Bud Weisgarber, the former longtime head coach of Strasburg-Franklin High School’s softball team, has passed away at the age of 66.
The Times-Reporter first reported the story.
Weisgarber was the first – and, for a long time, only – head coach for the Tigers program since its inception in 1985. The team soon built itself into one of Ohio’s most successful girls’ high school sports programs.
Strasburg won seven state championships (1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2009, 2011, 2013) and made a state-record 16 Final Four appearances under Weisgarber’s tenure, including 11 state final appearances. Weisgarber was named Inter-Valley Conference Coach of the Year 11 times, and Eastern District Coach of the Year 10 times.
Weisgarber, a 1973 graduate of Strasburg, helped to draft the original Eastern District Constitution in Ohio, and also served as the group’s treasurer through the next 12 years.
In June of 2016, Weisgarber was inducted into the National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and was also inducted to the inaugural class of the Strasburg High School Athletic Hall of Fame that same year.
Weisgarber’s 723 career victories are the most among any high school softball head coaches in the state of Ohio.