Tomaszewski, Bob

Bob Tomaszewski – (1993)

 

BOB TOMASZEWSKI

Despite his election to the Lorain Sports Hall of Fame in the Special Category, Bob Tomaszewski was a rock solid football player who parlayed his blocking expertise into a college degree and the opportunity to help students with their education and athletic careers.

It was in 1961 that Tony Misko left Lorain High to accept the position of “first” Head Football Coach for Admiral King. That same year, Bob, as a 6’3″ – 190 lb. Junior Center was part of a nucleus that included Don Downing, Joe Kozar, Freddie Glick, Bob Lamats and Bill Poplar. Featuring a strong running attack, in which, Tomaszewski blocked the opposing nose tackle or linebacker, Misko’s 1962 eleven became a state power in sweeping to a 9-0 record entering their final fray at Sandusky. In a driving rainstorm King was soundly beaten to finish at 9-1. Although the field was a quagmire, to this day, Bob cannot explain the absence of King’s running attack except to say that Earle Bruce had prepared his team well. Bob’s final comment was, “It would have been much better to have been creamed the first game and then romped to nine consecutive wins”.

Having received Honorable Mention on the 1962 Buckeye Conference All-Star Team, Bob accepted a scholarship to California State College in the Western Pennsylvania Conference. He played two years at center until he received his induction notice. He spent 1968 and 1969 in the Army Postal System in the European Theater then returned to Cal State to graduate early with a B.S. in Education in Industrial Arts in 1970. The same year he signed a contract to teach shop and assist the Frosh Football Coach at Avon Lake High School.

Upon arriving at Avon Lake, Bob learned he had been promoted to Head Frosh Coach and continued at that post until he assumed duties as Asst. JV Coach for the 1975 season. Named the head JV Coach for the 1979 year, Bob compiled an overall record of 63-15-2, which included a 10-0 mark in 1981 and 9-1 records in three other seasons.

Bob was installed as Head Varsity Coach for Avon Lake’s 1987 season. His five year varsity record was 30-21. It included the 1990 off-season of 4-6-0, Bob’s only losing season in his 15 year tenure as a head coach. He completely turned things around in 1991, his final as a head coach, coupling a 9-1 effort with a Southwestern Conference Championship. The turn-around led to “Coach of the Year” awards from the Southwestern Conference, Lorain County and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Bob was named as Head Coach of the East Team in the 1991 Lorain County All-Star game and coached his squad to a 17-16 win.

After his “Year in the Sun”, Bob made the decision to seek a coaching post where he could spend more time with his boys. Although continuing as Avon Lake’s Industrial Arts teacher, the 1992 season found him at Lorain Catholic as Defensive Coordinator. There he joined his oldest boy, Jason a 6’4″ – 210 lb. Junior tight end and Lorain Catholic’s leading receiver and Freshman Matt, a 5’8″ – 185 pounder, who hopes to emulate his father at center.

In Addition to football, Bob was Asst. Wrestling Coach to Paul Reynolds at Avon Lake from 1970 to 1976. His record as JV Coach was 39-23-2 with an undefeated 1972-73 season of 10-0-1. In 1977 he became a licensed wrestling official for the Ohio Athletic Commission, serving 17 years in the sectional, district and regional competitions.

In the annual ratings by the high school wrestling coaches, Bob ranks 17th in the state. Among the 3 groups in the Northeast District, he ranks 2nd in his group. For his 1992-93 efforts, Bob received the Greater Cleveland Wrestling Officials Assn. naming him “Official of the Year”. Four times in the last decade the Lorain County Wrestling Coaches and Officials Assn. has designated Bob as “Official of the Year”.