Sandy Darby came to Stivers from Lincoln Elementary as a freshman, just as the “tumbling team” seemed to be moving toward the inclusion of all women’s gymnastic events. Sandy’s first taste of competition came at an Invitational Meet at The Ohio State University, as a freshman where she came in fourth place in floor exercise. Floor exercise became her favorite event for which she won many first and second place medals. Sandy was the Women’s team All Around (participated in every event) gymnast her junior and senior years. She received second place for All Around in the city’s 1964 meet, and her senior year tied for first place, All Around Gymnast at the City Wide Gymnastic Meet. Sandy won First Place for Balance Beam and Floor Exercise at that meet. As part of the Stivers Gymnastic Team, she also participated at several basketball half time performances at Stivers and at the University of Dayton. She was invited to give a floor exercise performance at the 1965 High School Basketball Championship Game in Cincinnati. Sandy also participated in the Stivers High School Gymkhana at Welcome Stadium along with the 1964 Gymnastic Team. Coach Joe Sullivan created the “National Inverted Walkers Club of America.” Inverted Walkers needed to walk a minimum of 25 feet to qualify. Sandy was the only girl to qualify at 32 feet 4 inches.
A cheerleader for three years, Sandy was co-captain her senior year. Her junior and senior years she was elected to the student council and served as Page One co-editor of the Stivers News. She was the 1964 Homecoming Queen and was on the 1965 Prom Court.
Sandy is a 1969 graduate of Wright State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education. She has taught for the past 32 years at the Gary United Methodist Pre-school in Wheaton, IL, where 28 of those years she also served as Director of the school.
Sandy resides in Wheaton, IL with her husband of 46 years, Phil Cline. She is the mother of 3 boys, Todd, Brad and Scott, and she is a doting grandmother to Cate, Chloe, Mimi, Grace, Olivia and at last but not least, finally a boy, Harry. She has passed the love of gymnastics on to her granddaughters.