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- Many are participating in the effort to name a sports facility in Canton South after a popular coach.
- Coach Art Fach gives a touching speech and also pays tribute to his deceased wife.
- Coach Fach won more than 400 matches as coach of the Canton South girls tennis team.
Full Disclosure:
The topic of this column was coached by my daughter Margaret.
He inspired the current head coach of the program he built, my son Rob.
His team, Canton South, is my alma mater.
His children, Greg and Liz, are friends of my children.
We are friends of the same age. He and I agree on most things. We take political differences of opinion to church and leave them in better hands there than at home.
We currently have different strengths, such as golfing (him) and napping (me).
He gets to the point faster than I can. This is where I get around to mentioning his name: Art Fach (rhymes with “catch”).
Art belonged to the class of teachers/trainers who deserved publicity for what they stood for and what they accomplished, but neither sought nor received it.
Here it is, finally, nine years after his retirement, at a ceremony that was not his idea but, judging by the size of the crowd, was the right idea.
Canton South’s brand new tennis courts were officially opened Saturday near the high school, below North Industry Christian Church. At the ceremony, the court was named after Art.
As coach of South’s girls tennis team from 1982 to 2015, he led the team to more wins than any other coach in school history except for boys basketball legend Red Ash.
Art’s Wildcats posted a record of 401-245 and won 14 conference championships.
After graduating from East Canton High School in 1972, he commuted to the University of Akron, where he studied (oh horror) journalism.
He transferred to Malone. One day he met a student who left him speechless. He was embarrassed that she might have caught him looking at her.
The next time he saw her on campus, he looked away, not even thinking about the possibility. She noticed he was wearing an Akron University sweatshirt and commented on it. He stammered a response.
He still can’t believe that his Zips sweatshirt has given him 35 years of marriage.
Michele was friendly and cheerful, a good sportsman who laughed when someone said, “Well, well, if that isn’t the First Lady of Wildcat tennis.”
Art, 21, left Malone with a relationship and a degree in education and found a job teaching Ohio history and language arts in Massillon. After five years, when Massillon laid off teachers, he was lucky enough to land at Canton South teaching American history.
He was fortunate enough to keep a job despite the school reorganization of 1985, but in a new discipline, special education, and had to be re-certified. Art moved to middle school. He worked and struggled through the trips to classes in Steubenville,
He participated in a faculty tennis tournament and did quite well, although he couldn’t beat Matt Pendleton.
Canton South had started a girls tennis team, but it didn’t last long. Principal Howard Jolliff asked Art to coach a new program.
In his first attempts, Art went from “why not” to “why me.”
He told himself that much more effort and organization would be required if the matter was to be worthwhile for anyone.
He drove his own tennis school forward by watching students, reading, playing and guiding them towards a sport that tends to be closer to those who try it.
He studied Greg Parrish, a coach who made girls tennis a real thing at Louisville High School.
He and his coaching friends Kent Smith of Orrville, Tom Haren of McKinley and Carl Dulin of Chippewa founded the NET (North East Tennis Conference).
Art’s thoughtful, hardworking, patient and hopeful approach made him popular with most people.
In class, he was encouraging, patient in stormy situations, protective of the children in heartbreaking situations, and strict when necessary.
More than once he saved a situation with the calm, strong statement: “Not a good decision.”
On the pitch, Art changed his tone without raising his voice. Sometimes he was a calm Art on the outside, sometimes he was an agitated Art on the inside.
Canton South girls tennis became his baby.
He stayed up late at night, changing his approaches, developing strategies to help each player, and organizing the team’s needs. He rushed from school to the tennis court.
He kept repair supplies – grips, strings and the like – in a tackle box. Everyone who played for him saw this tackle box.
The mental toughness aspect was a hallmark of his coaching. During tough games, he kept a cool head during pitchside conversations and often relieved the pressure with a dry sense of humor.
He asked simple and profound questions.
Give it your heart. Respect your teammates and opponents. Don’t worry if your opponent is Serena Williams. Do your best.
The atmosphere was the opposite of “winning is the only thing that matters,” even though his teams were winning en masse.
My daughter was a typical example. She heard about the tennis team when she was in middle school.
We bought a racket. Art took over from there.
Soon our whole family was having a lot of fun with it.
The competition and camaraderie were very cool.
Art brought out the best in the girls. He built a community.
His players huddled together before games and held hands. After victories, they formed a circle and began a cheesy chant: “Cats! Cats! Cats! Cats! Cats! Cats! Cats! Cats!”
Every long-time trainer accumulates an enemy or two. Art wasn’t looking for them, but the highs also brought some lows.
The man enjoyed providing a positive sports experience for girls, who are in some ways marginalized by a high school sports culture that places emphasis on the most visible boys’ sport.
Many people have great respect for him.
Michele was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2011 and had a shockingly low chance of survival.
She continued to be friendly and cheerful. Art continued to teach and work with composure. Everyone felt compassion for Greg and Liz.
To make sense of her death, Michele said “goodbye for a while” on June 12, 2012. She had a way of reassuring her loved ones that there will be a next time.
People often wonder how much love there is in a marriage. In the case of Art and Michele, no one asked that question.
Art didn’t know what to do without her.
“It was a bad time,” he admitted during his speech on Saturday.
He said he didn’t realize it at the time, but his coaching tenure in the 2012 season so soon after the funeral took an unexpected turn.
“In many ways,” he said to the players of that team in the audience, “you saved me.”
The vintage-style speech included gripping passages, dry jokes, and the amusing backstory to the “Cats!” chant.
“This is overwhelming,” Art said. “I’ve coached hundreds of girls and never won a point. They are the heroes.”
Krista Gearhart, principal of Canton South School, who played for Art, gave a warm introduction. Audience members said, “Look how many people are here.”
Art and Michele’s children are now grown and married. A grandchild is on the way.
The funky green Chevy van that Art bought in 1977 and was seen at countless practices and games at Canton South is still owned by his son and has been to 48 states.
At almost 70, Art appears healthy, active and peaceful.
I have a new grandson named Arthur. You would have to ask Margaret if the name has anything to do with her tennis coach.
