Fitch’s longtime coach reaches HOF

By TOM WILLIAMS

williams@vindy.com

For the third straight year, the Mahoning Valley has an inductee in the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Frank Sachire, the Austintown Fitch High School tennis head coach for 28 seasons, was recently inducted at ceremonies in Columbus.

Sachire’s teams compiled a 325-164 record, winning two league championships and 18 runner-up finishes.

Sachire is the third Mahoning Valley coach to be inducted, following Canfield’s Larry Davis in 2017 and Chaney’s Jack Wendle in 2018.

“It’s great to be a part of it,” Sachire said. “There have been some heavy-duty [coaches] inducted. It’s a wonderful thrill, the ultimate award for a high school coach. To be chosen in that group was amazing.”

A 1963 graduate of Fitch, Sachire was a four-year letterman in football at Mount Union. Twice, he was an All-Ohio Conference honoree. Later, he played two exhibition games with the San Diego Chargers before being released.

Sachire taught English for 35 years at Fitch, beginning in 1967. He also was an assistant basketball coach for nine seasons and assistant football coach for 18 seasons.

Sachire retired from teaching in 2002, then spent 12 years as a volunteer assistant with the Canfield’s girls team for Pat Pavlansky and Robert Stephens, and one year as coach of the Fitch junior varsity team.

Sachire credits his wife, Patty, “who encouraged me to get involved in tennis teaching and coaching originally and has been so supportive over the years.”

He’s an inductee in the Fitch and Mount Union halls of fame.

Sachire said he and his wife have new jobs — “Uber drivers for our granddaughters [Anna and Emily] who are playing travel basketball.”

Last fall, the Sachires moved from Canfield to Mishawaka, Ind. Their son Ryan, a graduate of Canfield High School, is Notre Dame’s head tennis coach. Ryan’s wife, Cindy, also worked for the university in South Bend, Ind.

Tom Lucci, a 1971 Chaney graduate who pushed for Wendle’s nomination last year, initiated the effort for Sachire’s induction.

“Distracted driving to the ultimate” is Sachire’s description of when he found out he would be an inductee.

“We’re on the turnpike heading back to Canfield in one-lane construction,” said Sachire of receiving the notification phone call.

During his 51-year coaching career, Sachire taught tennis after school, weekends and summers.

He is a USPTA (P1) and USPTR (P) certified teaching professional and was employed for 34 years at the Boardman Tennis Center teaching private and group lessons.

A highlight was teaching in the club’s Buddy-Up program for special needs pupils.

Over the years, Sachire has been certified USTA Official (four years), Steel Valley Conference tournament director (11 years), boys sectional tournament director (16 years) and girls sectional tournament director (30 years).