Jul 30, 2017 8 min read

For 27 years, George Linck worked diligently, tirelessly and maybe even waved a wand in building and caring for the athletic program in the Bentworth School District.

Linck forged his reputation as an outstanding athletic director long ago, always putting the need of the Bearcats’ student-athletes at the forefront.

The legacy he left at Bentworth upon his recent retirement as a teacher and athletic director is not lost on his friends, co-workers, bosses, coaches and the Bentworth athletes.

He helped Bentworth to success and led a department that he demanded be professional, friendly and cooperative.

That can be difficult to maintain over the course of two-plus decades. It did take a lot of work and a little Linck magic.

In retirement, Linck is enjoying fishing, spending time with his wife, Corrine, and a new lifestyle.

During a recent short fishing trip to Neshannock Creek in New Wilmington, Linck found pleasure and bit of confusion. As he walked back to where he parked his vehicle, he found the streets packed with people.

“I wondered what was going on,” Linck said. “I saw a woman and she explained to me it was a Harry Potter Festival. She talked to me about it, and I told her my kids were into Harry Potter but I knew very little about it. She said I was in the land of . . . I don’t even remember what.

“I told her I was in the land of retirement and it was the most wonderful land of all,” Linck quipped.

Magical, to say the least.

Linck, who turned 60 this spring, admits he will miss his former posts. He will have an empty spot for the athletic directors’ meetings he often enjoyed – and most often took a lead role in. And he certainly will miss the daily interaction with students, coaches and co-workers.

But he is not turning back.

“I just like to think that we got a lot of bang for our buck at Bentworth in athletics,” said Linck, a 1975 graduate of Washington High School and 1979 graduate of Slippery Rock University. “I always encouraged our coaches to understand that we needed to share athletes and to embrace athletes who played multiple sports. Really, that’s a key to success in a small district.”

Linck played football and baseball at Washington and earned his teaching certificate from California University.

To stay in an athletic director’s position anywhere for 27 years says a lot about Linck’s personality and determination. Nobody understands that as well as George Lammay, who worked under Linck when the former resurrected the football program at Bentworth and then later was Linck’s immediate supervisor as principal of the school. Lammay is currently Bentworth’s assistant superintendent.

“There is little doubt that working for one district in that capacity for that length of time is remarkable,” Lammay said. “Working in a small district has its unique challenges and situations. George had to balance a lot of situations to make the athletic department and our teams successful.

“He worked hard to hire the most quality coaches within the district and from outside the district. His longevity speaks for itself. Bentworth is a really good school district. George played a big part in it being that.

“In a small district, the challenge almost always is you have to watch your pennies. He did a great job of working with what he had, convincing coaches to work with what they had. George always worked to get coaches and programs what they needed. He was their advocate. He would argue for them, stand up for their needs. I valued that.”

In addition to his efforts and accomplishments as an athletic director and a teacher, Linck had a stellar career as a football, volleyball and basketball official.

He was particularly adept as a football referee.

Linck officiated both high school and collegiate football, in every division except Division I-A.

He worked five WPIAL championship games, one PIAA championship and the 2007 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the NCAA Division III national championship game, in Salem, Va.

Linck, who was at Bentworth for 29 years total, also coached volleyball at the school for three years and was an assistant baseball coach for nine seasons.

He also coached in the Washington Youth Baseball organization for 30 years and was a coach with the Washington Pony League World Series team in 2001 and 2004.

He also imparted a little wisdom along the way.

“I would write quotes on my classroom board,” Linck said. “Find a job you love and never work a day in your life. Or wash your hands and make your bed. Words to live by.”

Lammay said the balance Linck brings to his professions makes him special.

“Even with his officiating career, George always balanced it all perfectly,” Lammay said. “There’s little question as to how good of an official he was.

“He carried that respect to officials of our high school games. George would never tolerate the abuse of officials or referees. He was always appropriate in dealing with officials in his role as AD. He always set the best example. If he thought an official needed addressed, then it was done. He always handled it in a sportsmanlike fashion.”

Linck enjoyed officiating, and even let an opportunity to move to Division I football pass.

He relished his experience.

“I was extremely fortunate to have excellent mentors,” Linck said. “(The late) Bill Christy, Erman Hartmann and Denny Mader,” Linck said. “I was privileged to get playoff games. When you are in those big games, you want to produce. I was taught by good people who told me someone is always watching you.”

Someone who has watched Linck for many years is former Canon-McMillan athletic director Guy Montecalvo, a longtime football coach at Washington and for the Big Macs. The two were boyhood friends, colleagues as athletic directors and are wine-tasting pals and fishing partners.

“The legacy George left at Bentworth is the length of his tenure,” Montecalvo said. “The devotion I saw him give to that district was outstanding. His commitment to PASADA (Pennsylvania State Athletic Directors Association) and TRICADA (Tri-County Athletic Director’s Association) was incredible.

“The things he believed in and the way he worked to hire the most quality coaches is what sets him apart. There is no question he is as honest and moral as they come.

“It’s difficult to win year in and year out at a small school. But George fought for his programs. He fought for a track program and they have had state medalists and now a state champion. He worked to get that program a decent place to practice and compete. They have had success in girls and boys soccer and girls and boys basketball. Volleyball and football had success. And the baseball program is annually among the best.

“George is very humble. He is the kind of guy on the side of the stage instead of being the sage on stage. He is selfless. You couldn’t ask for a more professional person or a better friend.”

Linck has been asked by people if he intends to return to officiating. His only returns will be to the water to fish or to vacation with his wife and boys, Tyler, Jordan and Preston.

“I could not have done all of this without the support from my wife and kids,” Linck said. “I am thankful for all the people I worked with, the coaches, the ticket-takers, administrators and people of the community. No one would survive 27 years without a lot of help.

“I will miss being the AD. I will miss the camaraderie at TRI-CADA meetings and I will miss coaching. But I don’t want to come back and be part-time anything. You have to be 100 percent. And I cannot do it without being 100 percent. I didn’t do anything anyone else didn’t do.”

Lammay would disagree.

“He would never endorse anything that would compromise the values he set forth and maintains. It was never win at all costs with George. He believed in comporting oneself in the proper manner. I think that sets him apart. I hope the district and com-munity have come to realize his contributions. His staff will miss him. They trusted him.

“On a personal level, I will miss him being here. He’s a good friend. We didn’t always agree and sometimes we argued. But I hold him in the highest esteem. Our relationship will not end because he isn’t at Bentworth anymore.”

John Sacco writes a bi-weekly column on local sports history.