Brink joins Salem lineup

He's the second coach from Springfield Local to join the Quakers.
By JOHN BUTERA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
SALEM -- You certainly can't blame people at Springfield Local High if they're just a little unhappy right now with the folks in Salem.
For the second time in three years, Salem High School has grabbed a Tigers coach to head one of its sports programs.
At a special board meeting Tuesday, Jeff Brink was hired as the Quakers basketball coach.
Brink, who in his five years at Springfield compiled a 94-19 record, was introduced before a sparse crowd at the John Cabas Gymnasium.
So small was the turnout that one onlooker said, "This looks like the size of the crowds we get at boys basketball games."
Attendance figures
Brink is hoping to change that.
"My goal is to see this placed packed," Brink said. "We're going to get back to those days of the great tradition that Coach Cabas started.
"Coach [Doug] Phillips has things on the right track in football and Coach [Steve] Stewart has done a great job with the girls basketball program," Brink said. "I'm looking forward to being a part of that."
Brink, a graduate of Springfield High and Youngstown State, will teach social studies.
David Brobeck, Salem superintendent, said that 38 applications were screened for the position, with eight being interviewed.
"Jeff is enthusiastic and his teaching interview was outstanding," Brobeck said. "In fact, his principal said he was one of the best teachers in his building.
"Overall, people just couldn't say enough great things about him," Brobeck said. "They said he is very caring and very giving."
One of Brink's first assignments will be to choose his assistant coaches.
"At this point, my staff is up in the air," Brink said. "We've got a lot of interest from people, both in and out of the system. We want people who are great teachers."
Filling Brink's shoes
Brink sees a bright future for the program at Springfield.
"I think Grant Spaite could step in right now. He's ready," Brink said of his possible replacement. "But whoever gets that job is going to be in a good situation.
"Our JV team was 18-2 and our freshman, eighth grade and seventh grade [teams] all won their league," Brink said.
Brink, whose teams won 45 straight Inter-County League games, noted he has been a Tiger all his life but felt this decision was the best for his career.
"I played for Leigh Klingensmith and Dom Daltorio, two great coaches, and it's tough to walk away," Brink said. "But my players understood that it was a great move for me. In fact, they told me that they would come down and help with anything I needed."