HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
STAN KIRBY, MARION PLEASANT
1997 RECIPIENT
Spend
time analyzing and organizing, so practices are efficient and productive.
In a
smaller
school, study the strength and weaknesses of each player an adjust
the offense
and defensive styles to suit their capabilities, rather than try to make
the
players fit your personal style preferences.
It it very unusual today to coach for 31 years, especially at the same
school for the entire span of years. Coach Stan Kirby did just that,
coaching basketball 31 years at Marion Pleasant High School, as well as
baseball and golf during his tenure there. His teams in basketball won 69%
of their games, with a total of 464 victories. His teams won twelve league,
ten sectional, four district, two regional and one State Championship. They
were district runner-ups in 1957, 1964, 1967, and 1972; regional runner-ups
in 1974 and 1985; and state runner-ups in 1971, in addition to the
championships. They won it all in 1973.
Kirby received Class A Coach of the Year honors in 1973-74.
In 1973 he had the thrill of an undefeated season, going 26 and 0, and coached
the North-South All-Star Game.
As a baseball coach he compiled a record of 132 wins with
just 44 losses, including six league championships, five sectional, four times
district runner-ups, one district and one regional runner-up. As a varsity golf
coach he had 30 wins and six losses with two league championships.
He graduated from Prospect High School and Ohio Wesleyan
University. He has been a member of OHSBCA for more than 20 years. Also he is a
lifetime member of the America Legion Post # 368, having served two years as an
Aviation Cadet during World War II. He is a past member of the Marion County
Children Services board; a charter member and deacon of 40 years at Calvary
Baptist Church in Marysville; a rural mail carrier in Prospect for 23 years. He
established the Stan Kirby Realty in 1982 with his office in Prospect. He and
his wife, Colleen, have six children: Karen, Linden, Carole, Mark, Eileen, and
Kathleen, and 13 grandchildren.
His philosophy of coaching embodies the basics that any
successful coach should employ. His approach to practices and adapting to his
players strengths were hallmarks of his career. He also said that "I was
privileged to have two great assistants in Bob Gucker and Doug Lichtenberger and
the support, prayers, and backing of my family."
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