the lanes,” Dingler said. “They say, well, it’s bowling, but it’s more than that. It’s life values, it’s how you treat people right and how to be a model citizen.”
Dingler spent three years on Perry’s staff first as a girls junior varsity assistant then as a boys assistant under Roger Webb and Joe Altimore III. He knows what his team faces in returning to past glory in the Federal League and the Stark County High School Bowling Conference’s Federal Division.
“It makes you better watching better players and coaches. Just watching Roger and Joe’s approaches with students … how professionally they wanted to teach those kids what’s right and wrong on and off the lanes,” Dingler said. “But there’s also a lot of tradition here.
“It was evident when (Jackson Athletic Director) Jeff Kracker interviewed us.”
Now, it’s about getting things organized for the start of the season in November.
“I’m excited to get going,” Dingler said. “I think it will be fun.”
OTHER COACHING CHANGES
In addition to new leadership within Jackson’s bowling program, change also is coming to its biggest Federal League rival.
Longtime North Canton Hoover coach Jeff Sabella has decided to walk away from the position as have assistants Austin and Erin Crowe.
Hoover athletics director Tom Oakes confirmed the resignation in an email, adding that the school district “is still accepting applications at this time.” Two other SCHSBC members also have announced staff changes recently:
- Former Perry girls assistant coach Don Sprout will be moving to the boys team as the head coach, replacing Alex Lincoln. Lincoln, a former bowler for the Panthers who had led the team to six Division I district appearances during his six seasons as coach, has decided to resign. Altimore continues to lead the girls team as the program’s head coach, and Mark Boron will continue as the boys assistant coach. Lindsay Johnston returns as the girls assistant to Altimore.
- Former Minerva girls coach Dana Keister will be returning this season to lead the Lions as previous coach Gary Cress resigned. Cress was the American Division’s girls coach of the year last season with a 9-1 conference mark. Nick Embrogno remains as the boys coach.