Inductees Marty Stromberger came to Metamora in time for the 1962-63 school year. It was a time of red penalty flags, tie games without overtime and no 2-point conversions. Still, as Marty knew so well, the game is really all about tackling and blocking. All about execution and a striving for perfection. About planning an offense and a defense that the kids will buy into. Marty also knew that nothing in coaching is as difficult as turning a losing program into a winning program.
After a difficult 0-9 beginning, the players did buy into the plan as his next 8 seasons resulted in a 63-12-3 record for the Redbirds. With Metamora's football program headed in the right direction, Marty was offered and accepted the Athletic Director's job. He handed the football baton to his assistant and began to look toward improving the overall athletic program at the school.
Soon a fixture in the community, the Stromberger family never left. Marty once complained that had Spalding not spirited a couple of Mischler boys across the river to Spalding, his record might have been better. It's doubted that it could have been better. Marty Stromberger has earned the title of "Father of Metamora Football."
Merv Haycock After a successful early career coaching elementary school athletics in the Champaign-Urbana area, Merv entered the Peoria athletic scene in 1962 as football coach at Spalding High School. His first three teams had a combined 24-2-1 record. His 1965 squad went 9-0-1, and in 1967 he was 10-0 followed by an 8-1 year in 1968. His last five Irish teams, 1972-1976, went 35-11-3. |