OUTSTANDING COACH

Induction Year: 2004

Barb Nagel began her teaching and coaching career at Tecumseh High School in 1975. During the next twenty-nine years, she coached JV and varsity volleyball, varsity softball, JV and middle school basketball, and became an OHSAA volleyball official. In the classroom, Barb touched many students' lives as a biology, health and physical education teacher.

Before coming to THS, Barb taught for one year in her hometown of Wapakoneta at St. Joseph High School after graduating from Bowling Green State University. She also coached the Wright State Women's Softball team in 1975.

Tecumseh joined the Miami Central Conference in 1975 and for the first time the female athletes were able to receive conference honors and enjoy other benefits. Barb has always been proud of the part she played in the evolution of women's sports at Tecumseh. During her tenure, assistant coaches were added to the volleyball, basketball, and softball programs. All games and matches were moved from the small Shannon Gym to Reynolds Gym. In the 70's, the softball field looked like a cow pasture, but with the help of board and booster members, a new field was built. Today all Tecumseh athletes receive equal support from the athletic department and the Booster Club.

Softball has always been Barb's favorite team sport. It started by playing "pitch and catch" with her dad before she even went to school. It culminated in 2003 when she retired from softball as the winningest coach at Tecumseh with 342 victories. The softball program is one of the most successful at THS. Under Coach Nagel, the team won three district titles, two conference titles, were regional runners-up three times and district runners-up three times. Barb was also honored a s Coach of the Year three times. To help promote high school softball, Barb became an active member of the SWDSB Coaches Association and served a s an officer for five years.

For seventeen years, Barb directed the volleyball program. She amassed over 200 victories. Barb coached her final match at the WSU Nutter Center in the district finals in 1991. Three times the District Coaches Association honored Barb as "Coach of the Year". After a couple years of rest, Barb returned to volleyball as an official. This past season she was selected by the Ohio coaches to be part of the officiating crew at the state tournament.

Barb is proud of her victories and honors, but also treasures the memories and friendships she has after 29 years. Many athletes have gone on to play ball in college, and six former athletes have returned to be assistant coaches at THS. The biggest reward of coaching though, according to Barb, is just running into former players and listening to them talk of the fun they had, the friendships they made and the life lessons they learned.

Barb retired from teaching in 2004. She is now filling her time by visiting family, officiating volleyball, playing golf and taking care of her dogs. She's looking forward to doing some traveling in the future and will always remain an ARROW FAN.