Spring ball in high school

Coach Easton,

Had the opportunity to coach against the Massillon Tigers in '87 (won up there) and '89 (lost at home) when I coached at Middletown, Ohio h.s. - great athletic tradition (home of Chris Carter, Butch Carter, Todd Bell, Jerry Lucas, and its where Tiger Ellison invented the Run in Shoot back in the 40s - blessed to have the opportunity to present him with an award at a Banquet before he passed). Also scrimmaged them from '93-'95. USA Today voted the Massillon/Canton McKinley (their home field is the Pro Football Hall of Fame!) game the greatest rivalry in the country! I still remember Chris Speilman (Massillon/Ohio St./Detroit Lions) being on the Wheaties box his senior year of high school!

Once a year at the end of July before camp we shut down everything and go on a team trip. We rent travel busses, watch football movies (some of which have to be edited by the head coach - like the "Go Tigers" Massillon movie), etc. It's a great team building event which our players never forget. We are very fortunate to be close to a lot of colleges and football museums. One trip we take once every 2-3 years is up to Canton/Massillon. We tour both McKinley and Massillon's (outrageous) facilities, visit the Hall of Fame, and eat at Chris Speilman's (football memorabilia) restaraunt. We leave about 6 AM and don't get home until after midnight - that's a lot of time on a bus together . . . . but that's the point! Other trips: South Bend, Indiana - Notre Dame and the College Football Hall of Fame; Indianapolis - NCAA Hall of Champions, Butler Univ., Univ. of Indianapolis; Columbus - OSU; Cincy - Bengals facilities, UC; Cleveland - Browns facility, Mount Union College = Div. III National Champs about every year!

I agree with you coaches - great high school football: Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, Texas, Virginia is very underrated but is a recruiting hot bed, Alabama. The Top 4-5 schools in Kentucky (Louisville area) and Indiana are great also = whipped the big school champs form Ohio!

Also got demolished by Brockton, Mass. in '94 - they were "nasty!" (in a good way)

You men might be surprised which state has produced the most members of the NFL Hall of Fame (from my team trip research) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mississippi!

Lastly, last week they just celebrated the anniversary of the first professional football game ever played - here in my hometown of Dayton, Ohio by the Dayton Triangles vs. . . . . . I can't remember who the other team was)

Coach E