Altmire

This is the first in a series of seven articles profiling the 2009 inductees into the Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame.BOYERS - When she wanted to play competitive basketball in high school, she couldn't.When it came to college basketball, she was forced to play.When it came to coaching basketball, Martha Altmire was a natural.That's why the 1967 Moniteau High graduate will be inducted into the Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame at the organization's 44th annual banquet April 25 at the Butler Days Inn.Altmire coached at one place, Olean High in western New York, for her entire career. In 35 years of coaching girls basketball, she compiled a record of 484-222 with 18 league titles, seven Section VI championships and two trips to the New York state tournament, including a berth in the 1982 finals."I definitely learned on the fly," Altmire said of coaching. "But we were always good. We were always a step or two ahead of the competition."Altmire's win total when she retired in 2006 ranked among the top five all time in the New York State not bad for someone who never really planned to enter the field.Altmire attended Anderson College in Indiana to major in physical education. She wanted to be a gym teacher."There were no varsity sports for girls when I was at Moniteau," she said. "I played basketball in the intramural program on Fridays."I enjoyed playing and being in the gym so much, I wanted to continue it. The values that I eventually took into coaching, I learned here."To major in physical education at Anderson, female students had to participate in intercollegiate athletics. Altmire found herself on the women's basketball team."I learned the basics of the game while I was playing," she said.Altmire's collegiate basketball background wound up helping her to land a teaching job at Olean because the school's administration wanted to build an athletic program for girls."The gentleman who hired me wanted me to coach every sport, plus initiate a girls basketball program," Altmire said. "Of the candidates he interviewed, he thought I was best suited to do that."So Altmire became the first girls basketball coach at Olean High. She also was the school's cheerleading, track and field hockey coach.Olean finished 10-1 in 1971-72, its first girls basketball season. The program endured only six losing seasons during her tenure."As girls basketball developed in the state, I was able to shed some of my other coaching assignments," Altmire said. "But I coached cheerleading and track and field into the early 1980s."During her career, Altmire sent more than 50 girls on to college basketball. About 15 of her former players became coaches themselves."She was the type of coach who demanded excellence and discipline all the time," Olean athletic director Don Scholla said. "Yet she stayed updated and moved along with the times."Her teams weren't afraid to run, but defense and rebounding were always her staple.""We won championships, league and county titles, but my favorite memory is seeing players develop and play to their potential," Altmire said.The year she retired from coaching, a ceremony was held in the Olean gym to name the court in Altmire's honor. The words "Coach Altmire Court" are painted on the floor."That was one of the most surreal experiences you can have, seeing a basketball court with your name on it, after coaching there so many years," Altmire said.Altmire has spent the past three basketball seasons watching games on TV. She's frequented high school games as well.She's followed her former Olean program closely. The team finished 22-4 this year and reached the final four of the state tournament.Olean has won three league titles and two section crowns since Altmire left."That was the only place I ever coached and taught," Altmire said. "That school is a huge part of my life. I'll always follow them."Yeah, I still miss coaching, especially at playoff time. I loved the postseason."Scholla was an assistant coach on Altmire's staff and is now the head coach. His daughter played basketball for Altmire."Martha built a program of tradition and honor," Scholla said. "All we're trying to do now is maintain it."Altmire also has been inducted into the Cattaraugus County (N.Y.) Sports Hall of Fame, the Olean High School Athletic Wall of Fame and the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame.Tickets for the banquet are $20 and are available at Bill's Beer Barn or from any Hall of Fame committee member.