Lee Owens Book Signing Event Was a Rousing Success
The Massillon Museum served as host for a packed house on Wednesday to hear three former Tiger coaches and a current one reflect back on their experiences as head coaches of the Massillon football program. The group included Lee Owens, Rick Shepas, Tom Stacy and Nate Moore. Following the forum each took part in signing a recently released book written by Owens titled, “The Spirit of a Team.” The contents of the publication are described as “Successful CEOs and Coaches Share Their Strategies for Achieving Excellence,” with a forward written by Jim Tressel, Lt. Governor of Ohio and former Ohio State football head coach.
Emceeing the event was Scott Ryan and Becca Moore, with the support of the museum staff, including football curator Logan Carr and museum director Alexandra Nicholis Coon.
Lee Owens was the head coach of Massillon from 1988 through 1991. He was hired at a time when the Tigers were struggling to consistently field a competitive team. In fact, Massillon had lost four consecutive games to Canton McKinley and had a year left on a 3-year ban from post-season play. Owens quickly righted the ship and went on to compile a win-loss record of 35 wins and 13 losses over his four seasons. His teams also qualified for the playoffs three times and captured two regional championships. In addition, he won three of four games against the Bulldogs, including a 42-13 beat down during the 1991 season. Owens then left Massillon for a 3-year stint as an assistant coach for Ohio State, which was followed by six years as head coach at the University of Akron, where his 2000 team finished first in the MAC East. He finished his career as a very successful mentor for Ashland University, retiring with a 137-61 record, four league championships and six NCAA Division II playoff qualifications over a 19-year span from 2004 to 2022. Four times he was named Conference Coach of the Year. While an active member of the American Football Coaches Association, he has also been inducted into both the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame and the Ohio High School Coaches Hall of Fame. Please welcome back Coach Lee Owens.
Rick Shepas was the head coach of Massillon from 1998 through 2004, where he compiled a record of 53 wins and 27 losses. He was not shy in scheduling the top parochial schools from around the state and played them fairly evenly. But his record against peer public schools was a fine 49 wins against just 13 losses, including 5-3 mark versus McKinley. His 1999 team was undefeated during the regular season and his 2001 and 2002 teams captured playoff regional championships. Following Massillon, Rick was the head coach for twelve years at Division III Waynesburg University, where he had a record of 69-55. Four of his teams qualified for post-season play. His next stop was athletic director for the Youngstown City Schools and he is currently the AD for Warren Harding. Please welcome back Coach Rick Shepas.
Tom Stacy, who was an assistant coach under Lee Owens at both Massillon and the University of Akron, returned to Tigertown in 2005 as head coach. He remained in that position for three years, compiling a record of 25 wins and 11 losses. His best season was his first when his team advanced to the Division I playoff state finals. The Tigers had a remarkable year, finishing the season with a 9-1 record, defeating Cleveland St. Ignatius for the first time ever, revenging a season-ending loss to Canton McKinley and beating Lakewood St. Edward in the state finals, before dropping a close one in the state finals to Cincinnati St. Xavier. The 2005 team also set a Massillon record with 13 victories. He then served three years as head coach at Green High School before re-uniting with Owens at Ashland as an assistant coach, where he remains today in his 16th year. Please welcome back Coach Tom Stacy.
Nate Moore is the current head coach of the Massillon Tigers. This is his 11th year as a Tiger where he has compiled an overall record of 138 wins and 25 losses, owning more wins there than any previous Massillon coach. In fact, Moore has elevated the program from state-level to national-level prominence, while regularly scheduling and defeating teams from throughout the country. Four times his teams finished the season ranked in the Top 100 nationally. Through ten years he has experienced six playoff regional championships, along with a Division II state championship in 2023. During that year the Tigers finished with a perfect 16-0 record, a regular season victory over Division I state champion Lakewood St. Edward and a state finals victory over nemesis Akron Hoban. Following the season Moore was named Ohio Division II Coach of the Year, Maxpreps.com National Coach of the Year and head coach of the Ohio North-South All-Star Game. Prior to his arrival at Massillon, Moore won a Division II state title at Cincinnati LaSalle High School. Please welcome Coach Nate Moore.
