{"id":1084,"date":"2025-03-27T11:28:45","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T11:28:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.luceosports.com\/oh\/?page_id=1084"},"modified":"2026-07-21T05:13:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T05:13:52","slug":"coaches-association-newsletter-2025-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.luceosports.com\/oh\/blog\/coaches-association-newsletter-2025-march\/","title":{"rendered":"Coaches Association Newsletter March 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

North-South Game Coaches Announced
<\/strong>Greg Nossaman, Boys North-South Game Director, and Adam Priefer, Girls North-South Game Director, announced the North-South Game Coaches. To be a nominee to coach in the North-South Game, a coach must be an OHSBCA member, must be nominated by a District Director, and coached in the 2024 District Finals.

The Coaches are Joe Mackey of Brunswick, Steve Keller of Margaretta, Joe Schoenfeld of Cincinnati Elder, Josh Shoemaker of Minford, Jeff Miller of Unioto, Amy Hughes of Portsmouth, Danny Gallagher of Magnificat, and Tyler Bates of Strasburg-Franklin.

Download PDF Version<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls South Coach<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jeff<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jeff Miller
Unioto High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coach Miller has accumulated an overall record of 241-92 at Unioto. His teams have won 8 league titles, 8 sectional championships, and 3 district championships. This year, his team finished with an overall record of 21-5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boys North Coach<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Joe<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Joe Mackey
Brunswick High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joe just recently completed his 29th year as a head coach. He has a career record of 458-219. His teams have won 3 league titles, 20 sectional championships, and 3 district championships. This year, his team finished with an overall record of 19-5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls South Coach<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Amy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Amy Hughes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Portsmouth High School
<\/strong>Amy has a career record of 259-102 during her 16 years as a head coach. She has had coaching stints at Rock Hill, Ironton, Chillicothe, and Portsmouth. Her teams have won 4 league titles, 5 sectional championships, 4 district championships, 3 regional championships, and this year, her team won the Division 5 State Championship, finishing with an overall record of 27-1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boys North Coach<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Steve<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Steve Keller
Margaretta High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve has an overall record of 301-240 during his time as a head boys basketball coach at Clyde, Sandusky, and Margaretta. Steve has won 3 league titles, 11 sectional championships, and 3 district championships. This year, his team finished 24-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls North Coach<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Danny<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Danny Gallagher
Magnificat High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coach Gallagher has a career record of 119-74 during his time at Magnificat. His teams have won 7 sectional championships, 4 district championships, and 2 regional championships. This year, his team went 20-6 and advanced to the final four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boys South Coach<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Joe<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Joe Schoenfeld
Elder High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coach Schoenfeld just recently completed his 34th season at Cincinnati Elder. His overall record at Elder is 522-277. His teams have won 10 league titles, 9 district championships, 2 regional championships, and 1 state championship (1993). His team finished 14-8 this year, losing in the district championship game to Fairfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls North Coach<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tyler<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tyler Bates
Strasburg High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tyler Bates has accumulated an overall record of 226-71 in 12 years as a head coach at Loudonville and Strasburg. His teams have won 9 league titles, 8 sectional championships, 2 district championships, and 1 regional championship. This past year, his team at Strasburg finished with an overall record of 24-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boys South Coach<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Josh<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Josh Shoemaker
North Adams High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Josh just finished up his 19th year on the sidelines with 16 of those years being spent at Minford and the other 3 at Portsmouth. He has a career record of 271-168. This year, his team finished with an overall record of 25-2, advancing to the state semi-final game. His teams have won 6 league titles, 6 sectional championships, 1 district championship, and 1 regional championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OHSBCA North-South All-Star Game
<\/strong>The OHSBCA featured event is the Ohio North-South All-Star Game. The Boys have been playing this event since 1958 and the Girls since 1981. The top players and coaches in the state participate in this annual event.

The player selection is done by the following procedure: The State is divided into 16 Districts, eight southern and eight northern. One player and alternate are selected from each district \u2013 One Player from D1, D2, D3, & D4 \/ One Player from D5, D6 & D7. District must designate the First Player and Second Player. Voting is done at the Local level with each school receiving the number of votes as they have state members in the Association. Twelve players will be select for the North and Twelve players will be select for the South \u2013 (1) Each District will have their First Selection represent their District in N-S Game, (2) All Player of the Year will receive automatic selection to the N-S Game.

District Directors from the North will select the North coaches and District Directors from the South will select the South coaches. Nominees can come from all districts. Coaches must be an OHSBCA Member and coached in the District Finals in the previous season. Two (2) Coaches from the North District (District 1 \u2013 8) will be selected to coach the N-S Game for the North and Two (2) Coaches from the South District (District 9 \u2013 16) will be selected to coach the N-S Game for the South. One coach is from D1, D2, D3 & D4 and one coach is from D5, D6, & D7.

The rules for the Ohio North-South All-Star Games are: (1) Two 20-minute halves and a shot clock, (2) 10-minute halftime, (3) Players can foul out (5 fouls), (4) Coaches sub every 5 minutes in the first half, (5) Everyone plays in second half, (6) Coach to win, (7) Half Court Defense is all man-to-man, (8) Full court defense is anything you want to do.

The games will be played on Friday, April 25, 2025, with the Girls game starting at 6:30 pm followed by the Boys game at 8:15 pm. The games will compete at Olentangy Liberty High School.

N-S GAME ACTIVITIES 2025 (Friday)
1. 6:30 pm Girls Game
A, Introduction
B. Presentation of All-Star by OANG
2. Halftime of Girls Game
A. Team Pictures
B. Girls Players of the Year
C. Girls Coaches of the Year
D. Ms. OHSBCA
E. Assistant Girls Coach of the Year
3. After Girls Game
A. MVP of Game
B. Scholarship Winner
4. 8:15 pm Boys Game
A. Introduction
B. Presentation of All-Star by OANG
5. Halftime of Boys Game
A. Team Pictures
B. Boys Players of the Year
C. Boys Coaches of the Year
D. Mr. OHSBCA
E. Assistant Coach of the Year
6. After Second Boys Game
A. MVP of Game<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OHSBCA Hall of Fame Banquet
<\/strong>The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association (OHSBCA) is proud to announce the coaches and date for the Hall of Fame Class for 2025. This year, the association is inducting four coaches into the Hall of Fame. The four high school coaches being inducted are Scott Aronhalt of Zanesville, Ray Corbett of Grandview Heights, Tim Tucker of Margaretta and Paul Wackerly of St. Thomas, Hoover, Perry, and GlenOak.

The Induction Ceremony for the Thirty-Seventh Class will be at the Columbus Marriott University Area at 3100 Olentangy River Road in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 5:30 PM.

Tickets may be obtained by Calling Hall of Fame Director Paul Wayne at 419-261-2547 or by email at wayno14@embarqmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

State Tournament Winners
<\/strong>Congratulations to the schools and coaches that won State Championships for the 2024-2025 basketball season.
Girls D1 – Pickerington Central, Johnathan Hedgepeth
Girls D2 – Winton Woods, Carlton Gray
Girls D3 – Purcell-Marian – Jamar Mosley
Girls D4 – Bellevue – Kory Santoro
Girls D5 – Portsmouth – Amy Hughes
Girls D6 – Columbus Grove – Brian Schroeder
Girls D7 – Waterford – Jerry Close
Boys D1 – Olentangy Orange – Anthony Calo
Boys D2 – Westerville North – Shan Trusley
Boys D3 – Louisville – Tom Siegfried
Boys D4 – Maysville – Dave Brown
Boys D5 – Lutheran East – Sam Liggins
Boys D6 – Monroe Central – Mason Lang
Boys D7 – Russia – Spencer Cordonnier<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Wooden Legacy Award Winners
<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association (OHSBCA) would like to announce the recipients of the John Wooden Legacy Award for the 2024 year. This year Norm Persin, current head boys\u2019 basketball coach at South Webster High School and Ed Zink, former head girls\u2019 basketball coach at Beavercreek High School are the recipients of the award. Both recipients were honored at half time of Saturday\u2019s first game at their respected state tournaments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Norm<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Norm\u2019s high school coaching career began at Gallia Academy as JV coach under Hall of Fame Coach Jim Osborne. Norm then began his varsity coaching career at Oak Hill for 6 years and Wilmington for 2 years. During those years Norm won 3 conference championships.

For the next 21 years, Chesapeake High School became the home for Norm and Panther Pride began. 16 league championships and 10 district championships took place. Five times the Peake reached the Regional Championship game. In 2005 Persin Court was named in Norm\u2019s honor. In 21 years, Chesapeake won 400 games and lost 85 for a .884%. In the year 2007 Norm returned to Oak Hill to take over a program that had some down times. In his first year at the helm, the Oaks won the district championship. The following year the Oaks reached the Regional Championship game and in 2009 the Oak Hill Oaks made history with a State Championship victory over Kalida. In 2013 Oak Hill reached the Regional Championship again. Norm currently is the head coach at South Webster High School and in his first year the Jeeps won the district and advanced to the regional final.

With an overall record of 801-226 in 45 years, Norm is currently #3 on the all-time win list in Ohio. His coaching awards are maybe more impressive and include: 2009 National High School Coach of the Year, Ohio\u2019s Coach of the Year on 7 different occasions, coached in the McDonald\u2019s All-American Classic in 2010 and the Jordan Classic in famous Madison Square Garden in 2007, and received the Paul Walker Award in 2001 for contributions made in the game of basketball. Norm has been inducted into four Hall of Fames: Athletic Directors, Warren G. Harding High School, Chesapeake High School and the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.

He has served as a OHSBCA district director for over 20 years while also helping to coordinate the Ohio-Kentucky game. In 2013 Norm coached the first ever Ohio team in the National Federation Tournament in which the Ohio Team went undefeated. He has also coached in the North-South Game, Ohio-West Virginia Game and the Wendy\u2019s Classic.

Success cannot happen without great people in the program. Coach Persin has been blessed with dedicated players and loyal assistant coaches that have made major contributions to greatness. His greatest fans are his family. Rita Persin, his wife of 38 years, has supported Norm throughout his journey. His son Jimmy and his wife Nicole; daughter Haley and husband Marc along with 4 tremendous grandchildren Marley, Pierce, Jude and Miles keep his spirits up and help keep Norm young.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ed<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ed was born and raised in Beavercreek and spent all twelve years of elementary and secondary schooling in the Beavercreek system. While in high school he participated in football, basketball, and baseball. He graduated from Beavercreek in 1970 and was inducted into Beavercreek\u2019s first \u2018Hall of Fame\u2019 Class in 2000.

Coach Zink attended the University of Dayton on a football scholarship where he obtained his B.S. Degree in 1974. His senior year he was named MVP. and \u201cFlyer of the Year\u201d of the football team.

Ed taught business education and physical education in the Beavercreek City School District for 29 years and was the Athletic Director at Beavercreek High School for 7 years before retiring in 2011. Ed had 46 years of coaching experience. His coaching has included football, softball and girls\u2019 basketball. He also guided the Beavercreek Softball Team to the State in 1983 losing in the State Semis.

Ed had a career record of 810 wins and 277 losses in girls\u2019 basketball and was blessed to have many fine assistant coaches, mentors, and players over those 46 years. Without those assistant coaches and players, he would not have been nearly as successful. Therefore, to all of you a great Big Thank you!

He was named AP Coach of the Year in 1987-88, and UPI Coach of the Year in 1988-89 and Ohio High School Coaches\u2019 Association\u2019s \u2018Coach of the Year\u2019 in 1989, 94, and again in 2001. He has been selected District 15 Coach of the Year 8 times and WOL\/GWOC Coach of the Year 9 times. He was selected to coach the North-South Game in 1991. He was inducted into the Ohio Girls Basketball Magazine\u2019s Hall of Fame in 2000 and was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in May of 2012 along with his 3 State Championship Teams. His teams have won 23 League, 22 Sectional, and 17 District Championships, along with 6 Regional Championships and 3 State Championships in 1994-95, 2000-2001, guiding the team to a perfect 28-0 record both seasons, and again in 2002-2003 finishing at 27-1. He received the Paul Walker Award in 2020.

Ed has been married for 47 years to his lovely wife, Nanci. They have 4 kids and 8 grandchildren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NFHS – Ohio Coaches of the Year
<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association has nominated Pamela Davis of Archbishop Hoban as the Ohio Girls Nominee and Dru Joyce of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary as the Ohio Boys Nominee for the National Federation of High School (NFHS) Coach of the Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pam<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Coach Davis is a graduate of Austintown Fitch High School and The University of Akron.

Her coaching career began in 1989 as a 7th grade girls basketball coach at Erwine Middle School. She coached middle school for four seasons leading them to a 52-4 record. After that time and for the past 32 seasons, she has coached at four different high schools including Coventry, Barberton, Canton McKinley and Archbishop Hoban. Her record is an impressive 632-125. She has won multiple Sectional and District titles along with 5 Regional titles. In 2010, her Canton McKinley team won the Division I State Championship.

Throughout the course of her career she has received numerous league and district coaching honors. Pamela was recently inducted into the Ohio High School Basketball Hall of Fame in the Spring of 2024. Pamela has had over 25 players awarded Division I scholarships and 50 players that have went on to excel in college basketball. She has coached 5 Miss Basketballs\u2019 in Ohio (Ameryst Alston and Kierstan Bell), and has had 4 players play professionally overseas and 1 player currently playing the WBNA.

\u201cCoach Pam Davis is an elite coach who has found success everywhere she\u2019s been,\u201d stated Bryce McKey, She Hoops Basketball Director. \u2018Coach Davis\u2019s career was capped off with a State Championship in 2010 at Canton McKinley. She continues to impact the lives of young people, helping countless players attend all levels of college on full scholarships. Pam Davis is an incredible person and coach and we are fortunate to have her as a pioneer of women\u2019s basketball here in Ohio.\u201d

Brett Larrick, District 3 Director at Elyria High School said \u201cPam Davis is one of Ohio\u2019s most decorated girls\u2019 basketball coaches, with a track record of success at every school she has led. She has won multiple league, sectional, district, and regional titles, and made several state tournament appearances, including winning the 2010 Division 1 State Championship. Her impact extends beyond the court, having mentored countless young athletes and coaches.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dru<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Coach Joyce is a graduate of East Liverpool High School and Ohio University.

Coach Joyce has led the Fighting Irish to seven Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championships. He spent two years as an assistant at St. Vincent-St. Mary before being promoted to head coach in 2001, a position that he has held ever since. Coach Joyce, who is closing in on 500-wins, was recently inducted into the American Basketball Hall of Fame. Joyce has also received various coaching awards at the local, district, state, and national levels, including being named USA Today\u2019s Coach of the Year. He is a 2016-inductee into the Summit County Hall of Fame.

\u201cMy father\u2019s legacy is incredible,\u201d stated Cam Joyce, Head Boys Basketball Coach at St. Ignatius High School. \u201cWhat he has done for high school basketball in the state of Ohio can\u2019t be replicated. In a lot of ways, I credit him for putting Ohio more on the map from a national standpoint. Yes, he has won a lot of championships over the years, but what people don\u2019t see is that he is an incredible teacher of the game. He knows how to get guys to sacrifice for the common goal of the team. Most of his guys have not only went to play in college, but they have had great college careers. His guys know how to play the game and that is testament of a great coach.\u201d

Brett Larrick, District 3 Director at Elyria High School said \u201cDru Joyce has been the head coach at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School for many years, leading one of Ohio\u2019s most successful basketball programs. He is a key figure in northeast Ohio basketball, known for building strong, winning teams. His leadership has made St. Vincent-St. Mary a top team, earning national recognition and making him an important figure in Ohio basketball.\u201d

About the National Federation of High Schools
The NFHS promotes amateur sports participation and athletics programs at the high school level. In addition, the NFHS provides leadership in the field of high school athletics\/activities administration, establishes rules and regulations for the sanctioning of high school athletics\/activities events, and formulates model rationales for high school eligibility rules for use by high school athletics\/activities administrators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Midwest Live Scholastic Event
<\/strong>Once again, the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association will be hosting a Midwest Live Scholastic Event for both the Girls and Boys. These events will be held during the NCAA Division I Recruiting Period in June. The Girls event will be held on June 13 & 14 and the Boys event will be played on June 27-29. The top Girls and Boys players and teams will assemble at Cedar Point Sports Center in Sandusky, Ohio to participate in this summer tournament. More information will be coming.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

About News OHSBCA Partners Awards Coaches of the Year Hall of Fame 2020-2024 2015-2019 2010-2014 2005-2009 2000-2004 1995-1999 1990-1994 1987-1989 Paul Walker Award Players of the Year Scholarship Winners 2025-2029 2020-2024 2015-2019 2010-2014 Events 2025 OHSBCA Golf Outing 2026 Midwest\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hs_fullhtml":"0","hs_head_html":"\n