TC's Tomi Gernert Bateman and Amy Schar Cooper going into HOF

Tomi Gernert Bateman Inducted August 28, 2021 Tomi Bateman, a 1998 graduate of Columbian High School was a three sport athlete playing volleyball, basketball and softball. During her career she earned nine varsity letters. She was a scholar athlete her junior and senior year, and Tomi say's it was her love and drive for sports that kept her working hard on her academics. Tomi's senior year of volleyball, she was a team captain and received the Coach's Award for being the "Most Versatile Player". She played on the NOL championship team, and was second team NOL, second team District 6 and participated in the District 6 All-Star Game. In basketball her senior year, she was a team captain and was named Most Valuable Player. Her awards included first team NOL, first team District 6, first team Northwest District, Special Mention All-Ohio, Top Gun Award, Ohio North-South All Star Basketball Game participant, Regional Tournament All-Star, and Advertiser-Tribune Player of the Week. She led her team in steals and points, and was second in assists, while also being named "Chairman of the Boards". During her junior year of basketball, she was a team captain and was named first team District 6, first team All-NOL and second team Northwest District. During her sophomore year, Tomi was honorable mention All-NOL in both volleyball and basketball. Her freshmen year, she was awarded the Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Award for the 1994 school year by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. At the time of her graduation, Tomi held the record for most 3-point goals in a season with 46, most assists in a game with 11 and most steals in a game with 14. She had 246 career steals and 84 career 3-pointers. She amassed 293 assists and scored 951 points.After high school, Tomi attended Utah Valley State College. She participated as a grey shirt for Utah Valley's basketball team with plans to be an active member of the team the following year. However, plans changed when she met her sweetheart and was married the following summer. Tomi made the decision to start her family instead of pursuing her dreams on the court. Jed and Tomi Bateman went on to have eight children. Kadi (21),Ty (19), Maggie(17), Thomas (15), Taren (12), Jaycee(10), Jacobie (8), and Autumn (7). Tomi's love of sports lives on in the form of coaching. She has coached countless basketball teams, including youth rec league, middle school, high school and AAU. In fact, she has often found herself coaching multiple teams at the same time. In 2015, Tomi was named the head coach of the varsity softball team at Bonners Ferry High School. She took over a program that had never won a league title or qualified for a state tournament in its 22 years of existence. Coaching alongside her husband Jed, Tomi led her team to a district championship and qualified for the state tournament in her first year. Over the course of four years, her team won two league championships, three district championships and qualified for the state tournament all four years. The pinnacle of her success came in 2017 as Tomi led her team to an Idaho 3A state championship. Her team then brought home a second place state finish in 2018. Tomi was named Intermountain League Coach of the Year in 2015, 2016 and 2018. In 2017, the year in which her team won its first ever state championship, Tomi was named the Idaho State Coach of the Year. Tomi has had the incredible opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom for the bulk of her married life. In the past few years, she has worked in the Boundary County School District in various positions and is excited about her newest endeavor to open an in-home preschool. Amy Schar Cooper Inducted August 28, 2021Amy Cooper graduated from Columbian High School in 1991. She was a three-sport athlete, competing in volleyball, basketball and track, and earned a total of eight varsity letters. She was a scholar athlete throughout her entire high school career. In volleyball, Amy was co-most valuable player her senior year, first team All-NOL, first team District 6, District 6 Division I Player of the Year, and served as a co-captain of the team. In her junior and senior years of basketball, she earned the following team awards: Bonnie & Clyde Award (most steals), Top Gun Award (most 3- pointers) and Best Defensive Player. She led the NOL in 3-point percentage and was in the Top 10 in the league in assists and steals per game. As a junior, she earned honorable mention All-NOL and the same in District 6, Division I. Track and Field was the only sport in which Amy could earn four varsity letters and she did. Three out of four seasons she helped lead her team to NOL championships and her freshman year to a runner-up position. She had several first team honors throughout her track career. Her senior year in track she earned the following awards: Most Valuable Runner, Scott Reinhart Memorial Award (which was awarded to the Most Versatile and Dedicated Senior) and at the time of her graduation she had scored the most points in a career with 409.56. As a junior, she had the opportunity to compete at the state track meet in the 4x200 and 4x400 relays. As a freshman, she received the Rookie of the Year award and the Golden Brick Award (Most Spirit). She is still on four record-holding relay teams (4x200, 4x400, sprint medley and distance medley). After high school, Amy attended Heidelberg University where she studied education. She is a four-year letterwinner and was also a captain on the volleyball team where she still has Top 10 places in their record books. Amy has coached in the Tiffin City School District for 30 years and continues to coach the three sports she competed in. She has coached at all levels in these sports and is currently the junior varsity volleyball coach, head girls' basketball coach and head girls' track coach. Her teams have had tremendous successes, especially the track and field team with six league championships and nine individuals and relay teams making it to the state track meet. Throughout the years, girls on her basketball team and track team have broken several records as well. Amy and her husband Brian reside in Tiffin with their two children Hannah and Hailey.