Former longtime Southview football coach Jim Mayzes thought it was an April Fool's joke.

Mayzes, who was Southview's head coach from 1994 to 2018, led the Cougars to a state championship in 2008.

When he first saw the blueprints that revealed the new turf at the football stadium would have the words “Jim Mayzes Field” scrawled across one end zone, he was flabbergasted. Turns out, plans to rename the field at the high school in his honor had been underway for more than a year.

Formally named Mel Nusbaum Stadium, the newly installed field turf will feature Mayzes' name when the Friday Night Lights are turned on this fall.

“It's surreal. I'm very honored,” Mayzes said. “They can put my name on there, but it's because of a lot of blood, sweat, and tears of the kids and the coaches that fought to make us a good program. We had some good days, and I guess that's represented by putting my name on the field. But I'm just humbled and honored that they want to do something like that.”

Mayzes, who is still an assistant football coach under Steve Hardy, has spent the past 35 years at Southview. Mayzes is still the Cougars' head track coach and a physical education teacher at the high school.

Southview athletic director Jim Huss was among the group that spearheaded the recognition. The school board approved the measure in April.

“Naming the football field after coach Mayzes is a tribute to the dedication, leadership, and excellence that he exemplified throughout his career,” Huss said. “Beyond his coaching achievements, he has been an integral part of Sylvania schools as a teacher for 35 years and has left a lasting mark on the lives of countless students.”

Three of Mayzes’ former players and students, Khary Campbell, Griff Whalen, and Jimmy Hall, reached the NFL.

Mayzes called helping young students grow inside and outside the classroom the most rewarding part of his career. On his birthday last Wednesday, Mayzes said he was inundated with messages.

“The amount of texts and stuff that you get from guys that played for me — even back to the '90s — I'm so blessed. So many of them still stay in contact. I'm very proud to be able to be part of so many great memories with so many awesome kids,” Mayzes said. “It's very special to be able to be part of something like that.”

Mayzes relayed an amusing story about how found out about the honor. Back on April 1, Mayzes had a meeting with some school officials.

“They said they wanted me to look at some stuff about the new field, just to make sure everything looked right,” Mayzes said. “So they brought me down to the office. And I took a look [at the blueprints] and it had my name on. I said, 'Wait, is this an April Fool's joke?' That's how I found out. I didn't know anything about it until then.

“I was speechless. I had no idea that they'd been working on it for over a year.”

On the gridiron, Mayzes became one of the area's most successful coaches. His teams posted a 170-102 overall record in 25 seasons.

His Southview teams won or shared 11 Northern Lakes League championships, including eight in a stretch from 2003-11. Southview's 1999 team finished 13-2 and as Division II state runner-up. His 2008 Cougars ended a perfect 15-0 season as D-II state champions.

“As the only NLL school to win a state football championship, coach Mayzes' legacy serves as a constant inspiration for our players and coaches, reminding us of the power of hard work and commitment to success both on and off the field,” Huss said.

Last fall, Southview won the revamped NLL's inaugural Cardinal Division title with a 4-0 record. Mayzes, who is now a wide receivers coach in the program, also led the Cougars to their last league titles — back-to-back 7-0 seasons in 2010 and 2011.

“I'm blessed to have been part of the teams for every league football championship Southview has ever had,” Mayzes said.

Mayzes built a powerhouse even though the Cougars did not have their own house for much of his tenure.

Mel Nusbaum Football Stadium opened in 2014. Before that, Southview's football team played its home games at sister high school Northview, which had retained all the facilities of the former Sylvania High School.

The new stadium on the Southview campus on Sylvania Avenue was called Cougar Stadium before a press box and bleachers were installed with reserved seat chairs in the middle section. The stadium project had an estimated cost of $1.3 million with the Nusbaum family raising $500,000 for the project.

“We played St. Francis that first game on that field. My daughter was a senior,” Mayzes said. “I'm glad it finally happened.”

The new field turf has been installed, but the track is still being resurfaced.

“The field itself is just so good looking with the orange in the end zones, and every five yards the green of the turf changes colors,” Mayzes said. “Then to have the track at the same time, it's very, very special.”

Mayzes said the past few years as an assistant have been particularly rewarding because he is helping coach his son, Will, who will be a senior quarterback this fall.

“For so long, he kept saying, 'Is it my turn, Dad?'” Mayzes said. “He's been fortunate enough to stay healthy and he's had some special moments with a lot of good kids around him.”

Will Mayzes, who started as a receiver before moving to QB as a junior, also runs track and plays basketball at Southview.

“He's won a league championship in football, basketball, and now track,” Mayzes said. “How many kids get to do that? And he contributed to all of those teams. We've been unbelievably blessed. We just pray he stays healthy and makes more memories this fall.”

Mayzes has trouble singling out his favorite players and moments from his coaching career.

“That ’99 team was so special with the courage that they had. They believed in themselves,” Mayzes said. “We were within one game of winning a state championship. But then we spent the next nine years trying to get back. And we had a lot of good teams during that time. But to get back and win a state championship is so amazing. I can't put that into words. I tell all our kids that you've got to take advantage of the moment. Many kids think winning [a championship] is easy. But it's so hard. Lots of great players never won a championship. But I've had so many great kids over the years.”

Mayzes called Sylvania a wonderful place to live and raise children.

“The schools are amazing,” he said. “We have so many great educators and administrators and coaches who put in a lot of effort in making Sylvania schools so special. The community itself is just wonderful with so many good people. It's a great place to live your life, and we've been blessed to be able to be part of it.”

First Published July 8, 2024, 10:20 p.m.