RONALD E. JAROS

Athlete, North Penn High School, 1966

Football, Winter/Spring Track
Head Coach Boys Cross Country 1992-2008
2007 & 2008 PIAA State Cross Country Championships
District One Championships 1997, 2007, 2008
Suburban One League Championships 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008
Three undefeated seasons 1997, 2007, 2008 - Last 21 in a row
Cross Country dual meets 170 - 31; 28 Invitational wins
PTFCA Cross Country Coach of the Year - 2007 & 2008
Head Coach Boys & Girls Bowling 1980 -1998
Boys record; 134 - 48 - 11 ties & 9 League Championships
Girls record; 121 - 63 - 6 ties & 6 League Championships
Head Coach Girls Indoor Track 1999-2008
2001 Indoor Girls State Shot Put Champion
Head Coach Boys Winter/Spring Track 1975 & 1976
Assistant Coach Boys Spring Track, 1982 - present

Ron participated in Football and Winter / Spring Track & Field while attending North Penn HS. During his senior year in Football he punted and started at offensive and defensive end.  In Spring Track Ron placed 1st in both the Discus and Javelin and 2^nd in the Shot Put at the 1966 Bux-Mont League Championship meet. At the District meet he was 3^rd in the Shot and Javelin and 5^th in the Discus. By the end of his Sr. season, Ron was ranked 2^nd in the Shot Put and 3^rd in the Discus on North Penn’s top ten all time list. Ron received the 1966 Track Most Valuable Player award and the Most Improved Player in both Football (’65) and Track (’66). He graduated from North Penn in 1966 and went to West Chester University where he received his B.S. and M.Ed.  In 1973 he received a full time teaching contract at North Penn High School.In 1992 Ron became Head Cross Country Coach at North Penn HS.  In 1997 he had his first undefeated season, winning his first League and District Championship.  In 2007 at the Manhattan Invitational NP ran the 2^ndfastest all-time team average ever run at the Manhattan Invitational; putting the 2007 team in a very elite group.  This 2007 team finished their season undefeated, winning the Suburban One League Championship, the District One Championship and  North Penn’s first ever PIAA State Cross Country Championship. Ron was named Pennsylvania Track and Field Coaches Association Coach of the Year for 2007.  After setting the bar high the 2008 Cross Country team matched the 2007 team finishing undefeated in the league, winning the Suburban One League Championship, the District One Championship and defending their State title winning the PIAA State Cross Country Championship.  This is only the fifth School District in PIAA history (1939 – 2008) to win back to back State Cross Country Championships. Once again Ron was named Pennsylvania Track and Field Coaches Association Coach of the Year for 2008.  In the 17 years Ron coached Cross Country his dual meet record was 170 – 31 (undefeated last 21 in a row), with 28 invitational wins, 5 All-State runners, 96 All-League runners, 4 Suburban One League Championships, 3 District One Championships and 2 PIAA State Championships.

In 1980 Ron became Head Coach of Boys’ & Girls’ Bowling teams and coached until 1998. Ron’s boys’ bowling team match record was 134-48-11, with 92 shutouts and 9 League Championships. During this time the Boys’ bowling team held or set every league record. In 1993-94 the Boys’ varsity starting 5 made up the entire 1^st team All-League Team.  The Girls’ bowling team match record was 121-63-6, with 83 shutouts and 5 League Championships. The 1990 Girls’ team went 10-0 with 6 shutouts while bowling with 4 girls against 5 every week. NP is the only School in League history to take all four titles, Boys Team & Boys Individual and Girls Team & Girls Individual in the same year, not once but twice 1993 & 1994.

From 1999 to 2008 Ron was Head Indoor Girls Track Coach. During this time the girls broke or set every Indoor school track record. He had one Indoor State Champion in the Shot Put and top eight finishers in the 4X200, 4X400, 4X800, Mile, High Jump, Pole Vault, and Triple Jump.

Ron has been assistant boys’ spring track coach since 1982 through to the present. In his early coaching years he worked with the throwers and had multiple league, district, state champions and a national champion.  In the later years Ron worked with North Penn’s distance runners helping continue the legacy of the North Penn 4x800m Relays and distance running.

In 1992 Ron finish what would be a labor of love.  After 15 years of research he published his book on the Sokol movement in the United States called Sokol Gathering in the New World.

Ron has retired from teaching and lives in Lansdale with his wife Penny.  He enjoys visiting his married children; Erica living in South Carolina and Dana living in Pittsburg where he visits his two grandchildren.