(2-6-17) This past week the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association Clinic held a presentation on some of the most successful football programs in the state. In Mercer County there are two programs that the entire state knows and respects the way they do it, Coldwater and Marion Local.
View The Complete Presentation By Coach Otten
In May of 2010 beloved Coldwater Head Football Coach John Reed passed away after battling cancer. His replacement was assistant coach Chip Otten, for many it would be hard to live up to what Reed had created in the Cavalier program. But not for Otten, who is a Coldwater grad, he continued what Reed had built and has never looked back.
In December of 2010, Otten told the Celina Daily Standard:
“There is certainly a lot of John with us. The philosophy hasn’t changed. Personalities are a little different, the core values and core beliefs, along with the discipline and doing things right have not changed.”
Since that time Otten has made the Cavs one of the most respected programs in Ohio and in the US. This past season (2016) he took a team (lost 22 Seniors and 19 starters) that many thought would not make it to the playoffs to the State Final game (losing 16-13 to Canton Central Catholic).
Coach Otten answered some of our questions about the Cav program:
Following Coach Reed was a pretty smooth transition. the rest of the staff was intact and I had been here as an assistant for 8 years. Many things have stayed the same with a different demeanor head coach. Fortunately I have worked with some really good and different coaches over the years and have tried to take some things from all of them.
The kids really don’t know any different so they aren’t really adapting. We really try to make it fun for the kids. Knowing the difference between having fun and screwing around can be a challenge, especially for the younger kids.😉 Having fun in sports is doing the right thing, knowing what you are doing, building positive relationships, enjoying the work and process in trying to be successful. Winning certainly helps!!!
As a team and staff the adjusting and adapting are things we do all the time to tweak what we are doing to be successful.
This presentation and slide above really don’t have much to do with the parents. Fortunately when winning parents stay out of it most of the time. If a parent has an issue they can get with me and talk about it.
Huge for the staff to be invested and on the same page. When kids get mixed messages things can go bad and get stressful really quick. Winning and having a staff that is invested in Coldwater really helps.
Absolutely winning really helps. The hard part of winning is to keep searching for ways to improve and keep things fresh and interesting. Complacency will kill us. DTIFG Don’t take it for Granted is a John Reed reminder he used all the time to keep us pushing.
Thanks for saying that I have made an impact. If feels so good that all the work and time has has been validated and is helping our players grow up as young Men and have a great football experience.
I have been very fortunate over the years to work with many good coaches and people. I am very fortunate to work and coach here in Coldwater where the support and striving for excellence is important.
Being involved in athletics for really my entire life has been so rewarding and satisfying. It has created so many memories and most importantly so many lasting relationships over the years. What is more important than having positive and rewarding relationships with others? I say nothing☺
Chip Otten Cavalier Coaching Record – courtesy cavfootball.com
- 92 wins – 88% winning percentage
- 32-3 – OHSAA playoff record
- 49 – MAC wins
MAC Football Titles
Football (19): 2016, 15, 12, 08, 06, 05, 04, 02, 01, 1987, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 80, 77, 76, 75
State Championships (6)
2015 Football Division V State Championship
2014 Football Division V State Championship
2013 Football Division V State Championship
2012 Football Division V State Championship
2007 Football Division IV State Championship
2005 Football Division IV State Championship
State Runner-Up
2016 Football Division V State Runner-Up
2011 Football Division V State Runner-Up
2010 Football Division V State Runner-Up
2009 Football Division V State Runner-Up
2000 Football Division IV State Runner-Up
1998 Football Division IV State Runner-Up
Press Pro Magazine You Tube Video
Marion Local Head Coach Tim Goodwin
Tim Goodwin has won over 200 games as the Head Coach at Marion Local, including nine State Championships. But much like John Reed and Chip Otten he has developed a program that has won, but also is based on building relationships with student-athletes, fans and parents.
To show his relationship with Reed, who coached against, he recently won the WTLW-TV John Reed Leadership Award. To foster Godly principles in coaches by challenging them to consider the example/standard set by John Reed of integrity and excellence in everything in life; To reward them and honor John’s legacy in the process.
MAC Football Titles
Football (11): 2016, 14, 13, 11, 07, 01, 1985, 81, 79, 78, 74
State Championships (9)
2016 Football Division VI State Championship
2014 Football Division VII State Championship
2013 Football Division VII State Championship
2012 Football Division VI State Championship
2011 Football Division VI State Championship
2007 Football Division V State Championship
2006 Football Division VI State Championship
2001 Football Division VI State Championship
2000 Football Division VI State Championship
State Runner-Up
2015 Football Division VI State Runner-Up
2003 Football Division VI State Runner-Up
419 Sports You Tube Video
The two communities
Both communities need to be applauded on how they have accepted the coaches and their ways of running these program. Relationships, also have discipline in place, which has been the downfall in many programs, not at Marion Local or Coldwater.
High school sports in the recent years has gone national and in the process has turned the best players into ‘Superstars’. This includes disgruntled parents, win at all cost, recruiting by schools on a national level (eg: IMG Academy in Florida), transfers to play on a winning team.
The success on the football field has also found success in life, which is why these two programs have found ‘The Keys To A Successful High School Football Program‘.
Former Coldwater Head Coach John Reed
John Reed’s Head Coaching Totals
Coaching Record at Coldwater: 168-31 (15 seasons)
Career Record: 283-162-1
MAC Record: 102-14
MAC Titles: 9 (6 at Coldwater, 3 at Parkway)
Playoff Appearances at Coldwater: 14 (1995, 1997-2009)
State Finals Appearances: 5
State Championships: 2 (2005, 2007)
Voted into OHSFCA Hall of Fame: 2006
Stateline Sports Network 