The Curbstone Coaches organization was founded in 1958, and over the past eight decades, the weekly Monday meetings and yearly hall of fame banquet have become staples of the Mahoning Valley’s sports scene.

With the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on all sports nationwide over the past 13 months, the organization had to pause all activities last November to comply with safety decrees issued by local, statewide and national health organizations.

Having received the thumbs up to now proceed with weekly meetings, the organization will return this Monday at noon at Avion Banquet Center when former Penguins’ head football coach and current YSU President Jim Tressel kicks off their abbreviated six-week session.

“We are glad to be back with weekly Monday meetings, albeit with an abbreviated six-week session,” said Frank Nolasco, current organization president. “The Curbstone Coaches will continue as the premier sports organization in the Mahoning Valley as we present to the community a venue for valley and national sports speakers.

“We hope to continue to unite our community in the spirit of sports entertainment and memories as presented by our weekly guest speakers.”

Following Tressel will be Theresa Walton, first-year head coach of the newly-formed YSU lacrosse team.

Her Penguins will host Detroit-Mercy this Saturday at Farmers National Bank Field.

“We are thrilled to be getting back together to listen to and talk sports,” said Bob Camardo, member of the organization’s board of trustees and luncheon speaker coordinator. “We’ve lined up some great speakers for our six-week return, hoping to build momentum toward a more normal fall session. We’ll do so following safety protocols with the great folks at Avion Banquet Center.”

On May 3, YSU football head coach Doug Phillips will take the microphone to discuss his first season at the helm of the Penguins’ grid program.

“It’s great to finally be back with our weekly luncheons,” first vice-president Tom Miller said. “The sports fans of the Valley look forward to our meetings and they help support us with their attendance.

“Personally, I am so happy for our hall of fame inductees. The 12 honorees, who were supposed to be inducted in 2020 will finally be honored when we hold our next induction ceremony on May 1, 2022.

After Phillips, Ray “Showdawg” Prisby, a Mahoning Valley native who was inducted into the Ford Hall of Fans on Feb. 5, will serve as guest speaker on May 10, with Hubbard High School graduate Craig Muder, director of communications for the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, set for May 17.

“Our scheduling committee has done an outstanding job in procuring speakers for this six-week period,” board secretary Chuck Fizet said. “This is a great way to jump start our Monday meetings.”

Closing out the spring session will be Ron Strollo, YSU executive director of athletics.

Strollo, who is set to conclude his 20th year as Penguins’ athletic director and 25th overall with the University, played for Tressel from 1988-91 and was named captain of YSU’s 1991 Division I-AA national championship team.

Under his leadership, his alma mater has won 45 Horizon League championships with 30 of those titles coming since the 2013-14 academic year.

Over the past six years, the Penguins have posted six straight top-five McCafferty Trophy (the Horizon League’s all-sports award) finishes.

“I’m all smiles and happy about resuming our weekly meetings,” membership chair Patty Schuley said. “We haven’t been together since last November and I am sure many of us miss the camaraderie while listening to such interesting guest speakers.”

Meetings are open to the public and further information regarding weekly speakers and its hall of fame can be obtained by visiting the organization’s Facebook page.