Driskill served as an assistant coach for the Shawnee football program for 15 years. He specialized in coaching defensive ends.
“He was one of a kind,” said Shawnee head coach Rick Meeks. “He could be sweet and he could be a firecracker. He could do things sometimes out of the box because the kids knew he loved them and was trying to make them better.”
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Before coming to Shawnee, Driskill coached football at Southeastern for 12 years under both Steve Bartlett and Mike Hetrick and served as a teacher at Miami View Elementary.
Shawnee’s longtime defensive coordinator Devin Spitzer played for Driskill at Southeastern. The Braves run a defense similar to what Bartlett used at Southeastern, Meeks said.
“There was not a single detail that he did not know (about the defensive end position),” he said. “There is not a single person on this planet who knew how to coach that position better than Dave Driskill. He had so much experience in doing it. He knew every detail and nuance. … He was just an amazing person.”
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Driskill was a coach on the Braves squad that finished as Division III state runner-up in 2011. He coached four All-Ohio defensive ends during his tenure with the program, Meeks said.
Meeks asked Driskill to coach again in 2018, but he wasn’t able to join the staff due to his health. He gave the pregame speech before their game against Northwestern, an improbable 40-35 comeback victory.
The Braves later honored Driskill with a helmet sticker with his initials on it for their playoff game against Clinton-Massie last season. They’ll honor him again next season, Meeks said.
Driskill was also a great classroom teacher who always had a smile on his face, Meeks said.
“He would always greet you with a hug,” he said. “He will be greatly missed.”
Clark-Shawnee will be closed Monday to allow students and staff members to attend Driskill’s funeral.
“Mr. Driskill has been a dedicated teacher and coach at Clark-Shawnee for many years and has touched the lives of countless students as a gifted educator,” the district said in a statement. “His legacy will be carried on by many Shawnee Braves for years to come.”
Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Southgate Baptist Church, 2111 S. Center Blvd. in Springfield. A celebration of Driskill’s life will be held at 10 a.m. Monday in the church.
He’s survived by his wife, Lori, and his children, Kyla, Kassidy and Grant. The Dave Driskill Memorial Fund has been established at Fifth Third Bank. Donations can be made at any branch location or mailed to Fifth Third Bank, 20 S. Tuttle Road, Springfield, OH 45505.
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