Randy Roland, a 1971 graduate of Altoona Area High School, former recipient of the Joseph F. Cohen Blanket award (shown above) and recently retired PIAA football official for District 6, is the subject of this month’s Fitness Track. Courtesy photos

Do you remember the distinct sound that was one of the hallmarks of your education? No, it wasn’t the crackling public address system or the bell prompting us to change classes at the end of the day. It could be heard echoing through the halls. If you were inside the classroom, you were likely grateful. If you happened to be outside of the classroom, then you were likely the recipient of a wooden paddle striking your gluteus maximus. The sound of that crack or multiple cracks was distinct.

If you were part of a sports team, you may have experienced a coach or coaches who inflicted harsh discipline and punitive action for an error in judgement or poor athletic performance. Today these acts would have elicited a team of attorneys and a lawsuit which would glean a monetary fortune for you and your family. However, such tough coaching was accepted by parents as a rite of passage and a strength builder.

Randy Roland, a 1971 graduate of Altoona High School, experienced the aforementioned during his athletic and academic career and it likely shaped his toughness.

“I threw a book and it went of the window. I didn’t mean to do it, but I got paddled for it. You didn’t talk back. There was none of that,” Roland said.

Roland attended Logan Junior High School, now Logan Elementary. He played football and wrestled throughout junior high school. They were called the Wildcats at that time.

Randy Roland, a 1971 graduate of Altoona Area High School, former recipient of the Joseph F. Cohen Blanket award (shown above) and recently retired PIAA football official for District 6, is the subject of this month’s Fitness Track. Courtesy photos

He played fullback and linebacker. Roland touted their claim to fame was tying Keith Junior High when he was in ninth grade.

He also had a great deal of wrestling prowess which led him to compete for a local championship during his ninth grade year.

“I hit my head off the mat and ended up losing by a point or two. It made me dizzy,” Roland said. “Back then they pushed you and made me finish the match. They gave me some smelling salts and kicked me right back in there. They probably should have stopped the match.”

Roland went to Altoona High School and severed his relationship with wrestling.

“Tim Montgomery, the wrestling coach, wanted me to wrestle and drop weight. I was just a little frustrated over that, because I didn’t like the idea that I had to stop eating late, so I stuck with football,” Roland said.

His decision to pursue one sport would pay off in several ways. He played middle linebacker his junior year. Altoona High School went to the WPIAL Class 2A state championship during the 1969-70 season and lost to Gateway High School. Roland played during that championship game. As a senior, he was the recipient of the Joseph F. Cohen Blanket Award, which was awarded to the most valuable player. He also played fullback and linebacker during that 1970 season alternating at fullback with Brad Benson who later played professionally for the New York Giants. Roland demonstrated humility well beyond his years upon receiving the MVP award.

“Billy Robison was an All-American. I told him, ‘Bill, you should have won the Blanket’ and he said, ‘Randy, you deserved it. You played hard and you were a tough kid.’ Bill would have probably won if he didn’t get injured,” Roland said.

When asked to recount some tough coaching which would not be tolerated today, Roland was quick to respond.

“I think during my junior year of football there was something missing out of the locker room. Nobody wanted to squeal on a teammate,” Roland said. “So, the coaches made us run the bleachers in our bare feet. They ran us hard with sprints out in the field and running laps to get us to talk. Eventually they let us go. Nobody ever did tell on who did it.”

Roland had many offers to play collegiate football. Syracuse, Kentucky, Slippery Rock, Clarion and Taft were just a few of those schools seeking his talent. In the end, he elected to attend trade school.

“I got a job with F. L. Smithe Machine Company,” said Roland, who was employed by the company for 28 years. “A professor from Penn State trained us on CNC, a computer, numerical controlled machine. All the data had to be put in to operate it and it was basically an automatic machine.”

Roland has never stopped pursuing fitness. After high school, he joined Family Fitness in Hollidaysburg, where he lifted free weights and ran to stay fit.

“I did a lot of running and competed in a lot of 15K runs,” Roland said. “I lived out in the country and I’d run Canoe Creek and Scotch Valley about two times per week. The Altoona YMCA had a Fourth of July run every year. I would run it with a bunch of buddies of mine.”

Roland also kept in shape with another activity which is rather distinctive. For 37 years, he was a PIAA District 6 football referee. He recently retired and acknowledged that he had to stay in shape to meet the job requirements.

“The kids kept getting faster and faster,” Roland said, noting that his ability to sprint was often needed during games. “I was usually out on a wing, side judge or line judge. I’ve worked on some great crews over the years. I’ve always made myself a promise. I wasn’t going to get to the point where they say, ‘Who’s that old guy down there?'”

Roland has had a seamless dedication to fitness. He exercises at home and at the Summit Tennis and Athletic Club in Altoona. He has resistance machines at home, and performs curls, squats, military presses and butterflies at the Summit three days a week. He utilizes machines because they are faster to set up as opposed to free weights. His lifting schedule is maintained throughout the winter months. As the weather breaks, he introduces another activity which was an integral part of his youth.

“My dad was a railroader and belonged to Sinking Valley Country Club. I’ve probably been golfing since I was about 10 years old. You compete against yourself and you’re trying to beat your previous score. It is a challenging sport. I don’t think there’s anything like it as far as testing yourself,” Roland explained.

The motivation to excel likely emanated from Roland’s upbringing.

“We were old school. I worked all through junior high and high school. My dad was a railroader and work ethic was pounded into us. He would say, ‘That grass better be cut before I get home.’ Okay, and you did it. That stuck with me and I figured out the only way I was going to accomplish things was through hard work,” Roland said, noting that his dad would leave a couple of dollars on the table for him when the job was completed.

A lifetime of exercise has given the 73-year-old a vibrancy not always seen by people his age. Though he is modest, Roland realizes he has not aged in a typical fashion. He has no intention of forsaking the hard work ethic that has formed his life from an early age. The only thing old about him are old school principles that are the foundation for his work ethic.

George Thomas Kattouf of Altoona is the developer of the website AgelessTimeless.com. He has been instructing martial arts for over four decades in the Altoona Area at the Academy of Martial Arts and encourages seniors to stay fit through martial arts training. If you or someone you know in Blair County is age 50 or older and would be a good candidate for the Fitness Track, email Kattouf at george@agelesstimeless.com. Tune in to the YouTube channel AgelessTimeless to learn more.