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Former WGH coach Wolfe dies at 78

Bob Wolfe, a longtime high school and college football coach throughout Ohio, died March 19 at the age of 78.

Wolfe coached various teams throughout his 42-year career. He made his impact on the Mahoning Valley as the head coach of Warren G. Harding during the 1980 and 1981 seasons. Wolfe had a record of 10-8-2 with the Panthers. He also coached at Chalker in 2010.

He left a lasting impact on many of his players, including Harding’s current head coach Steve Arnold.

“I was not going to play football; he was the one who talked me into playing football my junior year,” Arnold said. “He talked me into playing, and I was so glad that I listened to Coach Wolfe talk about playing football… He prepared, worked hard and cared about his players, and we kept in contact after I graduated. Even when I came back to coach basketball and football we stayed in contact.”

Wolfe was the head coach at Tiffin University from 1990-1997. He was named District 22 coach of the year in 1993 as he led the Dragons to an 8-2-1 record and their first NAIA Tournament appearance in school history. In 1994 Wolfe led Tiffin back to the NAIA Tournament with an 8-4 record. The Dragons advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament that year after defeating Eureka College 41-14 in the first round. Wolfe was inducted into the Tiffin University Hall of Fame in 2003.

“He was able to turn that Tiffin program around,” Arnold said. “He made the playoffs in two consecutive years, and they hadn’t made the playoffs until he got there.”

Wolfe’s respected career included stops as a defensive coordinator at Bowling Green State University and as a head coach at Allegheny College and Hiram College. He had a serious attitude towards winning, but always kept the success of his players in mind.

“He was businesslike when he came in or when he called you in to speak with you,” Arnold said. “It was straightforward and businesslike. It was a player-to-coach relationship where it was a business from his point of view, but it was always to prepare you for the next stage of your life.”

A Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 11, at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 10700 Liberty Road, Powell, Ohio.

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