Norwalk grad inducted into football coaches hall of fame

COLUMBUS — Bill Albright officially joined the ranks of the elite Ohio high school football coaches over the weekend. Nominated last year by Columbia High School Coach Jason Ward, that being the school where the six-letter Norwalk High graduate now coaches as an assistant, Albright was recognized Saturday night at the 2021 Hall of Fame ceremony at the Easton Hilton Banquet Center. It was Ward who had the honor of presenting the coach. The 2020 banquet was not held because of the COVID pandemic, although six coaches, including Albright, were inducted. The others in the 2020 class were Ty Fleming, Shadyside, Jim Ryan, Olmsted Falls, Steve Bartlett, Southeastern, Whit Parks, Zanesville and Brian Cross, Columbus Bishop Ready. Ryan is a close personal friend of Albright. The 2021 class included Phil Annarella, Warren Harding, Steve Channell, Miamisburg, Jeff Bayuk, Warren John F. Kennedy, Chip Otten, Coldwater, Mike Golden, Upper Arlington and Chris Kubbs, Marion Pleasant. He is the son of Pat and Ron Albright. He spent 38 years as a biology, life science, physical fitness and driver education teacher at Midview. He was the head coach of the Middies for 28 seasons from 1986-2013, compiling a 178-110 record with just five losing seasons. He had previously been an assistant for nine seasons at Midview prior to that, giving him 38 consecutive years on the sidelines at the Lorain County school in Grafton. Albright's teams won five conference championships (Lorain County, West Shore) and made six trips to the Division II state playoffs, finishing as regional runners-up in 1998 (losing to Mayfield). An eight-time conference coach of the year, Albright also was named the Lorain County Coach of the Year 10 times, and three times earned Associated Press Northeast District Coach of the Year in Div. II. In 1987, Albright helped form the Midview Touchdown Club, which helped raise money for players to lower the cost of pay-to-participate fees. In 1999, he started FCA Huddle, a certified small group bible study/devotion for coaches, athletes, for players and cheerleaders. That same year, he also earned one of the first Cleveland Browns High School Coach of the Week awards, a recognition the pro franchise began doing when it returned in 1999. The Middies were 10-0 in the 1999 season. Albright was the head coach of the Lorain County All-Star game three times (1991, 1996, 2003), and was an assistant coach in the 1998 Ohio North-South Classic. In 2012, Albright received the honor of serving as head coach of the Ohio team in the Big 33 Classic, a game well-known for producing future college and NFL talent. After playing high school football under Leonard Hardman and golf under Bob Gullett and Jerry Emmons, Albright went on to Bowling Green where he graduated with a degree in biology and science. He would take a biology teaching/assistant football coaching position at Midview one year out of college. "I knew who I was getting when I talked Coach Albright out of retirement three years ago," Columbia Coach Jason Ward said. "I was his quarterback at Midview for four years. He has a football mind like no other coach I have ever played for or worked along side. He is a proven winner and so deserving at joining the ranks of Ohio's elite coaches." In his remarks in front of a large crowd, including 25 members of his family that included wife, Lisa, as well as former coaches and friends, Albright talked about growing up in Norwalk and how much his high school coaches taught him about football and life in general. Albright closed his remarks by recalling what Woody Hayes was famous for saying at speaking engagements. "A head coach does not do it alone. He wins with good people." "I was always surrounded with the best people," Albright said.