Sports, an American way of life.

Nearly everyone competes in some sort of games. It may be an individual sport against the clock, sports blending talents of individuals into teams to score more than the other guys, or for those looking for the ultimate challenge going one-on-one against an opponent equally convinced he or she will defeat you. It may be golf, racquetball or swimming. Hours spent reading, watching, practicing, anything to try to be the best, or for some, a means of relaxation, exercising, or learning; all with an eye to getting better, improving to give us a sense of satisfaction.

Those who show promise may gravitate toward a certain sport or sports. As they continue these endeavors, they may find a certain satisfaction in developing their skills. They may win a ribbon for being the fastest fourth grader at the end of year school picnic. Maybe make the junior high football team, be a part of the basketball team that wins the league tournament, or qualify for the state swimming meet. If they prove their skill set, develop social interaction skills, and maintain their grades, they may have the opportunity to continue the journey to the collegiate level. Depending on circumstances, some will continue to play while others see their active sport participation end and move into a related venture. Often coaching calls some of these and they use their knowledge and experience to help younger people understand all that sport involves and mentor a new generation of athletes.

One, if not the first sport ever contested was wrestling, a sport which goes (as Chris Berman would say) back, back, back to the early days of competition. Wrestling, no equipment, little in the way of rules, not even a regulation area to compete in. Just 1 on 1 until a winner is decided. Wrestling is truly most people’s introduction to sport and competition.

When an athlete, coach, broadcaster, trainer, or referee, in wrestler’s parlance, ties their shoes together and places them in the center of the mat, signifying retirement, they conclude a journey that has taken many twists and turns (no pun intended) and can sit back and relax.

For a very small percentage of those who have concluded their career, one final athletic recognition awaits them. They will be honored with induction into the Hall of Fame. It may be recognition from their high school or college, a coaching association, or other body that recognizes the best in their field. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma, recently honored its 25th class of the Florida Chapter with Lifetime Achievement Awards. A class of seven new members was inducted and includes Jim Dailey, a 1979 Columbiana High School graduate.

Born and raised in Columbiana, Jim, the son of James Sr. and Diane Dailey, was a typical youngster, playing sports like football, baseball and wrestling throughout his high school career. Excelling in each, he ultimately decided to focus on wrestling and attended Youngstown State University, majoring in education.

A knee injury suffered in high school hampered his attempt to continue active participation in wrestling. At the suggestion of long-time friend, Crestview graduate and YSU cheerleader Denise Mercure, Jim joined the Penguin cheer squad as a male lifter. Some of his friends asked how they could get a job tossing cheerleaders around. Thus began Jim’s career in recruiting as he explained the demanding life of what he was experiencing on the Penguin sideline. Not surprisingly, he was successful in helping to fill out the lifting squad with strong young men.

A final attempt at rehabbing his injured knee ended on the steps of Stambaugh Stadium while running with the football team. Extensive damage to his knee made his decision to retire and work as a student coach. It was a role he had experienced a bit during his rehabilitation efforts. Enjoying his opportunity, and being excellent at it, according to all reports, he transitioned to the coaching ranks. Quite possibly, due to the age he made the crossover from athlete to coach, he remembered what it was like to be a student-athlete and the effort it took to have two full time jobs to be responsible for.

Brian Pearl, longtime successful area wrestling coach, who worked with Jim as an athlete and later sharing head and assistant coaching roles with Jim noted, “Not only was he an excellent coach as far as instruction and strategy, he was an incredible mentor, caring about all facets of a young man’s life. He was always there for his athletes and likewise, they were always there for him, like family.” More on that later.

Several schools in Columbiana County benefited from the coaching expertise of these two men as they coached together at Beaver Local, Salem and Columbiana. Jim, himself, noted “It didn’t matter when Coach Pearl and I worked together who was the head coach, that one just got a few more dollars in their paycheck, we were equal partners.” For five years, they qualified at least one wrestler to the state meet during the 1980s, a heyday of high school wrestling in the area.

Jim began his coaching career at his alma mater, Columbiana. 1988 saw Jim spread his wings and head to sunny Florida to accept a math and wrestling position at Fort Pierce Westwood High School. Unfortunately, a year later he was a victim of RIF (Reduction in Force). Facing the loss of his main source of income, teaching, Jim returned to the area and was hired to coach by Austintown Fitch wrestling coach, longtime friend and 2022 Ohio Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Brett Powell. Powell noted ‘I was very lucky to have a chance to get Jim on my staff. He and I have known each other since seventh grade where we met where else, at a wrestling tournament in Columbiana. His coaching abilities and the fact he had been a head coach made him a huge asset in watching over me.”

After three years, or maybe three more winters, once again Jim wanted to return to Florida and reminded himself of Matthew 19:26 — “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” — when he obtained a position at Port St. Lucie, where he remained until 2013 Soon, an upward professional opportunity presented itself in South Fork. Given some stability, Jim developed a strong program there, as well, before retiring from the coaching side of things in 2020. His final numbers include over 200 wins, four individual state champions and a total of 68 state qualifiers. He also netted multiple Coach of the Year awards, including the Columbiana County honors in 1987.

His parents saw him faithfully attended Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Columbiana through high school. Later, Jim, a devout Christian, met Dr. Robert Roach, who became a mentor to him in 1997 and received his Master of Divinity from Freedom Seminary, part of Liberty University, in 2003. He shared a bit of scripture which is very appropriate for his career “Man can make a plan, but God directs the path.” How true. When talking about his award, Jim notes, “This award recognizes success, everybody has been a part of my family and my success with God’s direction.”

Reflecting on growing up in Columbiana, Jim recalls many of those who have been part of his story. His favorite teacher was Roseann Schwartz, his fifth-grade teacher, who also was his first employer, hiring him to cut her grass at the end of the school year.

“It was my first paying job. Even though she had children of her own who were growing into lawn mowing age, she continued hiring me each summer until I graduated from high school. I never forgot that,” he trailed off ending his recollection. Others he mentioned give reason to why he is such a good person today. “I had some other teachers/coaches who helped me in many ways; Ken Myers who instilled the love of math in me, and then I got to coach his son, Eric, Jean Cusick, Roger Crowell, Rich Berryman and Dan Bekar.” Again, part of his family he is so thankful for.

Before one gets in the Hall of Fame, they must retire. After coaching, Jim completed the Triple Crown of wrestling, becoming an official. Wrestlers have a unique tradition to signify their retirement. After their last match, they remove their wrestling shoes, tie the laces together, walk out to the center of the mat and place them in the middle circle to signify they are retiring. Jim was the assistant referee for a match in 2023 between the two schools he had coached in Florida, Port St. Lucie and Southfork. He asked the head referee if it would be OK to officiate the last match. As he waited for the match, he made his final decision to retire. As Jim stepped on the mat, the Southfork wrestler forfeited, and Jim was left to raise the hand of the Port St. Lucie heavyweight, who fittingly was the son of one of Jim’s first wrestlers. “I walked to the outside of the circle, took my shoes off, tied them together, walked back to the center of the mat, placed them in the middle of the circle as a sign of ‘it is finished’. I retired on the spot.”

In late spring, Jim received word of his selection into the National Hall of Fame and that the induction would be held August 23 and 24 in Orlando, Florida. He quickly notified long time friend, John Butera, and asked him to be his presenter. That assured a wealth of interesting quips about Jim ranging from “I can’t say anything nice about Jim that he hasn’t already said about himself” to “If you call Jim at 3:00 in the morning, when he answers, he won’t say ‘Do you know what time it is?’, he will say ‘What do you need?’ That is the kind of person who leaves home (Columbiana) 37 years ago, but maintains relationships with friends who are still in and around Columbiana such as Rich Berryman, Jan McPeek, and Chuck Winters, each of whom purchased congratulatory ads for Jim in the Hall of Fame program. In addition, many of his hometown friends, Brian Yoor ’87, Keith Flinn ’80, Matt Rubish ’82, former assistant Steve Pusztay ’80-’83, James Dailey Sr. ’56, Bob Dailey ’69, Vickie Dailey ’75, Shannon Dailey ’92, Crestview’s Derek Houser ’19 and John Butera ’74, and Lisbon’s Sharlene Grimes ’70 and Mark Feezle ’92 all made the trip to Orlando to help him celebrate his big weekend. One other former wrestler, Hebrews Josue, played an integral part in making sure no one missed the celebration. Jim was en route to pick up his dad, sister and cousin to attend one of the several events that were part of the weekend. Jim encountered a detour to the airport and in checking the time that would be lost, called Hebrews, who answered the phone with a “What can I do for you” and proudly became the Dailey family chauffeur for the evening. All arrived safely on time and had another ‘not to be forgotten moment to add to the memories.’

Jim, not a frequent speaker in front of crowds (nearly 500 people attended the formal induction dinner), nevertheless bemused listeners with several stories, one of which will tell a lot about Jim’s ‘We Are Family’ message he delivered. While in the seventh grade and just starting his career as a wrestler, he noted he was ‘short and pudgy’ and then realized the irony that the description still holds true today. One particular nemesis of his from Salem seemed to take great pleasure in running up the score against Jim. There was no mercy rule in those days so the wrestler would avoid pinning Jim or let him back on his feet to see how many points he could accumulate. One young man from the Columbiana varsity who often practiced with the junior high took notice of this example of poor sportsmanship and met with the Salem wrestler and made it clear that it would be a good idea not to take that approach toward his friend the next time the two met.

As mentioned, 1979 was the year Jim graduated from Columbiana High School and to celebrate. The Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series accompanied by Sister Sledge’s ‘We Are Family’ immortalized by the late, great Willie Stargell. Yes, Jim was and always has been a huge Pirates fan.

While Jim practiced his acceptance speech at the Orlando event site, ‘Mother Duckling’, as Jim and other honorees, as well as those involved in the award ceremonies called her, stopped to listen to Jim’s speech. Mother Duckling was the special nickname given to the woman whose job it was to make sure all was ship-shape for the big event. From tuxedos fitting properly to timed speeches, not to exceed five minutes, and everything in between. She looked at Jim’s notes and saw the title of his speech was ‘We Are Family’. She asked him to end his speech with the words ‘please don’t forget.’ He obeyed and as he stepped away from the dias to return to his seat he was serenaded by the musical director with the historic song before the packed house. Talk about wrapping up your career in a beautiful package and adding the bow on top.