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2005

On Jack Greynolds

 From the Akron Beacon Journal, Nov. 28, 1999 and Jan. 15, 2005:

It was in 1969 that Jack Greynolds walked into Barberton High School as the new head basketball coach and announced, "I’m going to make Barberton a basketball town!" He stomped, he kicked and he ranted. He terrorized officials, jumped 5’6” players at center and wrote on the floor with chalk during timeouts.

He once said, “I’m a little like Bobby Knight on a small time scale.” But unlike Bobby Knight, who was trapped in his archaic principles, Coach Greynolds was always shifting, and always adjusting. He pressed some games, stalled some games and many games he would run. He knew what his players could take and how to push them. So he yelled at some, lectured others and left the others alone. Regardless, he always motivated!

“He didn’t teach plays, he taught you how to play basketball,” said his son, Jackie Greynolds who played for his dad on the 1982 State Runner-up Magics. He also taught his players responsibility, how to play as a team, how to build on your strengths, how to be successful, and how to be a man. His success can be attributed to his love of young people, his innovative knowledge and his constant study of the game.

During his 30 years as a high school coach, Greynolds coached at only two schools; Revere High School for 12 years and Barberton High School for 18. During this time his teams compiled a 549-121 record for an 82% winning average. He never had a losing season.

He introduced the full court press to the Akron area and spoke at many clinics about his defenses. He often said, “I can not give you a formula for success, but I can give one for failure – try to please everyone.”

Coach Greynolds’ teams won many league championships; 17 sectional tournaments, 6 district titles, 3 regional titles, 2 state runner-up titles and a State Championship in 1976. He was named UPI State Coach of the Year in 1976 and 1977, State AP Coach of the Year and Prep Sport national Coach of the Year in 1977. He was selected Summit County Coach of the Year an unprecedented 5 times and named Dapper Dan Man of the Year in 1977. Greynolds has been inducted into the Barberton Sports Hall of Fame, the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame, Greater Akron Hall of Fame, the Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame and was named a Distinquished Educator of the Year at Revere High School. In Barberton, the Industrial Arts gym was renamed Greynolds Gymnasium, the new Barberton High School basketball floor was named Greynolds Floor and the gymnasium at the Lake Anna YMCA Community Center will be named Greynolds Gymnasium. Jack Greynolds was named the Greatest High School Coach in Summit County in the last 50 years by the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame Committee and a vote of the public.

Coach Greynolds passed away January 14, 2005. Coach Greynolds will never be forgotten. This “Magic Legend” will live forever in the history of Barberton. Coach Greynolds, you most definitely made Barberton a basketball town!