Longest Tenured Coach

[EuclidandViren]

Who is the longest-tenured coach in your area or the state of Ohio?

 

[Mr. Slippery]

In Stark County, John Paul of Canton Central Catholic is the longest tenured coach as he enters his 32nd season as head boys coach. This will also be his 14th season as head girls coach.

Prior to Paul, Lee Sternberg of East Canton was the "Dean of XC Coaches" in the county, having founded the EC XC program and serving as its head coach for 49 seasons. Sternberg called it a career as XC coach following the 2021 season.

 

[bgtri11]

John Agnew is in his 40th year as Head Cross Country Coach at Carroll High School (Dayton).

 

[Mr. Slippery]

After additional research, I have found that Tom Loy of East Canton is the "Dean of XC Coaches" in Stark County. This is his 36th year as head coach of the East Canton girls.

 

[KingHorn419]

Bellevue Head Coach history:
J.W. Gahn 1930-1938
Sam Cooper 1939-1946
Del Johnson 1947-1948
Kenny Sampson 1949
Fenton Wolfe 1950-1952
Lowell Shaffer 1953-1956
Lee Huffman 1957-1963
John Halter 1964
Sam Schubert 1965-1969
Jim Whittington 1970-1972
Terry Adams 1973-1991
Earl Miller 1992
Nick Lilli 1993-Present

 

[JAVMAN83]

Bellevue Head Coach history:
J.W. Gahn 1930-1938
Sam Cooper 1939-1946
Del Johnson 1947-1948
Kenny Sampson 1949
Fenton Wolfe 1950-1952
Lowell Shaffer 1953-1956
Lee Huffman 1957-1963
John Halter 1964
Sam Schubert 1965-1969
Jim Whittington 1970-1972
Terry Adams 1973-1991
Earl Miller 1992
Nick Lilli 1993-Present

Ken Sampson - 1934 Class A (big school) Mile Champion for Toledo Scott. One of the earliest sub-4:30 milers in OH HS history.
Lee Huffman - 1952 Class A Pole Vault Champion for Springfield

Are those the Sampson & Huffman gentlemen that I refer to?

 

[KingHorn419]

Ken Sampson - 1934 Class A (big school) Mile Champion for Toledo Scott. One of the earliest sub-4:30 milers in OH HS history.
Lee Huffman - 1952 Class A Pole Vault Champion for Springfield

Are those the Sampson & Huffman gentlemen that I refer to?

Those are the ones!

 

[psycho_dad]

Larry Bailey of Rootstown has been there since 1982. I believe he graduated from Rootstown in 1974, Went to Malone College and started coaching CC and track and Field at Rootstown in 1982. "CLASS" Larry and Tom Loy go to the front of the line.

 

[cdm.402]

Dan Sekerak recently stepped down as coach at Hebron-Lakewood after 50 seasons. His first season was 1973. I believe he coached a year or two elsewhere prior to Lakewood but not certain if it was XC, track, or both.

 

[Run4Him]

In Logan County, Mike Coder of Ben Logan is starting his 54th XC year. Ben Davis of Bellefontaine beginning 39th year.

 

[LincolnXC]

Roger Whittaker- Gahanna Lincoln Girls Track- 45 years total: 36 years as head coach, 9 years as assistant.

 

[mathking]

Roger Whittaker- Gahanna Lincoln Girls Track- 45 years total: 36 years as head coach, 9 years as assistant.

I sometimes wonder if Roger is headed toward Ed Rarey's record of tenure at Gahanna.

 

[LincolnXC]

I sometimes wonder if Roger is headed toward Ed Rarey's record of tenure at Gahanna.

Every year he says he isn't staying as long as Ed..... every year I believe him less and less. My records show Ed coached 62 or 63 years at Gahanna Lincoln.

 

[tmk]

This year is 40 for me, and I remember Ed coaching when I was in high school - and he wasn't young then...