Provident, Bill
| Bill Provident – (2002) |
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Football people often refer to Bill Provident as a “coach’s coach.” He can tirelessly coach any position and usually gets the maximum out of his grid pupils, especially on defense.
After graduating from East Cleveland Shaw High (1956) and Bowling Green State University (1963), Bill began his career in 1963 at Lyndhurst Memorial Junior High. As football and wrestling coach there, he compiled a glossy two-year record of 30-2 for both sports.
Provident joined the Lorain High School athletic department in 1965 and became an integral part of Coach Doug Thompson’s grid staff for the next 15 years. As strength and conditioning coach, he guided a number of champion weightlifting teams.
The 1970-71 school year is one of Provident’s most memorable. Bill was promoted to defensive co-ordinator in football and to head coach in wrestling. In his first season at the helm, Bill sent out aggressive matmen who were 8-1 in dual meets. That powerhouse featured unbeaten State Class AAA champion Ray Cruzado at 105 pounds plus future Lorain Sports Hall of Famer Kurt Schumacher, unbeaten in dual matches at heavyweight. Cruzado became the first state mat champ in the history of Lorain City schools. During his four-year tenure as head wrestling coach, Bill’s Steelmen won 80% of their dual or tri-meets.
Provident joined the Admiral King grid staff in 1980 and served as defensive co-ordinator under head coach Fred Churchill for three seasons. When late Lorain Sports Hall of Famer Churchill was named City Schools athletic director in 1983, Provident took over the grid reins at King.
Bill’s disciplined Admirals were 8-2 in 1983, 9-1 in 1984, 8-2 in 1985 and 7-3 in 1986 for an overall regular season mark of 32-8. The Navy Blue and Gold team was Buckeye Conference co-champs for three straight years (1984-86). Bill is the only Division I coach in Lorain County history to gain a football playoff berth. In 1984, his turnover-plagued Admirals were defeated by host North Canton Hoover in Div. I. During that era, only two teams from each computer region gained a playoff berth.
Bill coached for the victorious team in the 1987 North-South all-star game at Massillion. Among Bill’s proteges from King who went on to play professional football were Brian DeMarco, Jerry Dunlap, Jerry Evans, Raymont Harris and Gary Patton.
After retiring as an art teacher-coach, Bill continued his career as an assistant at Oberlin College under coaches Don Hunsinger (1988-90) and Pete Petersen (1994-97); at Elyria High under Jeff Riesen (1991) and Don Richardson (1992-93; at North Olmsted High under Jim Bollenbacher (1998); and at Amherst Steele High under Riesen again (1999-present).
With holler-guy Bill’s specialty being the tutoring of linebackers and tight ends, the bearded veteran has helped the Comets roll to a 25-5 record, with three state playoff appearances and a pair of Southwestern Conference titles since 1999. He will return to Amherst for his 40th year of career coaching this fall.
Bill and his wife Shirley reside in Amherst. They have three daughters (Lynn Provident, Lori Austin and Lisa McGuire) and six grandchildren.
