Bay High dedicates gym floor to late coach Rich Voiers

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BAY VILLAGE, Oh. - Maureen Voiers walked onto the basketball court at Bay High School, where she had watched her husband coach for over three decades.

What she discovered there -- his signature permanently emblazoned on the floor where he had paced, coached, and inspired countless young athletes -- brought overwhelming emotion and marked the culmination of a heartfelt tribute years in the making.

For Greg Haneline, honoring Rich Voiers wasn't just about recognizing a legendary coach -- it was about thanking the man who helped shape him into the man he is today; honoring all that he was, as a gift to his mother, Maureen.

"It's amazing, but not surprising to hear the impact he had on people," Haneline said as he reflected, on the impact his father had on former students and players.

According to the National High School Basketball Coaches Association website, "Coach Voiers had said that teaching young people important lessons in growing up was an enjoyable challenge".

"It was his firm belief that to become successful, young people had to develop habits of preparation, practice and team work, coupled with sound emotional and physical skills, as action tools for their eventual success," the website summarized.

The journey to unveiling the gym floor dedication began years earlier. In 2015, with help from the alumni association president, Haneline established a scholarship in Voiers' name for senior basketball players. But when Voiers passed away in 2021, Haneline knew something more permanent was needed.

"When he passed, I knew I needed to do this," he explains. Haneline assembled a Board of former players and assistant coaches who had worked with and under Coach Voiers. After discussions with school officials, they realized the gym floor would be a more impactful tribute.

Working through Bay High Athletics and Activities Director Matt Spellman, Haneline presented his case to the Bay Village School Board.

"When I approached the Board, I had no leverage and would have been happy with anything," Haneline admits.

The board overwhelmingly approved the dedication, with the district assisting in coming up with the perfect signature, even locating one of Voiers' original coaching contracts and comparing it with a signature from a handwritten note Voiers had written to Haneline.

Keeping the surprise from Maureen Voiers, who turned 89 the same week, required elaborate planning and what Haneline good-naturedly calls "a number of lies."

The weekend began with a separate surprise at Cahoon Park, where the family unveiled a commemorative plaque in Rich and Maureen's honor among the hedges. Then came the carefully orchestrated deception that brought them to the high school gym.

"I told her we were going to see family at a lake nearby, but then I said I got a 'call' from Matt Spellman," Haneline recalls.

"I told her they wanted to move the plaque from the high school, and that Spellman wanted her approval."

The ruse worked perfectly, bringing Maureen to the gym where family had already gathered.

When the moment of revelation came, Maureen was "emotionally overwhelmed" as she saw her late husband's signature permanently etched into the court where he had coached for three decades.

According to Spellman, "Rich Voiers, was a longtime basketball coach of 32 years and educator of 37 years. Rich taught health and physical education and was the occupational work experience program coordinator from 1957 - 1994."

Spellman went on, "He coached track, basketball, football, and golf and was the head boys basketball coach for 31 years with a record of 461-182. He is in the Bay High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame," to name a few of his lifetime achievements.

Those who knew Rich Voiers wouldn't be surprised by Greg's prediction of how the coach would have reacted to the honor.

"Knowing him, he'd say he wouldn't be there if it weren't for the players themselves. They do all the work," Haneline says, noting the humility that defined Rich's approach to coaching and life.

"Just look at the alumni facebook page," Haneline urged.

The surprise ceremony was timed carefully -- not just to honor Maureen before her 89th birthday, but because keeping the secret until the official dedication on December 12th during the first home basketball game would have been nearly impossible.

For Haneline, the gym floor dedication represents more than a simple recognition for a successful coach. It's a son's way of honoring the family that took him in and the man who helped shape him into who he became -- a fitting tribute to someone whose influence extended far beyond the basketball court.

The first home game in December may see an official dedication open to the public.