South Central's Jeff Ray retires

Patient and calm, but also firm. For more than a quarter century, those words have best described South Central track and field coach Jeff Ray. The lifelong Greenwich native has been both the head coach and an assistant at his alma mater. "His yes means yes, and his no means no," current longtime head coach Brian Kiesel said of Ray. Recent graduate Falynn Schumacher worked under the watchful eye of Ray, who was her pole vaulting coach. She finished her career on June 6, standing on the All-Ohio podium in the event at the Division V state track and field championships in Columbus. "He just wants whatever is best for us," Schumacher said. "When he says to do something, you listen. Who am I to tell him any different? He knows what he is talking about and has the track record to show it. "Whether it's in sports or our lives, all the advice he gives us is always right. I don't know how to explain that, but it always is." That wasn't always the case for Ray, who married his high school sweetheart, Teri. The 1977 SCHS graduates have two sons who also went through the school and track program, Ryan (2001) and Jordan (2004). But in 1998, Jeff Ray didn't know much about coaching track and field. In fact, he knew nothing about the pole vault. All he knew was a program that was flirting with a roster crisis needed his help. Flash forward 28 years later, and Ray announced his retirement from coaching on the heels of two vaulters finishing in the top 10 at the state meet. A serious cancer diagnosis along the way also never stopped him. "I thought I was done four years ago, but Falynn and Taylor (Smith) showed me something that is what this sport is all about with their work ethic," Jeff said. "I wanted to see them through. Teri and I are in our late 60s, and we have three granddaughters that we want to be present in their lives. "They've all made it easy on me, but it's simply time." Stepping up In his words, Jeff simply showed up. The dad just wanted to be involved in his sons' activities, no matter what it was. So after Ryan finished his freshman year at South Central in 1998, Jeff was encouraged to help out the program by then-head coach Jim Johnston. After deciding he had enough help with his business, Ray Design and Construction, Jeff accepted the offer as a volunteer assistant coach. Preparing his best to figure out the inner workings of field events, Jeff checked in with the school on the status of where things stood late in the winter after Johnston left to help coach baseball. "Pat Durham was the athletic director at the time, and he said the numbers were low last year, and there were seven boys and four girls signed up for track and field at that time," Jeff recalled. Durham told Ray there was consideration of at least pausing the program if the numbers were that low. "And I did not want them to do that," Jeff said. "But let's look for some help and we'll push through this." With that, Jeff Ray was suddenly the head coach of the Trojans. The numbers ended up being seven girls, who wanted no relay events, and 14 boys in the spring of 1999, with assistant coach Don Ott helping out. But in field events, returning All-Ohioan Mike Howard won the state shot put title and placed sixth in the discus to give the Trojans a 10th-place finish as a team. On the girls side, Cassie Palmer was third at the state in the discus. Despite being low in numbers, the Trojans had momentum. Additionally, Brian Phillips, Justin Dorn, and Lindsey Phillips competed at the regional meet. "They were such good athletes from that first group," Jeff said. "Our coaches kind of looked at each other and said, 'You know, we didn't know what the heck we were doing, but we did alright.'" From there, Coach Ray was committed and began recruiting the halls with a renewed interest. The numbers held steady at 22 athletes in 2000, but by the time Jordan Ray had come through the program in 2004, the Trojans had 35 boys and 30 girls out for the team. "Something sparked there," Jeff said. "We got through it, and the kids got interested. And that's what it takes. But there were some tough days at first." Handing off When Kiesel returned to his alma mater, the 1994 SCHS graduate immediately caught Jeff's eye. After college, Kiesel was hired by South Central as a health and physical education teacher. At that point, Jordan was in the program, and Ryan was competing collegiately at NCAA Div. III Capital University near Columbus. "I had some really good assistants prior to Brian, but when he came aboard, I knew … here is the guy," Jeff said. "He was from here and was a great track athlete himself. He came from a good, proud family." Jeff also realized two important things as Jordan was finishing his high school career, which included owning the pole vault record of 13 feet, 7.5 inches. That mark still stands today. "It's very important that the head coach is a teacher in the building," Jeff said. "I truly believe that, and when I started, that wasn't the case, and it couldn't be the case long term. "Brian had that passionate style of coaching and I was more laid back and would more often challenge the kids differently than he would. But I loved the combination of coaching and support we had for each other." After Jordan graduated, he went to nearby NCAA Div. II Ashland University to continue pole vaulting. Ryan was finishing his career up at Capital. "I told Brian, 'You're ready, and you have to be ready, because I'm going to watch my boys,'" Jeff said. "But in that same conversation, I told him I'd volunteer to coach the vaulters and still be there. But if there was a weekend college meet, I still wanted to make those for my two boys." The rest, as they say, has been history. "Obviously we're different people and I'm a little bit more vocal and passionate," Kiesel said. "I coach loudly, and that's not him. Coach Ray is definitely a quiet, laid back guy. But the kids know what he says is what he stands by. And I think his honesty and character is what endeared him to kids." Fitting finale The results speak for themselves. In the years since Kiesel has been the head coach with Ray and others on staff, it's hard to argue with the level of success the program has seen. South Central has sent 19 different athletes to the state meet in a 21-season span. That includes 17 All-Ohio performances and the program's only state championship with the boys 4x400 relay in 2022. Additionally, four other times the Trojans have had an athlete place ninth, just outside the top eight on the podium. But during that stretch, Jeff also had to push through his own health issues. In 2010, he was diagnosed with Liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer, found in his abdomen. He received treatment locally at Fisher-Titus Medical Center in Norwalk and North Coast Cancer in Sandusky before surgery at the University of Michigan. "It was a difficult time and a tough year, but it always seemed like when track practice started, it put me in a good place," Jeff said. "I've come through all that, and lord willing, I'll continue to do so. I had some reoccurrences, but I've been cancer free since 2017. "I have yearly scans. I'm in a good spot right now in a lot of different ways. I'm very blessed." Under Jeff's guidance in the pole vault, Onalee Keysor placed ninth and 10th at state in 2021 and 2022. Just behind Schumacher in seventh was Taylor Smith in ninth place two weeks ago at state. The South Central girls program won its first-ever FC championship in track in 2022, then went on to win the next two years for a three-peat. They were second place in each of the last two seasons as well. "Brian has continued that passion and is everything right about sports," Jeff said. "They've been on an unbelievable run. We've had the right help to take some of the pressure off all the coaches and allow them to really help in the right ways." Schumacher said the "right way" was the built-in connection. "Coach Ray puts all his time into you, and it's not just as a coach," she said. "It's more like a family connection in a lot of ways. Taylor and I would casually call him grandpa sometimes. "It's been awesome to just have someone like that on your side to know and connect with." Schumacher said she wanted to make Ray proud as much as she did for herself or her family. "He's that important to us," she said. But Schumacher and Smith weren't the only reason Coach Ray chose this season as his last. After decades of a gravel track, South Central also officially opened its new all-weather track surface on April 21. The project also included new bleachers and a press box on the home side of the stadium, as well as a concessions stand. In years past, the Trojans had to mock up running lanes and practice in the school parking lot, using the light poles as guides for a starting line, because of the previous gravel track at the stadium. Ray spent several years constructing and tweaking a makeshift pole vault area. The tri-meet was the first hosted by the school since 1992. The new gem served as one final checkmark in Ray's coaching tenure, who has also stepped in to offer vaulting pointers to athletes from other FC schools as well. "For me, the new track goes back to that first year and those 20 kids and a state champion," Jeff said. "You are always hoping the next group is watching, and not just the athletes. If Superintendent (Ben) Chaffee doesn't see what we're doing, we may not have this new track. "There was a commitment and desire all the way through. But it all has to line up. All that effort has to be in place, and you have to be fortunate to have the right people seeing the right things. We had that line up and we have a beautiful facility now." A lasting image for Kiesel came before the first-ever home meet at the new facility. Jeff still cares for his mother, Elaine, who is 100 years old. Then he went straight to the school and went to work. "And there he was out there weed trimming and using a blower to clear the entire track still," Kiesel said. "But he does it because of the pride and he puts these kids first. Jeff and Teri are just wonderful people who want the best for South Central. "We're grateful to have people like that in our community who can touch the hearts of these kids. Grateful doesn't begin to describe it. Coach Ray is one of the most honest, true men I've ever met." Though done coaching, Jeff said he plans on running the pole vault competition during future home meets at South Central. He walked out of Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on June 6 without a single regret. "I wouldn't have changed anything," he said. "I got to be a big part of both my sons' lives as track athletes, and a lot of my athletes from beyond my boys … I got to be part of their track life, too. "They've all meant a lot to my family. And that's what we are, a family."