I reviwed Jason Barr’s interview of Richard Ocker. I know Richard as Coach Ocker, one of the sprint coaches on the Dickinson College track team. I had never realized or bothered to ask Coach Ocker about his experiences growing up†or how he wound up in Carlisle, coaching for Dickinson, but this interview definitely opened my eyes. Ocker revealed myriad interesting facts about his life in a rural community with no electricity and no running water. How his schooling continued on to college where he ran at the collegiate level at Shippensburg University. He majored in education and taught, coached an was a principal for about 35 years. Ocker spoke about his experiences running for mayor (and almost winning) of Carlisle and about his time spent in politics.
Barr’s interview was slightly awkward though at times. You could tell he had a SET list of questions that he refused to stray from, even if the interview was going in another direction. Ocker however was a good interview and his life story was divulged, despite the awkward questioning.
-Y.M.W.