Coaches Association Newsletter December 2021

2022 Hall of Honor
The OHSBCA continues to strive to recognize individuals who provide exemplary service to high school basketball. The Hall of Honor Award was created for that purpose. The award is given to any coach, referee, announcer, or administrator from each District who meets this criteria and is nominated by their District.

Download PDF VersionDistrict 2
Frank O’Brien, Treasurer
Frank O’Brien has been a member of the GCBCA & OHSBCA for over 40 years. During the 90’s, Frank served as a GCBCA/District 2 League Representative for 8 years. For the past 19 years, Frank has loyally served and continues to serve as our GCBCA/District 2 Treasurer. Frank is a constant presence at our annual GCBCA/District 2 Senior Showcase and our annual GCBCA/District 2 All Star Games. Frank also serves as our GCBCA/District 2 Banquet Director.

District 4
Ted Whitaker, Scorekeeper
Ted Whitaker started doing the basketball scorebook and stats for Dave Kocher at Lake High School in 1980. In 1989, Ted took over in the same capacity at Canton McKinley high school. Ted has not missed a season at McKinley since taking over. 41 years as a scorekeeper in Stark County.

District 6
Jeff Alan, Sports Director
For the past 40 years Jeff Alan has been a prominent figure in the coverage of high school sports in the Mansfield area. Jeff began his career in radio working at WSWR in 1981 and then was the sports director for WMAN from 1985 to 1996. In 2001 he became the sports director for WMFD TV in Mansfield. He has covered every high school sport during his career but is most known for his coverage of the high school football and basketball games of the week along with his weekly interviews of high school coaches and players.

District 8
Dave Evans, Tournament Manager
Dave Evans has been the Athletic Director at Elida and Tournament Manager at the Elida Fieldhouse for 12 years. Dave and his staff at Elida consistently provide great hospitality and run a first-class experience for teams participating in tournament games at the Elida Fieldhouse.

District 10
Bob Miller, District Director & Coach
Bob Miller’s coaching career spanned over 40 years. He initially coached at Groveport for 10 years and then moved to Worthington High School in 1983 and coached there until 2014. Bob compiled an overall record of 573 wins and 323 losses. During that time, his teams won 13 OCC Championships, 3 District Championships. He was named OCC Coach of the Year over 10 times, District COY 4 times, and was the D1 State COY in 2003. Bob has received the OHSAA Ethics and Integrity Award, the Paul Walker Award, and was inducted recently into the OHSAA Basketball Hall of Fame.

District 12
Ralph Ray, Clock Operator
Ralph Ray has been the clock operator for the Buckeye Trail Girls basketball team for the past 21 years. He also has been the boys clock operator for the past 19 years.

District 14
Matt Orin, Official
Matt officiated SE Ohio basketball, football, softball and baseball for 20 plus years and was one of the most respected officials during his time. He officiated 6 basketball state championships (boys/girls), 3 football championships, 2 softball championships and 1 baseball championship. He served as a mentor for many young officials in our district as well. Matt passed away unexpectedly in the summer of 2021 and will be missed, leaving behind his wife, Kaci, and daughter, Lynlee.

District 16
Kevin Walriven, Clock Operator
Kevin Walriven has served on the New Richmond Board of Education since 1998. An avid community member, Kevin has always been concerned for the best interest of the New Richmond School District. Kevin also spent 26 seasons as the clock operator for the basketball programs at New Richmond.

OHSBCA Membership
Membership Deadline is Tuesday, December 31, 2021. Please get your membership in by that date. You must be a member to receive the Coaches and Players Awards. In addition to this year’s membership, you will be a member of the NHSBCA which will provide the benefits from Luceo Sports - Online Registration, NHSBCA Resource App, and the NHSBCA Playbook App. All ACTIVE members are entitled to these benefits.

Hooplines
This year, there will three editions of HOOPLINES as the OHSBCA starts to move to digital content. The Fall / October edition was mailed to every school in the state of Ohio. The Year in Review / January edition will be release around January 15, 2022. The Spring / May edition was be released in Mid-May. Our Monthly newsletters, like this one, will be sent to your email address provided on the membership form.

New Directors
District 1
Todd Muckleroy, Canfield High School
Todd Muckleroy of Canfield High School has taken over the District 1 Directors duties from long-time coach John Cullen. Todd has been a head coach for the past 16 years, the last 11 at Canfield, where he has compiled an overall career record of 219-142. Todd began his head coaching career at Streetsboro and spent 5 years where he won two league championships.

District 4
Tom McBride, Uniontown Lake High School
Tom McBride returns as District 4 Director after a four-year absence, taking the reigns back from Matt Hackenberg. He previously held this position for ten years (2008-17). Tom is entering his 23rd year as a head coach of Uniontown Lake High School and has an overall record of 311-193. He was selected OHSBCA Coach of the Year in 2014.

2001 John Wooden Legacy Award
The National High School Basketball Coaches Association has teamed with the Wooden family and the Paycom Wooden Legacy tournament to present an annual John Wooden Legacy Award to a boys and girls coach in each state. The recognition seeks to honor scholastic basketball coaches around the country who are educators and have achieved excellence on the floor, in the classroom and in the community that further embody the characteristics and legacy of Coach John Wooden. The criteria for this award are rooted in the ideals of Education, Longevity, Character, Service and Excellence.

2021 Honoree from OHIO are Dave Butcher of Pickerington North High School (Girls) and Bob Arnzen of Delphos St. John’s High School (Boys).

Bob Arnzen, Delphos St. John's
Boys John Wooden Legacy Winner
Bob Arnzen spent 43 years as coach at Delphos St. John’s and was the second winningest coach in the history of Ohio High School basketball with 676 wins and 291 losses at the time of his retirement. His teams were state tournament runner-ups in 1954 and 1973; state semifinalist in 1982; state champs in 1983; and state semifinalist in 1990. St. John’s won league championship in 73, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 87 and 89. Coach Arnzen was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame in 1998.

Dave Butcher, Pickerington North
Girls John Wooden Legacy Winner
Dave Butcher was the head varsity Girls basketball coach in Pickerington for 35 years, 20 years at Pickerington Central and 15 years at Pickerington North. He compiled an overall record of 747-146, which is almost a 84% winning percentage. He has won 24 district titles including 23 in a row. His teams have won 23 Ohio Capital Conference Championships, 13 regional championships, 6 state titles (’85, ’90, ’92, ’93, ’98, and ’99) and finished #1 in the country by USA Today in 1999. Amazingly, Butcher took teams to the Ohio Girls Basketball State Tournament in four different decades.