Special Honorary Achievement
Joe Leigh graduated from East Liverpool Public Schools in 1959, Hiram College, with a BA in Economics, in 1963, and Akron University, with a master’s degree in counseling, in 1979. He began his teaching and coaching career at St. Mary’s High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1964. In 1968, he was hired by the Ravenna Board of Education as a teacher and assistant football coach. Joe became the head football coach of the Ravens in 1970 until his departure in 1989. During that time, he amassed 119 wins, earned three Metro League Championships, and two shared Metro Championships. As the Ravenna High track coach for five years, he earned two Metro League Championships as well.
Following Joe’s employment in Ravenna, he was hired as an assistant coach at Mount Union College and was a part of seven national championship teams from 1989 -2005, with a win/loss record of 109-1. Joe’s contributions to the children of Ravenna included starting the Ravenna Youth Wrestling Program, coaching baseball, was the Intramural Director at RHS for four years, was the Ravenna Recreation League Sports Supervisor for 14 years, the Ski Club Director for 21 years, and served as the Ravenna High School Athletic Director for four years. His organization memberships are impressive and vast. Joe belonged to the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association Board of Directors, was Past President of the Greater Akron Football Association, was Game Chairman of the Beacon Journal All-Star Football Game, and the Portage County Umpires Association. Locally, he served on the Ravenna Parks and Recreation Board, the Kiwanis Club of Ravenna, and was inducted into the Portage County Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. Joe and Linda Leigh currently live in Chincoteague, Virginia.