Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
A group of friends who formed a bond in a different era of youth sports at Starr Elementary and around the Oregon area in the mid-1970s came together on May 21 to honor the coaches who shaped them.
Those friends – Lou Reiner, Dave Scharer, Terry Ferguson, Rod Achter, Jeff McNally, Mark Dansack and Mark Stahl – were on hand during a ceremony at Starr Elementary to honor the late Jim Scharer, who was Dave’s father, and the late Tom Roberts.
“It's just a way for us to kind of connect to our youth,” McNally said. “For me in particular, being the new kid at the school, all these guys were here (already). Sports was kind of my entry into a lot of friendships which ended up lasting my whole lifetime.
“These guys are still my friends, which is a pretty amazing thing. In particular, I think all of us wanted to show our respect to Coach Scharer and Coach Roberts.”
Tom Roberts, a graduate of Waite High School, passed away Nov. 22, 2012. He coached for the Oregon Rec for 18 years, and he also owned and operated Roberts Party Store in Oregon for 10 years. With that business, he also sponsored many youth teams in the area.
In June of last year, Roberts was honored with the dedication of the Tom Roberts Pavilion at the Oregon Coontz Recreation Complex.
James Scharer, a graduate of Libbey High School, passed away March 30, 2024. He played semi-pro football for the Toledo Maroons, Toledo Stars and Toledo Tornadoes. After that career, he went on to coach with the Oregon Rec for 15 years, and he also coached football at Fassett Junior High.
When Scharer was gravely ill, McNally said Dave Scharer reached out to him and Ferguson, and the duo went to pay their respects before he passed. While doing so, Dave discovered that his father had kept the jerseys from their sixth grade championship basketball team in 1974.
“51 years ago, and he kept those jerseys,” McNally said. “That touched my heart. And I wanted to do something. I wanted those men to know what an impact they had on me and my family.”
Thus, McNally reached out to Starr Elementary principal Tricia Soltesz, who was very receptive and enthusiastic about honoring them in some way. That eventually led to the donation of a framed piece of art on May 21 with one of those old jerseys as well as photos from their time playing baseball, football and basketball for Starr Elementary.
A small plaque inside the framed piece read: In recognition of Coach Tom Roberts, Coach Jim Scharer, and all the other coaches who selflessly donated their time for the betterment of our students. Go Bulldogs.
“Well, the thing is, and this is kind of the way I look at it, there were so many people that played a part,” Dave Scharer said. “Dad coached basketball, and Tom coached football, and basketball, and baseball. Dad helped with baseball. But there's so many people that helped to donate time, helped us little ones. This just kind of represents all of them.”
Dave Scharer and his friends went to school in Oregon at schools such as Starr Elementary, Coy Elementary, Clay Elementary and Jerusalem Elementary during a different era before travel sports and AAU dominated the landscape. Students from those schools competed in the Oregon Rec League.
The group on hand, which was part of the 1974 Oregon Rec League championship basketball team, spoke to fourth graders in the cafeteria of Starr Elementary during a ceremony announcing the donation.
“This became a very, very special place for me,” McNally said to the students. “All of the gentlemen behind me, I met at that point in my life. All of the gentlemen behind me are still friends to this day. That's a very special thing.
“During that time, I also was mentored by a couple of men that were coaches in Oregon, Mr. James Scharer and Mr. Thomas Roberts. These guys coached basketball, baseball, football. They dedicated so much of their time and energy to the youth and the students of this school.
“They gave so much and expected nothing in return, except our best effort and respect. And that's what we did.”
Achter, who was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1983 NFL draft, shared the story of how he married a daughter of Tom Roberts, and he also had a message for the children.
“Don't let anybody tell you can't do it,” he said. “Reach for the stars. I've been lucky enough. I've been a part of that. And it wouldn't have been possible without the help of all these people up here.
“This (framed piece) is going to go up in the school, and you guys are going to be able to look at this and say, ‘Oh, I know so-and-so. I know this person. I know that person.’ Some of you may have a dad or a grandpa that played at one of these schools. And it's neat. Listen to the stories.”
On hand for the event was Kathy Roberts, Tom’s widow.
“It was awesome,” she said. “This brings back a lot of memories from when Tom used to coach and Mr. Scharer, they both coached football together, and they were good. They enjoyed themselves. They loved the kids, and the kids loved them.
“It’s just special that they care enough to honor him. If more men and boys would have known about this, there would have been a ton of men here. They all loved Tom. They all respected him. And I know they would be here.”
Roberts, Scharer and other mentors left quite a legacy, and that was the message the group of men tried to imprint on the fourth graders.
“I want you to take a look at this group of men up here,” Dave Scharer said. “All these guys … we've got park rangers, we've got lawyers, we've got professional athletes, we have business owners, we have political leaders from this little group right here.
“We have doctors, this little group right here, a doctor. All of them, sitting in seats just like you were, and we all grew up to be things. I'm a teacher, believe that or not, I became a teacher. I really didn't even like school, (and) I became a teacher. You just never know.
“We were so blessed to have all the wonderful coaches that we had and all the wonderful influences and teachers that we had. They were wonderful, so when you're getting down and you're thinking, man, I can't do this, (just remember) you can become anything you want, because that's what happened here. Every one of us have went on to have a successful career in the different things that we did.”
