Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletics

An outstanding three-sport player at Indians State Teachers College ... a longtime respected educator as principal of Avonworth High School near Pittsburgh ... recognized for his integrity in guiding scholastic sports in both Western Pennsylvania and statewide ... a dedicated leader of the IUP Alumni Association.

All of this describes Boyd Stroup, who translated his experiences before graduating from ISTC in 1949 into a benchmark for achievements that now extend very close to 50 years.

First enrolling on campus in 1942, Stroup was just getting his college days underway when he was drafted into the U.S. Air Force in March, 1943; he served three full years before returning to Indiana in 1946.

The postwar years saw him establish credentials as a football passcatcher and punter, basketball sharpshooter and baseball pitcher. Coaches George Miller, Peck McKnight, Bob Timmons,

Paul Boyts and others all valued him as a team player.
The grid co-captain did capture some personal notice, though, by punting the football farther by all accounts than anyone ever has in IUP history, 90 yards at California in 1947.

Stroup signed on at Avonworth in 1949 and stayed there 35 years until retiring in 1984. His first 10 years were devoted to teaching mathematics and driver's education as well as coaching basketball and baseball and assisting in football. In basketball he won four section titles, and his last team (in 1958-59) won the WPIAL Class B championship.

For the next 10 years (1959-69), Stroup served as assistant principal and athletic director, having earned a master of education degree at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1970, and for the final 14 years before retiring, he was principal.

From 1972 until '84 he was vice president of the WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League) as well as a member of the PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) Board of Control. Additionally, he has served on the WPIAL Scholar/Athlete Scholarship award committee.

Now he regularly volunteers his service to the Pittsburgh Public Theater and Civic Light Opera, and has found a new "career" as an extra in 12 motion pictures filmed in Pittsburgh. Notable among these have been Lorenzo's Oil, Citizen Cohn, Breathing Lessons and Diabolique, and he has worked with many of the best known Hollywood movie stars.

Boyd and the former Alice Ake, an IUP graduate voice and piano teacher, celebrated their 50th anniversary in June. They are both active members of their church.

Son Gary, after retiring from the military, is in the import business in Destin, Florida. Doug is vice president of the Original Mattress Co. in Cleveland, and daughter Beth Anderson is a first-grade teacher in the North Allegheny school district.