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Wednesday, November 25, 2020 Love for fitness led Patriot girls etching way couple to create club, in boy-dominated sport, see story page 2B Sports see story page 4B Page 1B www.thecr.com The Commercial Review Back from the brink Bomholt excited about returning to Patriot sidelines after life-threatening bout with COVID-19 By CHRIS SCHANZ The Commercial Review A sudden death started Jerry Bomholt’s career as a coach. His own mortality nearly ended it. Bomholt, 67, was watching the Notre Dame football game against Louisville on Oct. 17 when he started getting a cold sensation. No matter how many layers of clothes or blankets he put on himself in an effort to create any sort of warmth, the result was the same. He kept getting colder. A short time later, he was on his way to IU Health Ball Memo - rial Hospital in Muncie, where he was diagnosed with COVID- 19 and put on a ventilator. “I don’t remember much, but all I can remember was my fam - ily was crying,” he said. “They couldn’t come in to see me. I tried to FaceTime. I couldn’t talk. I thought I was dying. “Come to find out that I was pretty close.” •••••••••• An Elwood High School grad - uate, Bomholt became an assis - tant for Bob Macy at Peru dur - ing the 1975-76 season. Three years later, he moved closer to home for a position on Bob Fuller’s staff at Anderson High - The Commercial Review/Chris Schanz land. The Scots were on the road Jay County High School boys basketball coach Jerry Bomholt (seated) gives direction to his team and staff during a playing Lapel. During halftime, practice on Nov. 10 at JCHS. Bomholt, who coached the Patriots in the 1980s, is back on the sidelines after a bout with the Fuller collapsed in the locker coronavirus, which has halted the start of his second stint in Jay County. room. Word quickly spread, and the Lapel coach wanted to can - cel the game, but the Scot play - the high school after the game, team in the state of Indiana, wanted to bring back a pair of that game, weren’t going to have ers wouldn’t allow it. they got the dreaded news. worked their tails off the last former assistants to take over in it. The Scots won the game with Fuller died of a heart attack. four years, and now we’re miss - Fuller’s place, but the players, They wanted Bomholt as their Bomholt leading the second “Just an unbelievable sce - ing a coach.” like they were when Lapel want - guy. half. Upon the team returning to nario,” Bomholt said. “The No. 1 Administration at Highland ed to cancel the remainder of See Back page 2B The Commercial Review Page 2B Sports Wednesday, November 25, 2020 Back ... Continued from page 1B effort on both ends of the He took the reins, led the floor.” Scots past No. 5 Madison With little height, Heights in the sectional Bomholt knew he’d have to semifinal in three over - have a different style in times, then squeaked past order to win. His trade - No. 3 Anderson 76-75 to win mark Zorro 1-2-2 zone the championship at The defense made its debut. In Wigwam. two seasons, the Patriots “I could tell during the won 34 games — it was the week that followed, we had No. 1 defensive team in the all these things that hap - state the first year — with pened and there was just a two sectional titles and deflation,” he said. High - advanced to the regional land lost the regional semi - final each year. final to Carmel, 47-43, and In his third year, the the Scots finished the year Patriots won another sec - 23-1. tional and once again fell Following the loss, High - in the regional final. His land’s principal commend - fourth season ended with - ed Bomholt on a job well out a sectional crown. done, but also said the “Even in the third and school was going to open fourth years, we didn’t up the coaching position. have great success, but our “People knew all the cir - kids competed and people cumstances through that came to watch,” he said. whole stretch that we had “They liked watching kids to solve,” Bomholt said, play hard, play unselfishly, noting that he fought pneu - play together.” monia on top of Fuller’s Bomholt said he and death. “To go through that then-athletics director The Commercial Review/Chris Schanz stretch and win all those Harold Schutz butted games and win that dog - heads following the 1984 Aaron Hoevel, right, lifts the barbell high above his head while completing a rep as Jay County gone sectional … When season. Being young and they decided to open up, hard-headed, Bomholt Barbell Club coach Kurt Hess keeps an eye on his form during one of the club’s workout sessions earlier they said, ‘You can apply.’ stepped away. this month. Hess, along with his wife Carly, started the group four years ago. “What a slap in the face “It is, without question. that is.” the biggest mistake I’ve •••••••••• ever made in coaching,” he Bomholt was hired to said. “I always felt like this lead Jay County ahead of was home. This was where the 1980-81 season, with the our family began. Bonding over barbells Patriots coming off an 11- “I was just stupid. Stub - By CHRIS SCHANZ 11 record the previous year. bornness. I felt like we “When I got here, oh my could have been here as The Commercial Review A few laps around the auditorium gosh,” he said. long as we wanted.” Jay County Barbell Club brings together Only four of the 11 varsi - •••••••••• gets the blood pumping and the mus - ty players he had that sea - Bomholt spent the next cles loose. area residents over their love of fitness son were 6 feet or taller. season at Northwestern. Some PVC pipes help with form. Doug Arbuckle was one “Then the parade start - Then empty barbells begin a ses - Portland resident Aaron Hoevel, a versity in Tennessee. That’s where of those taller players. ed,” he said. sion. member of the group. “Just the com - he met Carly, who played volleyball “Right away, we knew Two years at Shenan - Sweat beads will form soon. bination of we all enjoy each other’s for the Eagles. things were going to doah. Three at Columbia Breathing becomes a struggle. Arms company, but when it comes down to The couple moved to North Caroli - change with discipline and City. Six at Princeton. A and legs are bound to get shaky. it, get competitive and really dig in na, and after the death of Carly’s intensity and structure,” year away from the game. Near the end of the hour-long and just go after it. mother, they relocated back to Kurt’s said Arbuckle, a junior on Then, ahead of the 1997- class, the competition — be it against “Pushing each other is what I hometown. Bomholt’s first JCHS 98 season, Bomholt landed one’s self or against others — starts. enjoy.” “When we moved here there really squad. “He expected us to at Southwestern in When it’s all said and done, fist Founded by Kurt and Carly Hess, wasn’t anything like this,” Carly work hard and come Hanover. The first year, he bumps go around to signify a solid Jay County Barbell Club formed in said. “We thought, let’s create more together as a team, which led the Rebels to the state hour of speed and power. May 2016 out of the couple’s love for of a community-type, fitness-based we did. I felt like at any championship game. He All in a night’s work. fitness and their desire to own a program where people who are like- point in time there was spent four more years Welcome to Jay County Barbell gym. Kurt, a 2006 Jay County High minded in fitness can come together four of us that had the there before going to Shawe Club. School graduate who was a wrestling and work out together versus a regu - capability of leading the Memorial for nine seasons, “For me, I love the combination of state qualifier for the Patriots, went lar gym, going in on your own and team in scoring on any winning four sectional competition but also lighthearted - to Wabash College for a year before doing it on your own.” given night. titles. ness, if that’s the way to put it,” said transferring to Carson-Newman Uni - See Bonding page 4B “Just a good, solid team See Back page 5B Scout Clean Eneergy & The Bitter RRidge Wind Farm are pleassed to be part of Jay County. Porrtlandtlaand Helpinng Hands Food Bank (Commmunity and FFamilyamily Services, Inc.) 521 S. Wayne Street, Porrtlandtland IN 47361 (260) 7726-9318 Pantry hours: Tuesdaay, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00 am - 12 pm TTrinityrinityy United Methodist Church Food Cabinet During this time off giving thanksthanks, 323 S Meridian Streeteet, Porrtland,tland, IN 47371 (260) 726-8391 Pantry hours: we hope you join Scout in giving 2nd & 4th Wednesday 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Dunkirk to these great organizations. Dunkirk Community Concerns 226 E. Center, Dunkirk IN 47336 (765) 768-6726 homelessshelterdirectory.org Pantry hours: United Way of Jay County 2nd & 4th Thursday 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm (January-October) P O Box 204, Portland IN 47371 1st & 3rd Thursday 1:00 p.m.- 3:00 pm (November-December)r) 260-726-7010 unitedwayjaycounty.org Pennville The Good Samaritan Food Pantry 190 W.