Canfield’s Cooper named top AD

Staff report

The Mahoning Valley was well represented at the 50th annual Northeast Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association spring awards banquet.

Greg Cooper, Canfield High School athletic director, was honored with the Athletic Director of the Year award for exemplifying the highest standards of professionalism and making significant contributions to the students, school and community.

“It was an honor and it was humbling to be identified by a group of our peers as doing a good job,” Cooper said.

“Probably the greatest sense of accomplishment comes from seeing our student athletes come into school, join our programs, and develop outside of the athletic fields,” Cooper said. “That’s really the goal of high school athletics — a great experience, with the hope of teaching them life-long lessons.”

Copper shared the honor with Ray Ebersole of Hudson High School and Andy Jalwan of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

John Ault and Ron Weaver were both named to the NEOIAAA/OIAAA Hall of Fame.

Ault was the athletic director at West Branch High School, before retiring from that position in 2012. He still teaches in the district as a substitute. Weaver retired from Pymatuning Valley in 2001 after 35 years in education.

Ron McCleary, Howland High School athletic director, received a Meritorious Service Award. He was recognized for special contributions, leadership and service to interscholastic athletics in Ohio and at the local and state level.

McCleary shared the award with Paul Michalko of St. Edward High School and Frank Platzar of Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin School.