John Hemmer, coached five state championship boys track & field teams at Orlando’s Oak Ridge High School. In his 29 years as head coach at the school, the Pioneers won 301 meets, including 159 major invitationals.

​

Hemmer has coached a total of 33 All-American athletes, 10 All American relay teams, 14 individual state champions and eight state champion relay teams. More than 120 athletes he has coached have earned athletic scholarships in track and/or football.

​

Hemmer was an assistant manager on the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team that participated in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games. He is second (one of only four) high school coach to have served on an Olympic track & field staff.  Hemmer also was head manager of the U.S. men’s team that outscored 140 other nations and won seven gold medals in the 1999 IAFF World Track & Field Championships in Seville, Spain.

​

In 1998, Hemmer was inducted into the National High School Coaches Hall of Fame. He has also been inducted into the Florida Track Hall of Fame and was named the National High School Coach of the Year in 1993. He also served on the Coaches Advisory Board and Men’s Track & Field Committee for USA Track & Field. While at Oak Ridge, he also served as head football coach for four years and an assistant football coach for 14 years. Hemmer was also an assistant coach for the University of Central Florida football program in 1979, the first year UCF had a team.



After retiring from coaching track, Hemmer spent his final years at Oak Ridge still teaching driver’s education and coaching Oak Ridge’s freshman football team. He has been the FHSAA Track and Field State Meet director since 2003.

The Oak Ridge High School Lady Pioneer track & field team has been a perennial contender for the state championship for a long time, thanks to 30+ years of William “Bill” Stamper’s hard work and dedication.

​

In his 31 years as head coach his Lady Pioneers teams amassed nine state championships and five-time state runners-up. Stamper has coached 21 All-America athletes, 10 national champions, 21 individual state champions and 11 state championship relay teams. 54 of his athletes have received college scholarships including 9 NCAA All Americans, 4 NCAA National Champions and an Olympic Gold Medalist along with a 2nd Olympic Participant.​
​

In cross country, Stamper coached the girls program for 25 years. He also coached the boys cross country program for 19 years. Stamper coached the girls team to a district championship and a conference championship, and the boys team to two region titles, one district title and three conference titles.

​

Stamper served as the Florida Athletic Coaches Association district track & field chair for 13 years, and was a member of the FHSAA Track & Field Advisory Committee. He is a member of the Metro Conference, FACA, FHSAA, Golden South Classic and Florida Track & Field Halls of Fame. Stamper was the 2006-07 Florida Dairy Farmers Coach of the Year, NHSCA National Coach of the Year in 2009, and a four-time finalist for NHSACA National Coach of the Year, finally winning the honor in 2010.

​

During this time, he taught such varied subjects as biology, mathematics, physical education and driver’s education.