Columbiana’s Baughman honored for coaching
By Greg Gulas
COLUMBIANA
Since the late 1960s, Larry Baughman has been the face behind Columbiana athletics.
Honored recently at the 17th annual Ohio High School Football Coaches Association with its “30-Year Coaching Award,” Baughman can trace his initial coaching assignment to 1968.
That’s when he answered an ad in a local newspaper seeking a coach for the Little Clippers football team. He began a 12-year association with the team as coach, then later as league commissioner.
During ceremonies in February at the Columbus Hilton Hotel, Baughman said he was humbled to have received an award for simply doing what he has referred to as a labor of love.
“It was just great to receive this award in front of my peers,” Baughman said. “I’ve been so lucky to have a great coaching career in Columbiana, both with the city and high school and to be able to coach so many great athletes over the years has also been really special.
“With my family by my side, I just needed to thank the many parents for letting me coach their son or daughter because that’s been the greatest honor of all.”
Affectionately known as “Coach B” by those that he has coached, Baughman didn’t limit his coaching to football. Baseball and softball head coaching duties are on his resume as well.
A longtime member of the Columbiana Boosters Association where he served as its president on several occasions, his leadership helped raise funds for the upgrading its athletic facilities and equipment needs.
“With hard work and a group of individuals dedicated to our mission, our boosters were able to provide Columbiana athletes with a tremendous amount of equipment and first-class facilities in order to properly train,” Baughman said.
In 1986, Baughman was hired by Columbiana High School football coach Larry Caffro as his freshman coach. In 1989, he was named defensive coordinator by Lowell Bacon.
When Bob Spaite took over the program in 1994, Baughman continued as defensive coordinator. He served as Spaite’s assistant head coach before stepping aside last season.
“Larry was at Columbiana before I got here and will probably be here when I am gone,” Spaite said. “When you talk about someone totally committed to Columbiana and its many athletics programs, you talk about Larry.
“He’s been with me for 19 of my 20 seasons as head coach,” Baughman said. “He’s coached nearly every sport at Columbiana High School and is just one of the finest gentlemen and coaches around.”
His greatest honor, came in 2002 when he was named AFLAC assistant coach of the year.
Dr. Joe Rottenborn, former Columbiana superintendent, said Baughman “epitomizes the Columbiana Clipper spirit and bleeds red and white.”
Baughman, the assistant athletic director, also served as a basketball referee for 33 years. For the past 15 years, he has served as coordinator of the Penn-Ohio State Line Football Classic.
“We’re very lucky to have such a special person affiliated with our many teams,” said Erin Heasley, Columbiana athletic director.
In 2005, Baughman was inducted into the Columbiana Athletic Hall of Fame .