Bio

The Midview Board of Education approved the promotion of Jack Armstrong to fill the district's vacant Head Football Coach position at a Special Board Meeting on Wednesday (May 31) evening.
 
"Coach Armstrong exhibits the qualities and communicated the vision that Midview Athletics is looking for in its next head football coach," said Athletics Director Dan May. "He is a student-centered teacher, who will continue to develop Midview football as a well-rounded program for our student-athletes."
 
Armstrong, a 2012 graduate of Midview High School, is a Special Education teacher at his alma mater and has served as a varsity assistant coach with the Middies for six of the last seven seasons. He becomes the just the eighth coach in program history, which dates back to the consolidation of Belden, Eaton and Grafton high schools in 1955.
 
"I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead the Midview football program and give back to the community that has given so much to me," Armstrong said. "From becoming a Middie myself in seventh grade and then returning as a teacher and assistant football coach, this school district runs deep in me and has shaped me into the man I am today. I look forward to having a lasting impact on the players and bringing a positive spirit to the community through the sport."
 
Armstrong earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Bowling Green State University in 2017 and holds a Mild-Moderate and Moderate-Intensive dual license with the Ohio Department of Education. He joined the Midview High School teaching and coaching staff that fall. Armstrong was an offensive line coach for two seasons before being elevated to Offensive Coordinator in 2019. He also led the program's strength and conditioning program in 2018 and 2019. Armstrong coached the freshmen football team at Rocky River High School in 2020 and then returned to the Middies as the linebacker coach and then safety coach the last two seasons, respectively.
 
Armstrong, a captain of Midview's 2011 squad, played one year of collegiate football at Otterbein University. He has playing and coaching experience on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, which gives him a well-rounded perspective on the game.
 
"I have been blessed with amazing mentors, including Coach [DJ] Shaw, Coach [Jeff] Riesen and my football "dads"—Coach [Scott] Crum, Coach [Todd] Strebel and Coach [Chad] DiFranco—who have taught me invaluable lessons over the years that I will surely bring with me to the head coach position."
 
Armstrong will replace Luke Beal, who resigned on May 1 to take a teaching position out of the district. The Middies finished 6-22 during Beal's three-year tenure. Armstrong will quickly focus his attention on preparation for the upcoming season.
 
"We're going to hit the gas, starting this week with camp," Armstrong said. "The team will inevitably experience adversity, but we will work through it together, learn from it, and end up a better team than we started. Of course, we'll work to win, but we'll also work to enjoy the game so all of our players love being a part of football at Midview."
 
Midview, who anticipates the return of 12 lettermen, will open the 2023 season at Westlake High School on August 18. The Middies' home opener is September 1 against Elyria Catholic and their Southwestern Conference slate starts at Amherst Steele on September 8. [Complete Schedule]
 
"I am also lucky to have a really solid staff going into the 2023-24 season," Armstrong said. "My history with Midview means I deeply understand the core values and strong tradition here. I plan to continue to keep these as the foundation of our program."
 
Armstrong also recognizes that it will take a holistic approach from kindergarten through 12th grade in order to prepare the Middies to compete as the smallest school in the SWC.
 
"Long-term, we want to make the Midview football program a consistent team to look out for," Armstrong said. "We understand the value of strength in numbers, so I plan to maintain a strong focus on building this program for now and for the future. My goal is to put these players in the best position to succeed, both on the field and in the classroom. My staff and I are going to set a positive culture that bleeds throughout the district."
 
You can contact Coach Armstrong at jarmstrong@midviewk12.org.