Clyde will honor Hanger's legacy

Gutsy. Revolutionary. Pioneer. Leader. Many words have been used to describe Clyde sports legend Nancy Hanger. Hanger, who surpassed 500 career wins as the Fliers' first volleyball coach during her trailblazing career, died last spring. "For a small school and small community, when someone like her passes away that has had a big impact, we have to remember how fortunate we were to know her," Clyde athletic director Ryan Greenslade said. "It's monumental that we remember the impact that those coaches have had on the district." A celebration of life for Hanger will be 1-3 p.m. Sunday, July 27 at the Clyde High School gym that is named after the legend. Hanger was born in 1947 in Cleveland. She graduated from Shaw High School and attended Miami University and graduated with a physical education degree in 1969. Upon graduation, she got the job as physical education teacher at Clyde and became the cheerleading coach. But she wanted to do more than just that. She wanted to bring girls sports to the community. To do that meant standing against the men who were in charge of teacher evaluations and the renewal of her contract. "Imagine being a 21-year-old recent college graduate, stepping into a new job, her dream of starting a women's varsity sports program and facing a cultural headwind, obstacles and absence of a shared vision with administration," Mary Garvin said. Garvin played volleyball and track under Hanger. She is a 1982 Clyde graduate and recently retired from Oberlin College. "When Nancy came to Clyde in 1969, there was a lot going on in the world," Garvin said. "A big piece of that was women's rights. Among the more visible parts of that was the growth of women's and girls sports. She carried the burden of pioneering girls sports in Clyde, and in doing so, created a model used locally and across the state." Retired Clyde volleyball coach Betty Hasselbach believed Hanger came to Clyde at the right time. Hasselbach played volleyball and basketball under Hanger, and was an assistant coach when Hanger was coaching. Hasselbach is a 1977 graduate and retired from coaching the Fliers in 2018 after 25 years. "She always had a vast knowledge of the sport," Hasselbach recalled. "She always came up with drills and practice plans and knew what to practice. I asked her how she knew and it was all about the details that she wanted to get right and perfect. When Hanger asked me to coach, I didn't know, but then I said 'who else better to learn from?' She mentored me in how to do it better." So why is what Hanger did so significant? Between World War II and 1972, if a girl wanted to play sports she had to join the Girls Athletic Association (GAA) at school. Athletes had to be a part of the club before they could be a part of the team. Another rule was that windows had to be covered for them to practice and they had to wear certain types of uniforms, usually skirts, in order to maintain modesty. Girls sports programs that were started under the GAA did not receive funding from GAA in order to purchase things such as uniforms or vehicles for transportation. Even simple things, such as accessing a practice area, was difficult to come by before 1972. "If you think about it," Garvin said, "a teacher didn't make much back then. They had to use their own funds in order to provide items for the three programs she created. Then, to transport everyone, she bought a Chevy van on a teacher's salary." The Title IX Education Amendments of 1972 were passed into law June 23, 1972, by Congress and signed by President Richard Nixon. The legislation meant that sex discrimination was prohibited in any educational program or activity receiving federal aid. It was a watershed moment for women's and girls sports. The GAA continued its existence until the Ohio High School Athletic Association started to oversee girls athletics in 1970, when 12 new sports were added — nine of them were for girls. The Fliers volleyball program was officially recognized by Clyde and the OHSAA in 1974. Hanger coached the reserve and varsity teams that first season. The reserve team went 7-0, while the varsity team was 6-1. The 1974 team won the Sandusky Bay Conference with an undefeated record of 6-0 in league play (9-0 overall). Hanger also was in charge of the girls basketball team, girls track and field team, and the cheerleading squads. Her record for the first five years was 64-8. Hanger's 300th volleyball win came in 1989 when the Fliers swept Bellevue, 15-10 and 15-13. At the time, she was one of five coaches in the state with more than 300 wins. The Fliers finished the season 18-5. Hasselbach was on the team in 1975, when the OHSAA conducted its first state volleyball tournament. The Fliers were regional runners-up in 1976 and were state runners-up in 1977. The OHSAA established girls basketball tournaments in 1976. The bronze plaque that hangs outside the Hanger Gymnasium at CHS highlights Hanger's many accomplishments and her impact on Flier Athletics. The Clyde-Green Springs Board of Education approved the gymnasium dedication to her September 10, 2000. Hanger ended her career with 530 wins and 133 losses. This season, though, will be different without the familiar face and phone calls for many who knew her. Hanger passed away April 23, 2025, after a brief illness. The community was hit hard by the loss. Clyde volleyball will dedicate its upcoming season to Hanger. Coach Shelley Rogers was coached by Hasselbach and Hanger. "I'm thrilled that the current coaches and players are honoring her this way and acknowledging her impact on their lives," Garvin said. "You know, we all like to feel that we are self-made, but in truth, we all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. Pioneering women, like Nancy, overcame great struggles and adversity as they fought for equal rights for girls and women. We all have benefited from their efforts — all of society has benefited." The last volleyball game Hanger coached at Clyde was in 2001. Over the years, she created an environment of respect and trust with schools, coaches, fans and referees. "There was one game that stood out to me," Hasselbach said. "It was against Huron, and Don (Wood) and the Tigers came to Clyde. That season we lost, but he and Nancy shook hands afterwards. The theme for us was Hammer Huron. He called often to check on her, and when he asked how she was (earlier this year), I told him she had passed away. "Apparently, he still has that little red hammer that she signed for him at the end of her career and said he wasn't getting rid of it." After Hanger retired, she continued to serve the community. She was on the Board of Trustees for the Clyde Public Library at the time of her death. Hanger also founded the Communities for the Arts in 2005, after the new auditorium was built at Clyde. Her influence can still be seen today. Last winter, the girls wrestling program became an official varsity sport, and had been fast tracked through the two-year process due to the amount of interest. "I'm sure if Nancy was still alive she would have started the program, too," Greenslade said. "But to see a girls program becoming huge and seeing that history happening before my eyes while I'm the athletic director is one of the coolest things."