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Because of his early exposure to leadership roles through sports, Art Kratchman can count himself among the fortunate figures who as children can envision their vocational goals.
After 37 years with the School District of Philadelphia, the last 29 of which he spent helming the athletic department at the Girard Academic Music Program, 2136 W. Ritner St., the Cherry Hill, N.J. resident retired June 24, though with inspiring youngsters as an unavoidable interest, he has not ruled out a return to the competitive world.
“I always loved helping the kids at GAMP to know how to do the right thing and act the appropriate way,” the 59-year-old motivator said Monday. “I wanted my athletes to play hard and leave their bodies out there because competing is more than about winning and losing; it’s also about developing character.”
Fearing the decimation of the Girard Estate site’s athletic identity because of the district’s $304-million operating deficit, Kratchman submitted his plan to part with his employer April 14. That meant the affable man, who as a boy absorbed sports knowledge “like a savant,” would leave his duties as a health and physical education instructor, athletic director and coach of the baseball and boys’ basketball teams. Having completed what became his final hardwood campaign in December, he made his decision at the start of the recently concluded diamond season.
“I knew we could compete early on in our baseball endeavors because there’s always been a solid pool of talent in South Philly,” Kratchman said of his more successful squads, the first of which took the field in 1987. “I benefited from having great players, parents and administrators, all who knew that maturation is on par with victories, by my side.”
Stressing preparation and tenacity, he witnessed his charges win nearly 300 games and capture eight District 12 Class A and AA championships, including six straight from 2005 to ’10. The players also secured eight appearances in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament, winning the program’s lone state contest last year, which followed their advancing to the Public League title tilt. Twice the league’s runner-up, the Pioneers solidified their status in GAMP’s annals by claiming the ’02 crown.
“They caught lightning in a bottle,” Kratchman said of that year’s roster members, who overcame a 5-9 regular-season league mark to slay four postseason foes by a total of six runs. “Those victories stand out but so do many others. Every journey with the guys is going to remain with me.”
This year’s unit advanced to the league semifinals and saw then-senior infielder Joe Brinkman and soon-to-be senior pitcher Jacob Kurtz achieve Division A First-Team designation, the 66th and 67th All-Public picks under the outgoing coach.
“It’s easy to win when you have talent,” Kratchman, whose last game was June 4’s 3-2 first-round state setback against Calvary Christian at Temple University’s Ambler campus, said. “I give all the credit to my players.”
Though he gained more renown honing diamond ambitions, the three-time South Philly Review Readers’ Choice Coach of the Year began his own sojourn as a basketball player and fondly recalled attending clinics with legendary coaches Harry Litwack, a graduate of South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St., and Jack Ramsay, of Temple and Saint Joseph’s universities. Hoops continued to hold his fascination as he entered adulthood, including an assistant coaching stint at Murrell Dobbins High School through which he molded the talent of Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble, both of whom earned All-American status at Loyola Marymount University in 1990.
“I came to GAMP right after Dobbins and was essentially told ‘This is your baby’ when I discussed building up our athletic program,” Kratchman, whose pre-Pioneers time also involved subbing chores at the former Edward Bok Technical High School, 1901 S. Ninth St., and teaching at A.S. Jenks Academics Plus School, 2501 S. 13th St., said. “With that in mind, I knew I’d look to bring basketball here.”
His rim rockers experienced fewer happy moments than their baseball brethren, accumulating 130 wins since their ’90 inception, but the final bunch notched nine league wins to set a school record and gave Kratchman his seventh player with at least 1,000 points through the explosive exploits of recent graduate Tobias Stokes.
“We didn’t always have great talent, but the heart was always there,” he said of overseeing the squads, which featured 19 All-Public honorees. “With basketball, baseball, whatever, I’m looking for whoever replaces me to be someone who wants to run a great program because that’s what GAMP has. Sports are often the carrot that drives kids, and they’re a great way to inspire confidence.”
Believing he will again find himself drawn to coaching, Kratchman, who will turn 60 Saturday, is staying sharp through a trek to Israel, where will act in a liaison role for the 19th Maccabiah Games participants competing from July 17 to 31. Having often received praise from his former players, he still defers to them when pondering what his nearly three-decade stay in South Philly has yielded.
“I grow older and the kids stay the same age,” Kratchman, a father of two who celebrated his 35th anniversary to wife Judy Tuesday, said of having needed to stay mentally and physically keen each year. “No matter what I’ve done, teaching or coaching, I’ve stressed responsibility. My players bought into that, and I’m thankful for having had the chance to grow with them.”
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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