Induction Graduation Sport

2018 1974 Football | Wrestling | Track

Ray has been and still is highly involved in high school sports. Ray earned 12 varsity letters at Columbia High, four each in football, wrestling, & track. He was selected for All Ohio 2nd Team for football in 1973. Ray has demonstrated exemplary school & community service. He has been a member of the Columbia Volunteer Fire Department for 43 years & was promoted to Fire Chief in 1988, a position he still holds today. He coordinates the rescue squad for all home CHS football games and often helps to man the squad. At times, he has been part of the chain crew at the football games. For several years, Ray helped mold future Raiders by coaching in the Columbia Pee Wee football program. He has played a major role with the Prom Promise Program held in the spring at CHS. Ray has been a high school football official and a wrestlig official for 43 years, acting as the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Rules Interpreter for the past 12 years. He has been a big part of the Columbia Invitational Wrestling Tournament, held the first weekend in January each year at Columbia High School. First participating in the tournament as a student athlete, then as an assistant coach, Ray officiated for several years and has been the tournament director for the last 25 years. Ray has refereed State Football finals, 11 State wrestling tournaments, and has worked seven Division III College Nationals. He has been inducted into the National Wrestling Coaches & Officials Hall of Fame. Ray is a lifelong resident of Columbia. He retired from the Medina Coiunty Career Center in 2015, where he was a firefighter instructor.