Clay
Hall of Fame
The Clay Athletic Department Honors Those Who Gave to the Athletes and School
2004 Hall of Fame Recognition
Pictured - Robert Estepp (a long-time teacher, coach, and administrator in the district), Kinney Long's step-daughter, Dave Leightenheimer, Terri Boldman, Carol Vice, & Arch Justus
The Clay Local School District Coaches' Hall of Fame
Kinney Long
Mr. Long is a member of the Clay Coaches’ Hall of Fame. He coached baseball from 1939 to 1971. During these years, his teams won 16 league championships with consecutive championships from 1942-1947 and 1950-1954. His teams also won league championships in 1949, 1956, 1958, 1959, and 1962. His teams won 3 district titles (1944, 1959, and 1962) and 1 regional title (1944). His career record stands at 408-160.
David Leightenheimer
Mr. Leightenheimer is a member of the Clay Coaches’ Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Officials’ Hall of Fame. He coached baseball from 1972-1986. His overall record is 160-117. His teams won 4 Tri-County Championships, 1 SOC title in 1980, 2 sectional titles (1980 and 1982), and were District runners-up in 1980 and 1982.
Terri Boldman
Ms. Boldman is a member of the Clay Coaches’ Hall of Fame. During the years from 1974-1981 and from 1983-1985, she coached basketball, volleyball, and track at Clay. Before beginning her coaching career at Clay, she began the basketball and volleyball programs at Rock Hill in 1972 and began the same programs at Clay in 1974. Her volleyball teams won the league in 1979 and 1980 and won the sectional championship and the District Championship in 1978 and 1979. Her basketball teams won the SOC in 1980; won the sectional championship in 1979, 1980, 1981, and 1983; won the District in 1980 and 1981, and won the Regional in 1980. Her team in 1980 had the most wins in school history (24) and still holds the best record for a season by any team (24-2). She was the first girls’ basketball coach in Scioto County (and one of only three in the Southern Ohio Conference) to advance her team to the state Final Four.
Arch Justus
Mr. Justus is a member of the Clay Coaches’ Hall of Fame, the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Basketball Coaches’ Hall of Fame, and the Naismith High School Hall of Fame. From 1959 to 1983, he coached basketball at Clay. In 1959 his team was 19-4, in 1961 18-5, in 1965 18-5, in 1966 23-2, in 1967 20-4, in 1968 24-3, in 1969 26-2, and in 1970 19-5. His teams won 11 league championships; 13 Sectionals; 3 District Championships in 1966, 1968, and 1969; and the Regional title in 1969. His team was also a State Semi-Finalist in 1969. At Clay, he was 394-169, with an overall record of 532-220.
Carol Vice
Mrs. Vice is a member of the Clay Coaches’ Hall of Fame and was a 2010 Ohio High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee. During the years of 1978-1988, she coached volleyball, basketball, and softball. During her 11 years as a softball coach, her teams never lost a league title (9), never lost a sectional title (11), and never lost a district title (11). The teams also won 8 Regional titles; won 2 State Runner-up titles (1979 and 1988); and 3 State Softball titles (1980, 1981, and 1983). In 1980 and 1981 her teams were undefeated going 55-0 and her teams were 79-1 during those three state championship years. Under her guidance, Clay’s softball team was in the state final four 9 out of 11 years from 1978 to 1988. Clay’s softball team was the first team from Scioto County and the Southern Ohio Conference to win a state softball title. Carol Vice was the first coach from Scioto County and the Southern Ohio Conference to win a state softball title. Her overall record in softball was 261-20, never losing more than 4 games in any of her 11 years. Portsmouth Daily Times article (23 March 2018)
OHSAA Clay High School Team Championships