Krompak Honored by Central Catholic as Trailblazer for Girls’ Athletics

Central Catholic High School honored Fran Krompak, Class of 1958, as a trailblazer for girls’ athletics this afternoon with the unveiling of a tribute display in the school’s Sullivan Center.  Fran was in attendance with her family members and special guests.

Fran was a pioneer for girls’ basketball across the state, opening the door for other women to coach in northwest Ohio.  She had a 140-25 record as the first female coach at Central Catholic, and she was the first female coach in the City League.  Her record includes eight Toledo City League titles, two sectional titles, two district championships, one regional championship, and one state final four appearance during her tenure from 1969-80.  She also coached tennis, volleyball, and cheerleading at CCHS and served as a teacher and guidance counselor, working for a total of 42 years at her alma mater.  

In 1987, Fran was the first woman to be inducted into the Central Catholic Athletic Hall of Fame.  She was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in April 2022 and is also a member of the City League Hall of Fame, the Birmingham Hall of Fame, and the District 7 Basketball Hall of Fame.

Fran retired from working at Central Catholic in 2004, but that hasn’t kept her away from Cherry Street!  She still enjoys attending events and rooting on the Irish from the stands on a regular basis. 

The trailblazer display unveiled in the Central Catholic Sullivan Center includes memorabilia from Fran’s tenure as a coach, and it features a video honoring her accomplishments, with testimonials from former players, coaches, and administrators.

During the event, Central Catholic announced that the school’s Front Gym, which was where it all began for Fran and where she left her mark on girls’ athletics, will now be known as Krompak Hall.  Central Catholic will also establish the Fran Krompak Scholarship Fund to honor Fran and to support CCHS students far into the future.

Donations to the scholarship fund can be made HERE.

To watch today’s tribute on our YouTube page, please click HERE. In addition, check out a photo gallery from today’s event HERE.