Carol
Ripper grew up in a time where there were no sports programs for
girls. Her first introduction to competitive sports was her
gymnastics training at the Monaca Turners. After her high school
graduation from Monaca, she attended Slippery Rock State College and
was a member of the school’s gymnastics team, specializing in the
uneven parallel bars and vaulting. She was the specialist leading
scorer on the team her senior year and became director of the Monaca
Turners gymnastics program while in school, a position she held for
ten years. In 1971, Carol began the first interscholastic sports
team for girls at New Brighton High School in volleyball and
basketball. Her volleyball teams had a 192-83 record over sixteen
years (1971-1986), including two section titles, two trips to the
WPIAL semifinals, 13 second place finishes, and nine playoff
appearances. Her basketball record includes a 260-158 record and
four Coach of the Year awards. Over a twenty year period, her cage
teams won six section titles, eight playoffs, and four second place
finishes. Her 1978 team competed in the WPIAL championship game and
the PIAA Western finals and were the first Beaver County girls’ team
to win 20 games. In 1976 Carol began the New Brighton softball
program and coached until 1980, with her teams finishing second
place four of five years. Carol coached New Brighton Middle School
basketball from 1995 to 2003, instituting the two game format most
area teams now use. She also directed the Beaver County Summer
Basketball League and was an assistant AAU basketball coach for
three years. From 1975 to 1982, Carol played in the New Brighton’s
Women’s Softball League as a pitcher, and her teams won the league
championship seven consecutive years. She then moved to the Beaver
Country Women’s Softball League, and her team won four straight
championships. Carol retired in 2004 after 34 years teaching health
and physical education in the New Brighton School District, but she
still kept involved in coaching.
Carol
Ripper grew up in a time where there were no sports programs for
girls. Her first introduction to competitive sports was her
gymnastics training at the Monaca Turners. After her high school
graduation from Monaca, she attended Slippery Rock State College and
was a member of the school’s gymnastics team, specializing in the
uneven parallel bars and vaulting. She was the specialist leading
scorer on the team her senior year and became director of the Monaca
Turners gymnastics program while in school, a position she held for
ten years. In 1971, Carol began the first interscholastic sports
team for girls at New Brighton High School in volleyball and
basketball. Her volleyball teams had a 192-83 record over sixteen
years (1971-1986), including two section titles, two trips to the
WPIAL semifinals, 13 second place finishes, and nine playoff
appearances. Her basketball record includes a 260-158 record and
four Coach of the Year awards. Over a twenty year period, her cage
teams won six section titles, eight playoffs, and four second place
finishes. Her 1978 team competed in the WPIAL championship game and
the PIAA Western finals and were the first Beaver County girls’ team
to win 20 games. In 1976 Carol began the New Brighton softball
program and coached until 1980, with her teams finishing second
place four of five years. Carol coached New Brighton Middle School
basketball from 1995 to 2003, instituting the two game format most
area teams now use. She also directed the Beaver County Summer
Basketball League and was an assistant AAU basketball coach for
three years. From 1975 to 1982, Carol played in the New Brighton’s
Women’s Softball League as a pitcher, and her teams won the league
championship seven consecutive years. She then moved to the Beaver
Country Women’s Softball League, and her team won four straight
championships. Carol retired in 2004 after 34 years teaching health
and physical education in the New Brighton School District, but she
still kept involved in coaching.