For the past 20 years, the Southern Ohio Copperheads have been a focal point of summer entertainment in Athens, Ohio. The Copperheads have provided families an opportunity to expose their children to the great American pastime that is baseball.
The Southern Ohio Copperheads invited back former Cheaders from past seasons to help celebrate the Copperheads' 20th anniversary season.
The inception of the Copperheads can be traced back to the Team USA vs. Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League All-Star Game that took place on July 15th, 2001 at Bob Wren Stadium. Over 1,000 fans came out to enjoy baseball at the Wren in a “test run” to see if a summer baseball team would be viable in Athens.
After the success of that game, Ohio University baseball coach Joe Carbone, Dr. Andy Kreutzer, the director of the sports administration program at Ohio University, and Alan Geiger, vice president of Ohio University believed that Southern Ohio could support a GLSCL team.
After all the positive feedback received after that exhibition game, the organizational structure began to come together throughout the rest of 2001 and into 2002 to begain a baseball organization. Scott Googins was announced as the team’s first manager, and after a naming contest with the local school the Southern Ohio Copperheads was born. They played their first game on June 12th, 2002 and the played their first game at Bob Wren Stadium three days later on June 15th, 2002.
20 years later the Copperheads are still going strong as this can be see in team records and fan attendance. The Copperheads have won 410 games and have been near the top of the GLSCL in attendance each summer due to the great support of our great fans.
Prior to the start of the second game of a double header with the Xenia Scouts, the Copperheads took time to recognize some very important people who helped the Copperheads organization to where it is today.
Andy Kreutzer, Allan Geiger, Joe Carbone were the three founding members of the Copperheads.
Doctor Charles Higgins, who spent over 50 years in the department of sports administration was also recognized.
Jon Katowski, a long time season ticket holder and former board member, spearheaded the movement to ensure Copperheads staff received a summer stipend for all of the hard work they do throughout the summer.
To donate to the Copperheads Student Support Fund, visit the link.
Jim Kahler, the founding executive director and former Copperheads board member of the AECOM center for sports administration at Ohio University, and Matt Cacciotto the current leader of the AECOM center for sports administration were recognized on the field.
Dean Jackie Rees-Ulmer, Dr. David Ridpath, and professor Packy Moran and Ohio University current president Hugh Sherman were all recognized during the celebration.
Current College of Business professor and executive director of the Copperheads Annie Valeant was also recognized for what she has done for the Copperheads oregianstion over the past few years.
The Copperheads would also like to thank all of our sponsors or partners over the past 20 years for their support of the Copperheads and the local community.
