Comments | Tell a Friend | Larger Text | Smaller Text

Local Sports

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Prep Football: Leonard named Arlington coach

Owens
By MARK HEIMAN

STAFF WRITER

ARLINGTON — Dick Leonard gave a little chuckle.

"Maybe I'm the new old coach," Leonard said Tuesday evening, a day after being named Arlington's head football coach by the school's board of education.

Leonard certainly is a familiar face at Arlington. After all, he's been stalking the football sidelines for 25 years there.

Leonard began his Arlington football coaching career while doing his student teaching at the school. And he's never left, the football ranks or as a teacher as he is in his 24th year as an educator.

"I've never been anywhere else," said Leonard, also a co-athletics director at the school. "I'm lucky because the community accepted me and embraced me.

"Now I have the board's blessing to be the football coach."

Leonard, who previously was Arlington's baseball coach for 15 years, will take over for Doug Oates, who led the Red Devils to a 10-3 mark last year. Oates was 35-18 in five seasons.

Last year's 10-3 mark represented Arlington's first trip to the playoffs, despite having an overall record of 546-228-39 since 1909.

"I felt it was important to have a smooth transition. I hoped for the easiest transition for kids, because it's all about the kids," Leonard said. "I don't plan to change a whole lot, because what we have done has been successful."

"The first order of business is to assemble a good staff. I'm hoping to keep some of it intact. But football is so big that you have to put together a good staff."

Leonard should know. After all he's been on the Red Devils' staff for a quarter of a century.

Contact staff writer Mark Heiman at:

(419) 427-8405

Send an e-mail to Mark Heiman

Comment on This Story
NOTE: If you are having problems viewing this Web page, please contact our Internet Department to help us diagnose and correct the problem. We may contact you for more information. Thanks in advance.
Your e-mail address will not be displayed on this website or shared with anyone. It is used by our online editor for contacting purposes.
Comments are moderated by The Courier according to its Electronic User Agreement within one business day. Comments that slander others or include language that violates the agreement will be rejected. All comments that impart opinion and information are welcome.
   PREP BASKETBALL
Basketball


COVER STORY: Findlay's Luke Kraus knows how to move the big numbers on the court.

Check out The Courier's special section to preview area basketball teams.


Brought to you by

Jim May
  LATEST COMMENTS Last 10 comments submitted by our readers...
An inside view wrote in article "Firm's growth not a mystery":
CRI
“ "Mystery shoppers earn $15 per hour" They are paid per job, and nowhere near this amount. A 30 minute shop at a home improvment... ” Read More...
Girls?
“ Girl these are adults. They are of legal age, and should know the difference between right and wrong. Yes, while only one of th... ” Read More...
ONLINE EDITOR wrote in article "Firm's growth not a mystery":
COMMENT APPROVAL
“ Comments submitted with fake e-mail addresses will not be posted. ” Read More...
repeat offenders?
“ to all leaving comments, as far as "repeat offenders" you have no idea what is on these girls juvenile records. so repeat offen... ” Read More...
tami wrote in article "4 women arrested for robbery":
to jo jo
“ i am not placing the blame on the victim, he was just that-a victim! these girls did not know that! i understand he was just out... ” Read More...
Azrael wrote in article "Too much salt is bad for budget":
Questions that should be asked....
“ 1) Why isn't the County purchasing salt through ODOT like the city is? The County isn't really conserving all that they can if... ” Read More...
It seems as though...
“ ...Jordan subscribes to a different school of though as compared to members of decent society.

The world does not exist to en...
” Read More...
Closed convo.
“ Okay and i understand what you guys are saying but dont mean that you have to go judging these girls. Have you ever heard of pee... ” Read More...
repeat offenders
“ Jordan - ever hear the phrase "repeat offender"? According to the article each defendant has a juvenile record, so they should r... ” Read More...
JoJo wrote in article "4 women arrested for robbery":
you're kidding!
“ In Tami's last post (Jan. 2) she states that the victim can't be "that" disabled" if he was riding a bike. WHAT? It seems that p... ” Read More...
Owens
  NATIONAL SPORTS