Retired Marysville High School softball coach Chris Shirer talks with his team in this file photo. Shirer has been selected for induction into the Ohio High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Hall of Fame. He will be inducted during ceremonies in Columbus in January.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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The recent news came as a total surprise to retired Marysville High School varsity softball coach Chris Shirer.
“I never thought I’d ever get into any type of Hall of Fame,” he said.
Those were his thoughts upon learning he had been selected for membership into the Ohio High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
“It’s very humbling for a kid from Zanesville,” he said.
Shirer, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Jan. 18 in Columbus, guided the Lady Monarchs as either head coach or co-head coach for 17 seasons. He posted a won-loss record of 375-105 and led the team to Ohio Capital Conference championships in 1999, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
Under his guidance, the Lady Monarchs also won Division I district titles in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2016.
Shirer came to Marysville in the late 1970s as a teacher and assistant football coach.
He’s had a number of duties throughout his career, including assistant coach in baseball, track and field and softball. Shirer also served as athletic director for 10 years.
“Yea, I guess you could say I’ve worn a number of hats,” he said. “I even helped Norb (former MHS track coach Miscovich) for a couple of years. I had been a pole vaulter in junior high before I got started playing baseball. Norb needed somebody with vaulting experience to help him.”
Shirer was an assistant baseball coach under head coach Ed Starling before joining the Lady Monarch softball team.
He took over as the softball head coach after Larry Fox retired in 1998.
Shirer first held the top softball position until 2011, when he joined the coaching staff at Ohio Dominican University.
“It had always been on my bucket list to coach college softball,” he said. “At that time, I needed a change and the opportunity to coach at ODU came along.”
Shirer said he learned a great deal as a college assistant coach.
“It helped me grow as a coach,” he said. “I learned how to better conduct practice sessions and I learned a great deal about coaching base-running.
“That was an example of the more detailed aspects of coaching that I brought back to high school.”
Shirer served on the ODU staff for three seasons. He left after beginning to tire of all the travel that is involved with college athletics.
Jennifer Segner-Maxwell, who took over for Shirer as the Lady Monarch head coach, approached him about returning to MHS.
“Jennifer talked to me about returning as co-head coach,” said Shirer. “Really, after I left ODU I thought I was done (with coaching).
“Jennifer and I talked about it and I decided to do it,” he said. “I thought I’d come back for three years, but it ended up being five.”
Shirer announced his retirement after last spring’s season.
“I got tired,” he explained. “I’d been coaching for the past 42 years and my inner clock said it was time.”
While Shirer has retired from coaching at Marysville, it may not entirely signal an end to his coaching days.
“I’ve learned to never say never,” he said.
Shirer and his wife Kelly will be relocating to Texas next summer.
“I don’t know… if I get down to Texas and become bored, I may go back to coaching softball at some level,” he said. “However, I’m pretty sure I’m done coaching in Ohio.”
While Shirer is honored to be selected for the Hall of Fame, he said it’s more about others.
“This is a great honor for the Marysville schools and community more than it is for me,” he said.
“It’s also a great honor for Union County,” said Shirer. “Do you realize I’m the fourth Union County coach to go into the softball Hall of Fame?”
Shirer was preceded into the HOF by Fox, the late Dan Stillings (who was the first and long-time head coach at Fairbanks High School) and current North Union coach Dawn Draper.
“Four coaches in the Hall of Fame from our small area,” smiled Shirer. “That says a lot about Union County high school softball.”