North's Ford was league's first black head coach in boys basketball
Sunday, February 10, 2008
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — When Eddie Ford was hired as North's basketball coach in 1989, he was the first black head boys basketball coach in the 10-team Western Ohio League.
Ford never played for a black head coach as a star player at Dayton Roosevelt High School and Wittenberg University. Don Henderson, North's first head basketball coach, hired Ford in 1979. He moved up the ranks of the Panthers' program from there.
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"It was a bold move on their part to hire me, but I had a lot of people behind me, the history of people paving the way for me," Ford said. "My Wittenberg connection helped. Don Henderson as a mentor helped. Being a longtime assistant here helped. It wasn't like they were coming into an unknown commodity. My history here and my connections to the community really helped."
Ford, 54, does not teach history, but he certainly studies it. He considers Black History Month, and its impact on younger generations, important.
"More so I try to live a history by being a model that they can emulate," Ford said. "There's so many negative models out there. If you can do it, instead of just saying it, hopefully that makes an impact."
As Ford prepares to retire from coaching at the end of the season, the 17-team Greater Western Ohio Conference (the re-formed WOL) has three black head coaches. Plus, rosters are more integrated.
Those players and coaches can thank Ford for leading that integration.
"Xenia and South hired black head coaches. Wayne now has a black head coach," Ford said. "You see more integrated players at schools that maybe didn't have it before. Beavercreek has more black players. Even Centerville and Fairmont. It's good to see more white players at South.
"I've seen it happen. It makes me feel good."
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0366 or bplasters@coxohio.com.
