By Kecia Bal
The Tribune-Democrat
SOMERSET — County officials are honoring probation officer Bob Landis for his work off-duty – and on the football field.
Somerset County commissioners offered a certificate of appreciation to Landis at a board meeting Tuesday, where he was commended for 10 years of service as an adult probation officer and for leading the Somerset Golden Eagles to their winningest season since 1957 in his role as head coach.
“We’re very proud of you as an employee of Somerset County and obviously for your community service, but also for your willingness to step forward and work with the youth of the community,” commissioner Pam Tokar-Ickes told him, adding that the whirlwind of wins brought the community together.
“It was really the buzz for a number of weeks,” she said.
The Somerset Area High School team went 14-2 this season, just one win short of vying for a state championship.
Commissioners said Landis’ “experience, dedication and vision for the Somerset Area football program” led to the official recognition, which he can add to two other titles Landis netted recently: the class AAA coach of the year for the 2014 Pennsylvania Football Writers’ All-State Team and the Somerset all-county coach of the year.
Landis started his football coaching endeavors at Berlin Brothersvalley High School, where he volunteered as an assistant coach for two years. He joined Somerset Area School District as an assistant coach for six years and has been head coach since 2011.
Since then, commissioners said Landis has transformed the football program and helped the school make a name for itself in the class AAA division.
Of course, the players deserve praise, too, commissioners’ board Chairman John Vatavuk said, and Landis concurred.
“It’s the boys,” Landis said.
“The boys did a fantastic job this year. Years like that don’t happen every year. It was a great experience. The community involvement was outstanding – the parades to and from when we were coming back off the turnpike, to see the bleachers full for once on a Friday night. You looked up at the stands and the bleachers were full. It was a good thing for the community.”
County Solicitor Dan Rullo had one request.
“You just have to repeat now,” he said. “That’s all.”