By Cody Straub and Simon Zimmerman –
It took two track stars a half hour to get get rid of something Joe Herman had been working on for 35 years.
Sara Connor and Laura Wissler received this honor when they placed in this year’s PIAA track and field tournament. Last year Herman, who is a coach for the varsity track and field team, specifically a throwing coach, agreed to the bet that if anyone places in this year’s state meet that the beard would go.
And it did.
“The weird thing is feeling skin I haven’t felt in a long long time,” said Herman.
The hairless face of Herman was presented to the team and spectators at the annual track picnic at Freedom Memorial Park in Millersville last night, June 6. A number of people from the Penn Manor community came to the park to watch the shaving take place.
“It was a once-in-a-35-year experience,” said junior track athlete, Russ Thorsen.
The bet was made in good ol’ fun and was also used as an incentive to get the team to push that extra mile to succeed in the tournament. Both of the girls, Connor and Wissler, placed eighth in their events. Shot put was Connor’s and discus was Wissler’s the previous month.
“It was done in fun for motivation, and it worked,” said Herman.
While it wasn’t as hard as placing in a state event, cutting off all of Herman’s hair was a challenge for the girls, who spent a half hour using scissors, a razor, electric shaver, and lots of shaving cream to make Herman’s Santa Claus look disappear.
“It was probably those long hairs on his neck that were kind of hard to get,” said Wissler, who is a junior.