Dr. Perry Tallman Bio
 

  ▪ West York Wrestling's Perry Tallman - graduated from West York in 1978.
In 1978, The Susan B. Anthony Dollar was minted, but, not accepted by the public due to its very similar appearance to the quarter - and, bottled water was introduced!  Gold was $200 an ounce in '78 and the US Senate backed giving the Panama Canal back to Panama.  And...
one of the top songs of 1978 was - Dust in the Wind by Kansas.

  Perry earned varsity letters (8) in football, wrestling and track.  Three of those teams won YCIAA League Championships... West York Wrestling in '76-'77 & '77-'78 and Track in '78.
Perry Tallman was voted the West York Scholar/Athlete Award in 1978.  Perry's senior year in wrestling ('77-78) was a good one, an undefeated WY team season (14-0), a YCIAA League Championship, a 12-5-1 record at heavyweight, a 3rd at the tough Easton Holiday Tourney, a place-winner at Sectionals and a trip to the District III Championships.

  Perry went from West York to Gettysburg College - and played football and wrestled as a freshman.  Perry's sophomore year at Gettysburg, he only wrestled and started at 190lbs.
Then, Perry decided to transfer to the University of Montana (did not intend to wrestle) but was offered a scholarship to wrestle in his 2nd year and he started at 190lbs./Hwt.  Perry can't recollect his record in college... I'm guessing it was a little tougher than high school!



 ∙ The Medicine.Net.com definition of PHYSICAL THERAPY:  A branch of rehabilitative health that uses specially designed exercises and equipment to help patients regain or improve their physical abilities.  Physical Therapists work with many types of patients, from infants born with musculoskeletal birth defects, to adults suffering from sciatica or the after-effects of injury, to elderly post-stroke patients.
 ∙ Another definition of PHYSICAL THERAPY:  Treatment by physical means... physical therapy is the therapeutic use of physical modalities and exercise in the treatment of disease or injury.  The ultimate goal of physical therapy is for the patient to achieve freedom from pain, independent living... and an understanding of HOW to prevent re-injury.  Also - Kids PT.

  Perry Tallman graduated from the University of Montana in 1984 (honors) with a B.S. in Physical Therapy and a certificate in Athletic Training.  Perry moved back to the area and started at the York Hospital (4 1/2yrs.), then a private practice in Harrisburg, PA for a year.  Next was a private practice in York, PA... which then became White Rose Physical Therapy ('91).  Perry became a partner, then, bought out the practice when his colleague retired.  Perry received his DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) in 2004 from Chatham College.  Perry became board-certified in Sports Physical Therapy in '91, re-certified in '01, then became board-certified in Orthopedic Physical Therapy in '06.  Perry is the only dual-certified specialist in Central PA, and one of the few in Pennsylvania.  *note - Perry is now with Wellspan (see below link).

  Dr. Perry Tallman worked as the Athletic Trainer at West York Area School District for 6 years... and, has served on the Board of Directors at the Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center, the PA Physical Therapy Association (PPTA) and currently serves as the Private Practice Special Interest Group Chair (PPSIG).  Perry also has served as a volunteer athletic trainer at the Pan American Games through the United States Olympic Committee.

 ∙ Perry and his wife, Becky, have been married for 20 years and have three great children - Matt (16), Brett (14) and Katie (12).  Perry and Becky are currently hosting their 4th exchange student - Eivind from Norway.  They have also hosted girls from Italy, Columbia and South America... and a boy from Germany.

 
  Perry LOVES golf... and has played in the World Amateur Handicap Championship for 9 years!
∙ One of Perry's specialties is golf biomechanics, injury and rehab!

  I asked my friend Perry Tallman... to complete an interview for the West York Wrestling Alumni website and fans.

Don Lehman
Don Lehman
Webmaster & Owner of westyorkwrestlingalumni.com




Dr. Perry Tallman Interview by Don Lehman

DL - Thanks Perry, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to share some memories and thoughts per this great sport of wrestling!  Can you believe it's been 32 years since your 1977-78 West York Wrestling Team went undefeated (14-0) and won the YCIAA crown?
PT - It’s hard to believe how quickly the time has gone by.  The years seem to be flying by!
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DL - You were active in three sports at West York High School (football, wrestling, track).  What did you take from each sport and which one was your favorite?
PT - Football, and actually the sport of wrestling, taught me how to be a member of a team.  In football - the offense or defense fails if even one person breaks down in their responsibility.  Although wrestling is mostly individual, (one-on-one on the mat with your opponent)... I was only one of twelve proud members of our championship teams!  Track & Field was kind of my "take-it-easy" sport, but, it taught me to work on internally motivating myself to perform to the best of my ability.
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DL - You wrestled heavyweight on the West York '77-'78 championship team.  Did you think that when the season started, your mat team would go undefeated (14-0) and claim the title?  What dual meet match stands out for you when you think of that season?
PT - Actually, yes... that was our expectation!  We started nine seniors that year ('77-'78) and tied as tri-champions the year before ('76-'77).  Most of us had wrestled together for at least five years previously.  We were a TEAM!  I know that sounds clichéd, but we were all friends "off the mat", too.  You just don’t want to let your friends down.  When we went out on the mat for a match, we were all together.  We won as a team, and we lost as a team.

The match that stands out the most was, of course, Dallastown.  They (Dallastown) had beat us the year before in a VERY controversial match (see the question below)... and we were, well, we were not to be denied this time.  We hadn’t beaten Dallastown since your '71-'72 junior year @ West York.  Our match was a total team effort.  Yes, I got the final fall in the last match to win it, but if it weren’t for some teammates - Randy "Blazer" Blasdell, Bruce "Stummy" Stambaugh, Kenny Shorts and others winning before me, it wouldn’t have mattered when it came down to me.  I still remember sitting on the bench after the match, exhausted as "all get out"... and you (Don) kneeling in front of me, ecstatic, and saying ”Perry, it’s me Donnie… Great Job!  That was awesome!” - like I didn’t even recognize you! Winning that match was the definite highlight of my wrestling career at West York.  Of course, a couple weeks later... we were in the same boat with Hanover – and we were down 23-21 when I stepped on the mat.  Although I decisioned my guy to win another match (24-23)... it just didn’t seem to have the high I experienced in beating Dallastown!
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DL - In the West York Wrestling room, you had some pretty good workout partners in Randy Blasdell, Dave Stram, your brother Tom Tallman... and, assistant coach John Sprenkle.  What were the practices like back in the day... and what was your signature move?
PT - Let’s not forget Kevin McCleary, yourself and Mike Stambaugh, too.  Wrestling practice was hard.  The conditioning required to be a good wrestler demanded hard practices.  Every day we worked our butts off, but in the end - it was worth it.  I tell my kids now that it wasn’t a good practice if you couldn’t wring your shirt out of sweat afterward! (yes, I got a crinkled nose as a response to that!)  You and all of the alumni wrestlers knew that you could kick our butts at any given moment, we knew that you alumni could kick our butts... but, the alumni gave us just enough "light" to THINK we could get them on a move - then, slam the door on us!  It really helped us to become better wrestlers, though.  Practices as a junior ('76-'77) were even more brutal because Randy Blasdell and I eliminated EVERY week.  It seemed that the challenger would win the 1st bout, then the starter win the 2nd bout - almost every week! (remember - you had to beat the starter twice to earn the starting job)  Those elimination bouts were some of the toughest matches I’ve ever wrestled.  Also, those matches didn’t earn a reprieve from the remainder of the practice.  We still had the rest of the practice to complete.  My best move was a duck-under or "throw-by" single leg takedown.  I was also probably the only heavyweight in the YCIAA area to do a "standing" Granby Roll!
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DL - What was your toughest match (win) in high school... and, what was your toughest match (loss)?  If you had a time machine... and you could pick "one" match to wrestle again, which one would you choose?
PT - I’m not one of those guys that can remember each match in extreme detail.  The win though, that stands out the most is the fall I had against Dallastown my senior year '77-'78. It's not that it was my toughest bout... not in that I had to use all of my "skills" as a wrestler (I recall I was in control the whole match) but, I was as exhausted after the bout as I had ever been!  Physically and Emotionally - I was drained!  As I sat on the bench after the bout... I was almost too tired to even lift my head to talk to you!  I recovered quickly though – to join in on the celebration!  I'd say that my toughest loss was to Fred Seigfried of Eastern.  I had beaten him the previous two years, and the senior year bout loss... we were at Eastern.  Eastern High School's crowd can be pretty vocal in the support for their team. The crowd was riding me all match – and I could hear them yelling "how I was going to be beat."  I was usually pretty quiet and reserved before I wrestled, but, I just couldn’t take it anymore.  When I responded to the crowd by laughing at them and making some verbal comment, Coach John Sprenkle gave me a tongue-lashing.  During the match, I was in control and winning - until the 3rd period - when he caught me in a cradle and scored three back points to win the bout.  The one match I wish I could have back is my semi-final match at the '78 YCIAA Sectionals.  I was seeded number one and won my opening bracket match.  Then, I was wrestling a kid from Red Lion (who beat me earlier in the season)... when I tried my throw-by single leg take down.  He must have tried to run through it - and when he did, his knee collided with the side of my head.  Coach Sprenkle’s comment afterwards had something to do with me looking like a rag doll!  I must have been out for a little while, but recovered in time before the injury time expired.  My legs and head were pretty wobbly the rest of the bout though, which I ended up losing by two points.  I finished third at Sectionals, and went on to District III's, but wrestled the number two-seed from Reading and I lost a close bout – season over!  If I could have won that one bout at Sectionals, I would have had a better seeding at District III's... and maybe I could have won a match or two!
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DL - Perry, the 1977-78 WY Championship Team has some pretty strong bonds to this day.  A '77-'78 reunion of the athletes was held in January '09 (you had another commitment) which was great!  I know you have some special friends on that team that you are close to.  Why is it that you can see a former teammate weekly and cherish that friendship... yet, see a former teammate 20 or 30 years later and still feel that closeness and bond?
PT - I think part of that bond is that we grew up together.  There is something about spending all of those years bonding as we matured. (now I’m trying to be a psychologist!)  I was pretty bummed I had to miss the '78 reunion in 2009 – especially after a friend of my wife Becky asked where I was that day?! (her son wrestled for Dallastown - 1/09 Reunion)  I’m very lucky that most of my former teammates are still friends today – it just goes to show the quality of the people that I competed with at West York.
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DL - My son Eric '96, and his wife Kim (Army Major, just back from Iraq) are being transferred to Fort Campbell in Clarksville, Tennessee from Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.  Helping them out tremendously, with regard to finding a home and other important logistics, was one of your '77-'78 mat teammates... Rod Stough (and his wife Carol).  I'm sure that doesn't surprise you... since it seems like wrestlers always come to bat for their brothers!?
PT - Rod and Carol Stough are “good people”.  I haven’t seen them in years, but keep informed through Randy "Blazer" Blasdell on their goings-on.  Wrestlers seem to form this special bond – and maybe it arises from all the sweat and hard work experienced together.  Plus, the West York Wrestling "tradition" seems to tie those bonds even tighter.
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DL - What did your coach, John T. Toggas, mean to you as a high school athlete?  Please share a story or moment that you remember to this day with regards to the "coach."
PT - Coach JT Toggas was always there to help us – and not just on the mats... but in other aspects of our high school life.  Yes, he wanted us to be good wrestlers, but he also cared that we excelled outside of wrestling.  Before the first meet of my senior year, Coach Toggas met with all the seniors in his office. (which was quite a feat - since there were nine of us squeezed into his office!)  Coach Toggas told us how proud he was to have us in the program for so many years and that now, in our senior year, we should enjoy the moment... and that we should just go out and win like he knows we can.  And, we did just that by going undefeated in '77-'78 and winning the YCIAA Crown!  His wife, Mary Jane - also was very interested in what we “kids” were doing with our lives!
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DL - The 1976-77 West York Wrestling Team was pretty special, too.  Looking at the team photo - it appears you had a lot of decent wrestlers filling out the roster.  What memory stands out in your mind with that particular championship year?
PT - Once again, the Dallastown match (loss) stands out.  We wrestled them early that year - the 2nd or 3rd bout during that '76-'77 season.  Randy Blasdell had beat me in eliminations for the starting heavyweight spot (which really irked me – nothing against Randy, I was upset at myself for losing!) and he wrestled heavyweight for that match.  I won my JV match, but watching the varsity match from the stands was just killing me!  Especially, since the official was SO pro-Dallastown.  That was the match where Coach JT Toggas pulled Blazer off the mat in protest of the official before the bout was over!  I just couldn’t believe that an official could throw a match like that! (he was reacting from his son being kicked off the West York Football Team that fall)  Regarding your survey (bracket) of the best West York Wrestling teams over the years, I’m proud to say that I was a member of two of the top four or five West York Wrestling teams of all time!
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DL - Speaking of the '76-'77 Team, I just played golf with Coach John T. Toggas and Randy Blasdell... as the guest of your former teammate, Todd Reynolds at Fountain Head Country Club in Hagerstown, MD.  I know you love the game of golf!  What drives that passion for the game and how is your scoring these days?
PT - I started playing more consistently after I stopped playing softball and flag football!  In short, I guess it's because I am getting older!  After years of being involved in competitive sports - I still needed an outlet to experience that competition.  Ten years ago, I started playing in a golf tournament in Myrtle Beach, SC. (The World Amateur Handicap Championships)  The WAHC's enabled me to “compete” in golf without needing to become a scratch golfer (since it is handicap based) - thus, satisfying my need for competition.  I’ve talked Bruce Stambaugh into playing in the WAHC's twice... and another friend, Jeff Miller, to play three times.  I guess I play the WAHC's to test myself, but it’s also a great social event!
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DL - Tell me about the step from high school to college wrestling at Gettysburg College and the University of Montana?
PT - I have to admit that when I started at Gettysburg College, I did not intend to wrestle.  I was recruited to play football.  The head wrestling coach was also an assistant football coach at Gettysburg.  He didn’t push me to wrestle – I had told him early on that I did not want to wrestle in college.  Two weeks before the end of football, I started to get the itch to wrestle and asked the coach if I could try out.  He was pretty ecstatic I decided to wrestle (they didn't have a heavyweight wrestler that year) so, I pretty much stepped right into a starting role.  It took me a while to get into wrestling shape... but, my background at West York helped me a lot!  Also that year, John S. "Moc" Toggas was an assistant coach for Gettysburg.  I had met "Moc" a few times, but didn’t know him that well.  I found him to be quite knowledgeable in the sport and was fun to have as a coach.  After that first year, I stopped playing football and I just wrestled in my sophomore year.  That year, I cut weight (for the first time) and wrestled 190lbs.  When I transferred to University of Montana, I was offered a scholarship after taking a "Coaching Wrestling" class. (yes, I needed an easy class)  I cut weight again to 190lbs. because of a freshman that was an Arizona State Champion at heavyweight.  If I had stayed at heavyweight, I probably would have beaten him for the starting job, but, I had already started dropping the weight when school started and I lost my strength advantage.  I was pretty amazed that he was an Arizona ”State Champion!”  In Pennsylvania, he wouldn’t even have won Districts!  After Christmas, I wrestled heavyweight (as he ended up being academically ineligible the 2nd semester) - but then I got hurt before the conference championships.  My collegiate record was nothing to talk about, so I ended up not using my last year of eligibility and concentrating on my future career.  I found out you really need to be pretty dedicated to wrestle at the collegiate level.
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DL - Perry, if you could "do it all over again" with regard to your sports career in high school and college - what changes would you make?  If you speak to today's football player, basketball player or wrestler, etc... what advice do you give?
PT - I’m proud that I was a three-sport letter winner at West York High School.  I think high school kids should NOT specialize in one sport.  Their bodies need the cross-training effect that multiple sports participation gives them.  Working different muscle groups is essential! We (my wife Becky and I) stress that advice with our kids - and I encourage the kids I come in contact with to do the same.  Regarding my athletic career... I’m not sure I would do anything differently.  I was not one to spend a ton of time in the weight room – I did the basics, but I probably should have done more with the weights.
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DL - Tell me a little bit about your business (White Rose Physical Therapy)... and when did you decide to go into that important field?
PT - I always knew (growing up) that I would do something in the medical field.  During my sophomore year at Gettysburg College, I did an internship in Physical Therapy and was hooked!  I transferred to the University of Montana for Physical Therapy School, and along the way, became an Athletic Trainer also.  After graduating from Montana, I returned to York, Pennsylvania. (I didn’t predict that at all – I didn’t think I’d return to York)  After a few years, I had an opportunity to work in a private practice and found out that it suited me.  I eventually bought into the practice - then, bought my partner out.  We (White Rose Physical Therapy) specialize in Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy - utilizing numerous manual therapy techniques.  I take great pride in treating patients the way I want to – actually working with them... and, not just sending them to a "gym-type" atmosphere.  The business side of the practice can be a real pain at times, but it’s nice being my own boss.  I try to attend numerous continuing education courses, learning new techniques - with the goal of being the best Physical Therapist in the area.  I can thank my father and the coaches I’ve had over the years – they instilled that drive to be the best in whatever I do... whether it be sports or life.
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DL - Perry, you have a great family... and, I know some of your kids are involved in sports.  Do you enjoy watching the competition and helping your kids with the ups and downs?
PT - I absolutely LOVE to watch my kids compete!  I’ve sworn, however, to not be that obnoxious parent who thinks their child is "all-world" and everyone has to know that.  As I stated earlier, I’m pretty laid-back - but it’s hard to hold back some days!  I try to be very supportive afterwards during a post-game review (don’t we always need to review the events of the game?!?!) and if there are any injuries... we’ve got that covered!  Each of our kids participate in two different sports - including soccer, tennis, basketball, track and cross country.  Each of the kids are also involved with music – band, jazz band and choir.  And, no... they didn’t get that music ability from me!  The family schedule can get a little hectic some days, but we’re able to supplement rides with others to make it work.
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DL - You state in your bio that you have been hosting exchange students over the years... that has to be a great experience for you and your family?!
PT - It’s been a lot of fun!  We’re on our 4th exchange student now - Eivind from Norway. We’ve also had girls from Rome and Columbia, South America and a boy from Germany.  It’s been great for us to learn about different cultures.  Our family and friends have opened their hearts as well, making them feel like a part of our family.  It amazes us to hear how uninformed Americans are about foreign countries.  Some of our student’s classmates have no idea where some of the exchange student's countries are located!!  We’ve been offered homes in Europe as reciprocity (quid-pro-quo), but we haven’t had the opportunity to take advantage of that.  Maybe someday, though.
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DL - Perry, I want to thank you for sharing some great memories with me and the westyorkwrestlingalumni.com website readers!
PT - Thank you, Don... for letting me share some of my high school and college memories!  Keep up the great work on the alumni web site.  It’s always fun to see what others are up to after all these years.



∙ You can e-mail Dr. Perry Tallman HERE! & Don Lehman HERE!


1976-77 West York Varsity Wrestling Team
▪ YCIAA League Wrestling Co-Champions!
▪ Front Row (L-R) Rod Stough, Bob Gay, Bill Pope, Ken Shorts, Chuck Nace,
Todd Reynolds, Steve Toggas, Larry Gay, Barry Gay.
▪ Back Row (L-R)  Mark Harrington, Lynn Martin, Bruce Stambaugh,
Brett Spangler, Dave Stram, Bob Brown, Scott Luckenbaugh, John Reiber,
Perry Tallman, Randy Blasdell.


1977-78 West York Varsity Wrestling Team
▪ YCIAA League Championship (14-0)
▪ Front Row (L-R) Joel Pugh, Rod Stough, Van Emig, Ken Shorts,
John Silar, Clyde Poe, Dennis Heath, Don Botterbusch.
▪ Back Row (L-R) Larry Gay, Barry Gay, Lynn Martin, Bruce Stambaugh,
Dave Stram, Randy Blasdell, Perry Tallman.

2010 Grandview Golf Scramble Champions!

1st Place
(L-R) Kevin Breeden, Don Lehman, Dr. Perry Tallman and Jeff Word.
photo by Jeff Ludwig
8/14/10 - Dr. Perry Tallman '78 & Don Lehman '73 ...
hooked up with Kevin Breeden and Jeff Word (8/14) at Grandview Golf Club for
some golf and fellowship at this great, old & historic York, Pennsylvania course.
∙ The Breeden-Tallman-Word-Lehman Team finished at (-12) 60 ...
to win the Jeff Ludwig Praise Community Church Golf Scramble.

2008 John S. Moc Toggas Golf Outing

(L-R) Dr. Perry Tallman, Skip Martin, John T. Toggas and John Reiber.
photo by Judy Martin

2009 Bulldog Golf Open

Team C&C Stambaugh
The 2009 Bulldog Open Champions @ -9 (61) Cool Creek GC.
(L-R) Brad Shaffer, Dr. Perry Tallman, Bruce Stambaugh and Jeff Miller.

2010 Bulldog Golf Open

(L-R) Bruce Stambaugh, Dr. Perry Tallman, Jeff Miller and Tom Tallman.




Green Bay Packers Football

westyorkwrestlingalumni.com's
Other Archived Q & A Interviews:
Billy Randt, Rod Stough, Jeff Wolfe, Keith "KRW" Warehime, Randy Blasdell,
David Maday & Jason Abel Turnbull, Mary Jane & John T. Toggas, Jon Trenge,
Wilmer Pressel, Dr. Bill Welker, Mike Stambaugh, Todd Reynolds, Gary Narber,
Fred & Matt Callahan, K.C. McCleary, Brian Kuntz, Charlie Jacobs.