Chet Mock and Jim Noffsinger were classmates, teammates and friends. Chet was 14 years old when his parents, grandparents, and two sisters were all killed in a fiery car crash caused by a drunk driver. After this tragedy in his life, Chet made a commitment to be the best he could be at whatever he was involved in. In the 1965 Indiana State Track & Field Meet, he became the state record holder and the first Indiana high school athlete to ever throw the shot put 60 feet, 3 inches. After finishing at UCCHS (Union City Community High School), he attended Ball State University, spent a year touring with Union City’s famous The McCoys as their bodyguard, and worked as park superintendent for Harter Park. He was involved in numerous youth activities including the formation of a community help line for troubled youth. Afflicted with diabetes, Chet in his early forties, lost total kidney function and was rendered blind, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to do good things. He organized a benefit basketball game with the Cincinnati Bengals and raised enough funds to allow all elementary and middle school students from both Union City, Indiana and Union City, Ohio schools to attend the game. Afterward, Chet presented UCCHS SADD (Students Against Driving Drunk) Chapter advisor, Jim Noffsinger, a check for $3000 (proceeds from the game) and told Jim to put it to good use in the SAD chapter. Shortly after this presentation, Chet entered the hospital for a kidney transplant and subsequently died of a heart attack at age 44. With the gracious gift of $3000 from Chet, Jim established the Chet Mock Memorial Scholarship through the Community Foundation of Randolph County.
Jim Noffsinger was a teacher and coach in the Randolph Eastern School Corporation for 33 years, teaching physical education in all grade levels, high school health, and driver education. Over all those years, he coached every sport in his career at UCCHS amounting to 100 teams coached overall. “Coach Noff” was the SADD advisor for 15 years. During his stint as advisor, his SADD chapters achieved status as the national champion in SADD awareness competition, state champion in Indiana Teen Institute prevention program, and national champion out of 4500 schools competing in the No Addiction Prevention Program. After retiring from teaching, Coach Noff became the state SADD coordinator for the State of Indiana, during which he traveled to over 500 schools making inspirational presentations. At each school program he began with the Chet Mock story. His career as the state coordinator ended with the number of SADD chapters in Indiana growing from 80 to over 200 chapters. Coach Noff passed away in 2015 from a battle with cancer.
In 2023 the Chet Mock Memorial Scholarship involved a name change request by the Jim Noffsinger family to the “Make a Difference Scholarship in Memory of Chet Mock and Jim Noffsinger,” as both men made significant differences in the lives of so many. This scholarship targets students at Union City High School who have made a difference in their lives and in the lives of others.
- Written by Linda Noffsinger