CHARLES MAIER OF COLDWATER
Coach Maier was a head varsity basketball coach at Coldwater High School for 25 years - five years coaching boys and twenty years coaching girls. During an outstanding career as basketball coach his overall record was 460-116 with a 76.9% winning average. His girls' teams won 375 and lost only 92, winning sixteen sectional championships, seven district championships, and finishing as runner-ups three years. The girl's teams won four regional championships and were runner-ups in 1996; won state championship in 1990 and 1992, and MAC championships seven times.
Not only was he involved with basketball, but also with football and golf programs. He was the offensive coordinator under football coach Robert Sielski from 1979-1985. They were very successful with a 49-19-2 record, and undefeated in 1983. They won the MAC championship in football in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1985. He served as head golf coach from 1988 to 1995, winning the first Mid-West Athletic Conference Championships in 1994.
As a coach he received the following awards and honors: eight-time MAC Coach of the Year; Northwest District 8 Coach of the Year three times, coached the Northwest District 8 All-Stars three times; coached the North-South Ohio All-Stars in 1986; OHSBCA Coach of the Year - Division III in 1990; and coached in the Ohio-Michigan All-Star Classic that year. In 1993, he was selected to coach in the Ohio-Indiana Borders War Classic, Northwest District 8 Coach of the Year, and AP Poll Coach of the Year in Division III. He was also Awards Coordinator for the District 8 Basketball Coaches Association.
A 1959 graduate of Celina High School and Marietta College in 1966, he is married to Melody and has two daughters, Amy Maier and Tracy L. Richard. He has two granddaughters, Kayla and Kelsey Richard. He has been active in the Coldwater community, elected as mayor in 1996 for a four-year term. He was president of the Coldwater Community Picnic and chairman of the Combined Charity Drive. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Holy Trinity Church, Kiwanis Club and Elks Lodge #2170 in Mercer County.
His teams were successful because they dedicated themselves to hard work and gave their best. His philosophy was: "You get out of a season what you put into it. If you don't work hard, you won't get much in return." Their concern was not for winning or losing, but more of how they played the game.