Dick Dei To Be Inducted Posthumously Into West Virginia Coaches Association Hall of Fame
WHEELING -- During the event that has borne his name since 2004, it was announced Saturday that late Wheeling Park track coach Dick Dei will be inducted into the West Virginia Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The official ceremony will be held in June in conjunction with the North-South Football Game in Charleston.
Dei was the architect of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference's (OVAC) most dominant boys' track program at Wheeling Park High. During the school's first 13 years (1977-89), the Patriots won eight OVAC Class AAAA championships and finished second three times; won nine West Virginia Region 1 titles; and captured three West Virginia Class AAA state championships (1978, 1980 and 1988) while finishing as the runner-up twice, 1979 and 1989. Following the 1989 Track and Field season, Dick retired from coaching and became an assistant principal at Wheeling Park High School, until his retirement in June 2003.
Under the guidance of Dei, who coached 22 All-America track honorees during his career, Park lost only two dual meets in 13 seasons. He was named West Virginia Track Coach of the Year on two occasions and the Ohio Valley Track Coach of the Year by The Intelligencer twice.
The coach established one of the area's top invitational meets -- the Pepsi-Park Classic which was later renamed the Dick Dei Track Classic beginning in 2004. The Dick Dei Track Classic is among the most competitive high school track and field events held annually in West Virginia. The event attracts schools and athletes from Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
He designed Wheeling Park's all-weather track facility that bears his name. In addition, responsible for implementing the first photo-electric timing system at a West Virginia high school, with Wheeling Park's system originally used at the West Virginia State Meet in Charleston. He served as chairman of the OVAC Track Committee and the OVAC Track Championships; West Virginia Region Meet Director; a member of the West Virginia State Track Meet Committee; and was a presenter at the West Virginia University Track and Field Clinic.
Dei received the R.A. Thom Award in 1990 for West Virginia Track Service and Contributions; and was named the OVAC Cal Giffin Track Official of the Year in 1995. He was also honored by the Upper Ohio Valley Dapper Dan Club and the W.Va. Sports Writers Association.
Dei was inducted as the inaugural member into the Wheeling Park High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998, the West Liberty University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2011.
Dei played football at Wheeling Central and West Liberty and earned a master's degree from West Virginia University. He began a 39-year teaching/coaching career in 1965 at Bellaire (Ohio) High School, serving as head track coach and an assistant in football. He also was an assistant football coach at Martins Ferry (Ohio) High School; head football coach at Adena (Ohio) High School; and head football and track coach at Wheeling High School, prior to the consolidation into Wheeling Park High School. He also served as defensive coordinator at Bethany College in 1980, helping the Bisons to an NCAA Division III playoff berth.
Dei passed away in 2007 at the age of 66 and left behind his wife Patti, sons, Todd and Sean and Todd's wife, Stacie, along with his other daughter-in-law, Pamela. At the time of his passing, Dick had two grandchildren, Sean, Jr. (2006) and McKenna (2006). Since his passing, two more grandchildren were born into the family, Isabella (2008) and Kendall (2013).