The Ohio Basketball Coaches Association is proud to announce that Steve Williman of Liberty Benton High School is the recipient of the 2012 Paul Walker Award. The Paul Walker Award is presented annually by the OHSBCA to an active coaching member of the association who has made significant contributions to high school basketball. The award is named in honor of the late Paul Walker, the longtime coach of Middletown High School.  At the time of his retirement, he had the most wins as a boy’s basketball coach in Ohio High School Basketball history with 695 wins.

Steve is a 1975 graduate of Old Fort High School where he played basketball for legendary OHSBCA Hall of Fame coach Steve Smith. He received degrees from Owens Community College in 1978 and Findlay College in 1980. His coaching career began at Liberty Benton High School where he was an assistant coach in 1978 and 1979. Coach Williman’s first varsity coaching position was held at Old Fort High School from 1980-83. He was a graduate assistant at Bowling Green State University  during the 1984 season under head coach John Weinert  and coached at Galion High School from 1984-86. He returned to Liberty Benton in 1987 where he continues to coach.

In 30 years as a head basketball coach , Williman has compiled a record of 491-197. Included in this record are fourteen 20 win seasons, 14 league titles, 21 Sectional (20 consecutive), 9 District, State Runner- up in 2007 and State Championship in 1995. They were AP Poll Champions in 2007, 2008, 2010 and set a Blanchard Valley Conference record with 42 consecutive league wins.

Steve has been the recipient of Coach of the Year honors in the Blanchard Valley Conference 11 times, Districts 6 and 8 four times, and AP Division 3  State Coach of the Year in 2007. He was also the National Federation Coaches Association Ohio Coach of the year in 2000.

Coach Williman received the Bob Arnzen Award in 2006 and has had the opportunity to coach in the Wendy’s Classic, Ohio-Kentucky and the Ohio North-South All Star Games. He was also elected to the Hancock County Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and is a past president and director of the District 8 Coaches Association.

Steve has been married for 30 years to Marty and they are the proud parents of two daughters. Ashlee is a graduate of Miami University  and is employed in Vail , Colorado and Erica is a senior in the nursing program at the University of Toledo.