Last spring track coach, Adam Doenges, sent out a social media post to see if any alumni wanted to donate their old slightly used running shoes for track athletes who did not have the means to get their own. Aaron Dinzeo reached out to Adam and said that he had some shoes that he would send him. Shortly thereafter, two enormous boxes showed up containing brand new to slightly used (floor model) running shoes. Aaron sent over 40 pair of running shoes in various men's and women's sizes. So far, more than 20 athletes last track season and this year's cross country season have run in some of the best running shoes on the market because of Aaron and his thoughtfulness. Almost all of these students would not have been able to afford new running shoes.
Aaron Dinzeo, a 2010 SHS graduate, is one of the most accomplished student athletes in school history. He remains today as the SHS record holder in both the two mile run in track and the 5K run in cross country. His senior year at SHS he finished 5th in the State of Ohio, earning him All-Ohio status. After high school he was an elite distance runner in college from 2010 to 2015 at Pennsylvania Western University at California in Pennsylvania. He earned NCAA All American status seven times between his cross country and track and field accomplishments. He also garnered All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference laurels a combined ten times. Aaron became the school's first ever Academic All-American of the Year and was voted the PSAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
As a sophomore Aaron placed 6th in the PSAC cross country championships and finished 4th at the NCAA Regional Championships. This qualified him for the National Championships. In 2013 he garnered All-American Honors in the 5,000 meters in track. In 2014 he earned All-American laurels three times. Aaron placed 2nd overall at both the PSAC Championships and NCAA Regional Championships. In the fall he set the all-time PSAC record in the 10,000 meter run and then received All-American Honors in both the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter runs at the NCAA Championships. Next, he was named the PSAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year after winning League Title in both events. Finally, in the fall, he was named the PSAC Athlete of the Year and USTFCCA Regional Athlete of the Year after winning individual titles in both events. He was then named a CSC 1st time Academic All American for the 3rd straight year. After college he continued with his running ways. He ran cross country for Team USA at the NACAC (North American, Central American, and Caribbean Championships in 2016 which the USA won as a team. This organization hosts, in conjunction with South America, the Pan American Games Cross Country Cup. In 2020, Aaron qualified for the Olympic Trials.
Aaron's major in college was anthropology with a double endorsement in archeology and forensic anthropology. He works as a technical representative for On, Incorporated, a Sportswear Company.
He is in charge of the New England Region of the company. He has been in this position for three years. He gives his all to everything he does. Aaron's fondest memories from SHS are of his friends that he still stays in contact with today. He loved going to football games and painting his chest and just having a good time. When asked about influential teachers from SHS he spoke highly of Brett Bickel who influenced his life in politics, history and government. He remembered English teachers Sara Olding and Jennifer Luebke who he said taught him how to write. Finally, he acknowledged Adam Doenges for all he has already accomplished with the track and cross country teams. He mentioned how excited he was to see where Adam would be able to take these programs in the future.
When asked what advice he had for current high school students he told them to keep an open mind. He said that we are living in a world with distracting and unhelpful information, but we're blessed to have helpful mentors around us at schools like Sidney.
When I spoke with him he was driving in the rain in the eastern part of our country. He told me that his parents still lived in Sidney and he came home as often as he could. It was obvious to me that even though his job takes him away, his heart is still right here in Sidney.
