Coldwater coach John Reed leaves lasting legacy

COLDWATER — Many will say former Coldwater Cavalier football coach John Reed lost his seven-month battle with esophageal cancer on Friday, but by Reed’s own words, he knows that he won the battle.  

“It isn’t doom and gloom for me at all,” Reed said in December as his team prepared to face Youngstown Ursuline in the Division IV state championship game. “This is a win-win situation for me. If God decides to heal me then He will be glorified. If God decides not to heal me in the way that we think of being healed then I will be glorified with my Savior.”

Early Friday morning Reed passed away, peacefully and quietly, just as he lived his 64 years. His 36-year Hall of Fame career record of 283-126-1 places him 11th all time among Ohio football coach and his team’s accomplishments show the type of program he built. But to those who knew him outside of football, they talk of his “hall of fame” lifestyle.

In fact, Reed wore many hats. He was a coach, teacher, guidance counselor, mentor, friend and evangelist.

Since coming to Coldwater in 1995, Reed led a Friday morning Bible study with teachers, administrators, aides and friends before school. The group continues to meet even though Reed has been absent in body, but not in spirit.

“Always with a humble spirit, he’s taught each of us ... to avail ourselves to God’s power,” Coldwater teacher and Bible study member Jill Eilerman said. “Although we no longer have John, we are filled with immense gratitude for having known him.”

In September, 2009 Reed, co-founder and pastor, began Covenant Community Church in Coldwater. About 20 families make up the congregation. His last sermons, in March, included lessons that he learned from his battle with cancer.

 “John and Jan (Reed’s wife) lived here, in Coldwater and ministered here,” co-founder and pastor Eric Muhlenkamp said. “There’s always been a passion to share the gospel with gentleness and respect. John was very excited to open a church in Coldwater.”

In late 2009, he began a ministry in Coldwater that continues to grow. His last sermons, in March, included lessons he learned from his battle with cancer.

Thad Forsthoefel, who played for Reed from 1995-97, volunteered as a coach from 1998-2004 before becoming an assistant in 2005, said the key to Reed’s success is how he taught and coached.

“This is a public school,” Forsthoefel said. “He didn’t indoctrinate religion; he used it in everyday life. He used real life lessons to teach. That was the key, he lived it.”

Carole Huber was Reed’s secretary since 1995. She said she feels honored to have worked with him and that everyone’s problems mattered to Reed.

“There won’t be anyone like him,” Huber said. “I’m blessed to have been his secretary for 15 years. No matter how small or insignificant a student’s problem may have seemed to an outsider, if it was big to the students, it was big to John.”

Huber was able to see both sides of Reed, his coaching side and guidance side.

“It was never about him or his coaching ability,” Huber said. “It was about getting his players ready for the games. As a guidance counselor, he would pull as many resources he needed to help a student.”

Reed’s head coaching career included stops at Parkway, Marion Harding, his alma mater, Upper Sandusky, Lebanon and Coldwater.

In 15 seasons at Coldwater, Reed’s teams went 168-31, including 102-14 in the Midwest Athletic Conference. Coldwater won six MAC titles, made 14 playoff appearances, played for the state championship five times and won two state championships. In the last 10 years the Cavaliers lost just seven regular season games and went undefeated in the regular season five times.

Tim Hoyng coached against Reed when Hoyng was at St. Henry and Reed at Parkway in the mid-1970’s. Hoyng was an assistant for Reed for 15 years at Coldwater and Reed lived with Hoyng’s family for two months when Reed first came to Coldwater.

“The main reason John was so successful was because football was more about building relationships, as opposed to the Xs and Os of football,” Hoyng said. “His relationships that he developed with his players were based upon discipline, loyalty, respect, trust and love. Coach Reed always felt if you have those qualities, the Xs and Os would take care of themselves. Also, he always made all his athletes feel important.”