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April 6, 2005 Former player backs Bald Eagles: Allen hopes to inspire others by making $55,000 gift to LHU football |
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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - There is
a buzz at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania (LHU) with the arrival
of coach John Klacik,
an alum and former LHU football player who has stepped forward to help
revitalize the school's program.
But Klacik is not the only alum working to better LHU football. Milton "Stan" Allen, a 1986 All-PSAC First Team player, once stood on the gridiron alongside Klacik, a standout receiver with 1,976 career yards. Allen pledged $55,000 -- $11,000 a year over 5 years -- to solely be used for football scholarships. The scholarship money will go to top level athletes, skilled in football, who exhibit exemplary social skills and maintain a 2.5 grade point average or above. Klacik said the timing couldn't be better with the $55,000 gift to the program since it should serve to inspire others to get involved and contribute. |
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"I hope it's the foundation -- the starting block -- for more help from other people," Klacik said. "I think other people can't commit until someone steps up, and Stan has done that. I think it is going to be the building block to help develop a great football team here." Klacik said he knows Allen well from their playing days. "We were teammates and we became good friends," Klacik said. "Our parents even became friends." He couldn't be more pleased that a personal friend was the first to help the program after his appointment as coach. "He's helping with the building of the future of Lock Haven football with this gift, and it just shows that he's committed to what we are trying to get done here," Klacik said. Allen is an area manager for Ferguson Enterprises, a national wholesale company that distributes a variety of construction goods. In charge of around $700 million in annual sales out of California, Oregon and Washington, Allen said he likes to be part of a winning team. "It's fun," Allen said. "It's exciting. It's about building teams, and having people believe in you as you build trust and respect along with integrity." Allen said the same philosophy applies on the field. "You get people motivated to do their jobs," he said. "It involves perseverance, commitment, working hard and having a passion for what you do." When Allen heard Klacik was named as the new coach, he was excited, knowing Klacik would promote those same values. "I think you want a coach who will be dynamic, who will work with the alumni, faculty and community to build a program that lasts past that person's years," Allen said. "John will have essential task of convincing any student athlete's parents that their son will get a good education and be in good hands." Allen agrees with Klacik that this is an opportune time to move the program forward. "If everybody's waiting for it to turn around instead of helping it turn around, then we'll never get there," Allen said. "It's human nature for folks to be jumping on the bandwagon. I don't want to be on the bandwagon. I want to be the guy pulling the wagon." In Allen's opinion, Klacik is a great choice as coach, and is hopeful that others will rally around his leadership and support the student athletes. As for Klacik, he couldn't be in a better role. "I'm really excited to have a chance to be back and to have other guys that I've played with and other guys that I've just met step up and say, 'What do we have to do?'" Klacik said. "But I think the real proof that things are happening is when someone comes forward and says, 'Here's what I'm going to do, and I'm going to get other people to help.' That's what Stan Allen is about -- doing whatever he can to make Lock Haven a great place. We are going to need more Stan Allens out there and I'm glad he's the first one to come forward." ###LHU### |
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