Adversity can do one of two things. It can pull you down, or lift you up.

The Schuylkill Interscholastic Athletic League was recently thrown a tough pitch to handle. It wasn’t a curveball, it was more like a spitter - sinking and dipping, and creating adversity to the nth-degree.

But strong leadership knows what to do with its bat in those situations. The Schuylkill League has exactly that, so instead of cutting down on its swing just to put the ball in play, the league’s plan is to drive a home run out of the park.

Stephen Toth, Ph.D., has known adversity from his high school athletic days at now defunct Cardinal Brennan. That’s because Toth was nearly knocked out of the box with injuries, including a devastating ACL tear.

Not once, but twice.

Toth was a terrific three-sport star for the Chargers whose psyche never wavered despite the injuries. Toth just picked himself up by the proverbial boot straps, and found a way to succeed. He did it through grit, hard work and a strong will.

Toth never succumbed to defeat in any shape or form. Those early setbacks as a teenager taught him valuable life lessons, and to this day, he carries it over as one of the top administrators in the educational field in Pennsylvania.

Now a part of the Tamaqua Area School District administration, Toth also fills the role (of President of the Schuylkill League.

In that capacity, Toth had to dig in like the former athlete he was when Lehighton and Jim Thorpe recently announced their departures from the league, effective at the beginning of the 2024 school year.

Toth quickly began to put a plan in place when the news was recently announced.

“Cool heads needed to prevail,” he said about the league’s immediate reaction to losing a pair of programs from its ‘big school’ division.

Toth pointed to the founders of the league, and the framework they did over the decades, calling it a great foundation that was put in place that today’s present-day leaders looked back on.

“Those who came before all of us did a great job, and we just went back over some of the things they had already set in place,” said Toth. “We also got unbelievable cooperation from every school in the league. It’s been phenomenal.

“I’ll tell you what, we have some very intelligent people in our league. They’re smart, they cooperate, they know what dealing with adversity is all about. They have dug in, and we’re going to tackle this issue - and any issues that we have to face - by dealing with them head on.”

Some followers of high school sports in the region were worried that it could be the beginning of the end for the Schuylkill League after the announcements by Lehighton and Jim Thorpe that they were bolting for the Colonial League.

The rumors were that other big schools would follow suit and also start looking for a new league.

But according to Toth, the demise of the SIAL was greatly exaggerated.

“Things are going to be fine,” he said. “In fact, this adversity is only going to make us stronger.”

Toth has done what he was trained to do while growing up in his hometown of Shenandoah - that life lesson he learned at a young age was don’t quit, don’t ever quit.

“The league came together - the athletic directors, principals and superintendents - and has done a fantastic job of getting this right. We feel it is going to bring us together now more than ever,” Toth said. “When we met Monday, we wanted to see how we were going to maintain what we have as a league.”

Seeing is believing, Toth insisted.

“The tangibles - when you put it on paper - certainly weren’t as bad as some people on the outside were making it out to be,” Toth said. ”All one needs to do is look at what types of crowds were at Martz Hall last week for the basketball league championships. It’s like a small college atmosphere. All that is missing are pep bands.”

Toth referenced the state playoff run the Jim Thorpe girls basketball team made last year after winning the Schuylkill League title.

“Playing in that league playoff atmosphere certainly helped them move deep into the state playoffs. Our league hardens you. It gets you ready for that type of competition.”

Toth said the league was never in a “panic mode,” despite what some individuals were trying to sell or dish out to the public.

After last Monday’s meeting, Toth said everyone is on the same page, and the league is going to move forward with ideas for both the near- and long-term future.

One thing for sure is that the league has a proud and storied tradition that it’s extremely proud of and plans to add to moving forward.

Toth noted the numerous state championships it has produced in football, girls and boys basketball, soccer, wrestling, track-and-field, baseball and softball.

Like all divorces, the split by Jim Thorpe and Lehighton has no doubt created the potential for some animosities and problems. But the Schuylkill Interscholastic League will rise above them, according to Toth.

When it comes to the Schuylkill League, Toth had a message to any doubters that can be paraphrased by the rock band Journey’s smash hit from several decades ago - “Don’t Stop Believin’.”