We, Coach Morehart’s family are petitioning for him to have the softball field named after him “The James Morehart Softball Field” once the new school facilities are constructed. 

With his over 30 years of coaching for Manchester, we feel it would only be deserving for the school to honor him.

Please invite any and everyone! Just remember…

THIS IS A SECRET. HE DOES NOT KNOW WE ARE DOING THIS ;)

Below is a copy of the letter that was sent to the Administration once already with no response, so once we reach our goal of 5,000 signatures it will be resent with the results 

Dear Dr. Robinson, Principal Ross, Vice Principal Mauger and Athletic Director Mr. Jackson,

Manchester High School athletics. Football. Most winningest coach in Ohio. Boys’ basketball. Coach that was there for over 40 years. What about girls’ sports? What do you think of when you say Manchester High School girls’ sports? Softball. That is what you think of when you think of girls’ sports at Manchester. It is competitive, it is challenging, it is fulfilling and for the past almost 30 years coached by the same man, Jim Morehart. That man is my dad.
My Dad started coaching at the high school for the 1994 season. My sister was a starting freshman that year. My sister had big shoes to fill. The year before the team graduated seven starters, including myself, all of whom played on the 1990 State Champion team coached by Scott Cantrell.
I do not even really know the story of how my dad started coaching with Coach Cantrell. All I know was that was the year it all started. After many years of coaching travel ball fast-pitch teams, my dad became part of the softball staff at Manchester.
I could not tell you his record, I could not tell you how many girls he has coached, I could not tell you how many years he’s been coaching softball, he just has always coached either football or softball all my almost 50 years. My Dad was a coach of summer travel ball teams when there was not a team around every corner. He coached when the teams sent out invitations just to try out. Heck, he coached even when my sister or I were not on the team. My dad has coached as many people as he could the game fast-pitch softball.
His players call him “Morehart” to this day and many of them have accomplished things on and off the softball field. He has coached players who have gone on to play in college, at all divisions and some have gone on to coach at the high school and college levels. He goes and watches his players on their summer teams. He goes and watches his players on their college teams. He has watched them graduate, get their degree and has seen many of them get married.
During his time at Manchester he has coached these girls to multiple PAC Championships, been Coach of the Year multiple times, was an Assistant Coach to a State Championship team and Head coached a team to the Final Four. He is now coaching previous players children, including my niece (Class of 2021) who was a three-year varsity athlete for him. Yes, three years, not four. She had to work for her spot just like everyone else. He plays the best athlete for the team. Sometimes that is not the best player, sometimes that ends up being the most positive kid with the best attitude that is willing to learn and do whatever the team needs...that is his favorite kind of athlete to coach. Throughout these past 30 years and for practically every year before that, you can find Dad on Friday nights cheering on the football team (on the field playing while he was at Manchester ‘70) sat through multiple Saturday pee wee and JV games when my sons played, and my daughter and niece cheered. He was beside me at every wrestling tournament the four years my son was at Manchester, then go right back up to the school to watch basketball, not for any of the players, but again to watch his granddaughter’s cheer.
My youngest is now the last grandkid to go through Manchester. He is a junior. He plays golf and baseball. Golf is a little hard to watch but guess where he my dad is as soon as his games are over in the spring and all over Ohio for my sons summer and fall travel team...right beside my mom, his wife of 50 years. This is where you’ll find them, doing what they love to do...watching their grandkids play sports and supporting Manchester Athletics. Oh, and she is a Panther as well. Beth Dodson, Class of 1972. All in all, by the time my son, their youngest grandchild graduates, the Morehart- Dodson family will have graduated 16 family members from Manchester High School...needless to say but our veins bleed red and black.
It’s time to tell you why I’m giving you all this information and if you haven’t figured out already I’m

Jamie Hunt, Jim Morehart’ s eldest daughter, Manchester Class of 1992, starter on the 1990 State Softball Championship team and I am asking for the school board to seriously consider naming the softball field after my father. Seems only fitting with the ground breaking on the new schools the 2024 season, his 30th season, is starting that a man that has given his heart, soul, blood, sweat, and tears for the players. There would be no better name to be on that field then my coach, my dad Jim Morehart.

Go Panthers!

Beth , Jamie & Keri and family