From student-athlete to coach to official to administrator, athletics were a huge part of Wendell Hower’s life.
He played football for Lititz High School and Franklin & Marshall College, helping the Diplomats to their first undefeated season when they went 9-0-0 in 1950. F&M outscored its opponents 252-41 that season. He was named Little All-America as a senior.
He was an assistant coach for football and track and field upon beginning his teaching career at Manheim Township High School but soon shifted to officiating football and basketball. At Township, he became assistant principal and served as athletic director for five years.
After Hower became the principal at Township — he served in that role for 29 and a half years — he was also serving the Lancaster-Lebanon League and the District Three committee. He started as District Three's executive secretary and then served as executive director for 21 years. During that time, he was chairman of the football, basketball and tennis committees. In all, he spent 43 years as a member of the District Three committee.