Willie Frank began with great success on the
football field at Aliquippa High School in the early 1950s, and that
staple of quality output followed him in all of his endeavors.
Actually, Willie was quite an all around athlete: he is one of the
few Quips to have earned 12 letters, lettering four years in three
different sports. But football was his forte. An outstanding back on
both sides of the ball, Willie led the Quips to the 1952 WPIAL
championship and scored the winning touchdown on a remarkable
28 yard run as the Quips edged Washington, 13-12. Willie was named
All WPIAL twice and first team All State as a senior. Willie
went to Lincoln University for a year then transferred to Denver,
where he lettered all four years in football and was named Freshman of the Year in the Skyline Conference and twice
chosen as All Skyline. He led the conference in rushing and scoring
as a senior and ranked as one of the top punt returners in the
nation. Willie made a career in the military, and one of his many highlights was being named MVP at a national
Air Force tournament. He went on to coach championship teams in
basketball and baseball while in the service. When Willie retired
from the Air Force in 1976, he took up residence in the Washington DC
area and got involved in several activities helping youth. He
established a basketball league as Director of Jellef, which
produced several outstanding college and professional players.
Willie Frank began with great success on the
football field at Aliquippa High School in the early 1950s, and that
staple of quality output followed him in all of his endeavors.
Actually, Willie was quite an all around athlete: he is one of the
few Quips to have earned 12 letters, lettering four years in three
different sports. But football was his forte. An outstanding back on
both sides of the ball, Willie led the Quips to the 1952 WPIAL
championship and scored the winning touchdown on a remarkable
28 yard run as the Quips edged Washington, 13-12. Willie was named
All WPIAL twice and first team All State as a senior. Willie
went to Lincoln University for a year then transferred to Denver,
where he lettered all four years in football and was named Freshman of the Year in the Skyline Conference and twice
chosen as All Skyline. He led the conference in rushing and scoring
as a senior and ranked as one of the top punt returners in the
nation. Willie made a career in the military, and one of his many highlights was being named MVP at a national
Air Force tournament. He went on to coach championship teams in
basketball and baseball while in the service. When Willie retired
from the Air Force in 1976, he took up residence in the Washington DC
area and got involved in several activities helping youth. He
established a basketball league as Director of Jellef, which
produced several outstanding college and professional players.