This is the second in a series about individuals who will be inducted into the Fox Chapel Area Sports Hall of Fame this year.
Dallas Roper made a name for himself on the track and cross country teams at Fox Chapel Area.
The 1980 graduate set a home course cross country record in 1978 as a sophomore.
In his junior year, he finished first in the Tri-State Cross Country Invitational and Northern Cross Country Invitational.
He was also a WPIAL qualifier in cross country and finished fifth in the 800 at the PIAA track championships.
As a senior, he was MVP at the Shaler Track Invitational with four first-place finishes (800 and 1,600 runs and 3,200 and 1,600 relays.)
He was also the Tri-State indoor champion in the 800 and 1600.
Roper set a meet record in the 1,600 at the Penn Relays.
He was the WPIAL champion in the 800 and 1,600 and set a state record in the 800. He was named the WPIAL and Tri-State Athlete of the Year and still holds the 800 and 1600 records at Fox Chapel Area.
"I have fond memories of my Fox Chapel days," Roper said. "We had great camaraderie on the team"
Roper said he wouldn't have been able to accomplish all of the athetic feats he did without the help of coach Jay Seward.
"I appreciated how he pushed me," Roper siad.
One of Roper's favorite memories of his days at Fox Chapel is a funny one.
"I remember running at states and losing my shoe on the first turn," he said. "I thought I would be like the Kenyans and run shoeless and I finished the race.
"My foot wasn't a pretty sight afterward."
Roper entered the U.S. Naval Academy upon graduation and continued his track career with some pretty impressive results.
He earned three letters each in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. He holds the indoor record in the 1,500 and was part of a 4x8 relay team that still holds the school record.
After graduating, he spent 10 years in the Navy as a flier on an aircraft carrier. He then decided to pursue another career. Roper earned his second bachelor's degree from West Virginia University, majoring in biology, and moved to Florida with his wife, Dondie; daughter, Tiffany; and son William.
He teaches high school sciences in a Christian school, including honors physics and honors chemistry.
He's also involved in coaching cross country and girls soccer.
"I‘ve been blessed with the way things have turned out and I wouldn't have it any other way," he said
Roper's children have followed in his athletic ways but in different sports. "Tiffany, 18, is a special-needs athlete and we compete in sailing and tennis in the Special Olympics," Roper said.
"William is 16 and he plays varsity tennis at his high school."
Roper said he still runs. At the age of 50, his goal, he said, is to compete in another marathon.
