Amy Crum Inducted Into Northern KY Athletic Hall of Fame
The Ashland Beacon
Kathy Clayton
When Amy Crum, Athletic Director at Greenup County High School, learned she was to be inducted into the Northern Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame, to say she was shocked is an understatement.
“I thought I was mediocre, an average athlete, so I was very surprised to find out I had been selected,” Crum commented. She was a runner, relays and cross country, at Conner High School in northern Kentucky, and in college at Marshall University. “I was the relay queen in college,” she laughed.
But Crum credits her high school coach with encouraging her as an athlete. “I was a hardheaded teenager, and he saw potential in me.” Crum said in high school, she also participated in hurdles and long jump. “He would move us around to see where we fit.”
She said her high school coach, Buddy Dittus, is now on the board of directors of the Northern Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame. “He’s a good man, just a really great guy, well-respected. He’s been around a long time. He told me over a year ago that he nominated me, then in late fall told me I would be in (the Hall of Fame).”
Crum’s love of running began in elementary school. “We had races every morning. By fifth grade, they bumped me up to race with the boys. I just loved it but not so much now. I have the aches and pains that come with being in my fifties,” she said.
Crum recalled going to the state track and field meet during her junior year of high school and noted that her coach guided her into additional meets. “He got me into summer meets and went to nationals one summer in Provo, Utah,” she said. “It’s taken me many places, including the Junior Olympics in Orlando one year, first regionals then nationals.” She went on to run track at Marshall. “I did well there, I traveled to a lot of places.”
According to Crum, her co-workers were shocked to hear the news of her accomplishment. “I didn’t think I was good enough to get in, so I didn’t talk about it much. They were surprised and proud and happy for me. My son who is a senior this year is hearing from his friends about it — they tell him they didn’t know his mom was so cool.”
These days, Crum, who has been with Greenup County schools for 30 years, is devoted to her students. Crum shared, “I really like our kids; there’s something special about them. It’s a good place to be and work, seeing kids succeed in their individual sports. Guiding them and getting them to that point is very satisfying.”
“The current coaching staff is great to work with, and they added wrestling about three years ago.”
Crum has two children, Nate who is a senior, and Kristen who is the mother of her only grandchild, two-year-old Bentley. These days, she spends her time bodybuilding.