Obituary: David Watson was more than a coach at Oberlin, he was a father figure, friend and a big part of the program and community

David Watson's obituary appeared in this newspaper Tuesday and was filled with the usual information. He was a graduate of Oberlin High School and Cleveland State. He was employed by the Nord Center and Oberlin City Schools. He was a fan of the Las Vegas Raiders. He died Aug. 14 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Watson is survived by his wife, Francie, of 29 years and his stepchildren, Marshall Brown of Texas, Amanda Marshall of Elyria and Leonard Marshall. He leaves his sister, Maxine Rice and brother Thomas (Barbara) Watson. He's also survived by many relatives, friends and co-workers. However, the obituary barely scraped the surface of what Watson meant to the community. He was a coach, a mentor, a friend and a confidant to many in Oberlin. And he sort of flew under the radar as an important cog in the basketball program. "When I was first hired as the Oberlin baskeball coach, I was really looking for someone from Oberlin," said Kurt Russell, head coach and the National and Ohio Teacher of the Year in 2022. "No one mentioned David Watson to me. I remember watching David play basketball in 1985 about five years before me. "We always looked up to the teams of the '80s in Oberlin. The way they went, the way they prepared, and we thought to ourselves we wanted to be like that one day. David Watson was one of the people we really looked up to." Under legendary coach Bob Walsh, Oberlin was always in contention for conference and tournament success. Watson was a starter on the 1985 team that included many of the players who led Oberlin to a state championship the following year. Players such as juniors Rodney Cannon, Phil Payne, Kevin Steen, Deon Yarber and Danny Jones. The roster included sophomore Ray Ellington and a freshman, Tim Shepherd, among others. Watson graduated with Chris Donaldson and Quinn Barbee. Oberlin seemed to always have a wealth of talent. Watson wasn't a flashy player but he did what was needed to win games. He could score if need be but his main contributions were defense and rebounding. In the annual senior All-Star game, now known as the Legeza Classic, Watson scored 16 points. Russell has been Oberlin's coach since 1996 and Watson was at his side the whole time. "He had just left Elyria (as an assistant), so he was available," Russell said. "I just asked him, 'Would you like to come back to Oberlin to help me? We're looking for a mentor.' I had never coached high school before. He said without a doubt, 'yes.' "He has just been a blueprint of success in regards to what he brought to our basketball program. It's the discipline, a work ethic, a kind, gentle voice for the kids and also a stern voice, as well. He is surely going to be missed." Watson had the knack of knowing when a player needed to work harder and he also knew when a player needed a pat of the back. He was a father figure to some, the older brother to others. "He knew each and every player's personality," Russell said. "Sometimes he used to tell me how to talk to a certain player to respond well or you really need to get on this player because this is how he responds. He had that down to a science." Watson's position at Oberlin was the in-school restriction coordinator, meaning students with some behavior issues were sent to Watson's class. Having growns up in Oberlin, he could relate to the students in a positive manner. "It ended up being a space where a disciplinary issue turned into a counseling environment," Russell said. "There would be basketball players who were removed from class and he was able to talk to them and had them reflect (on what they did). He really turned them around. "He was so much respected by the Oberlin kids. He had a nickname. They called him Watty. It was never Coach Watson, it was always Watty, Watty, Watty. They loved him so much. When he passed away, the number of Facebook messages from former students and former players showed how much he meant." The family is planning a memorial to celebrate his life on Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the New Russia Picnic Shelter on Butternut Ridge Road. Contact Tim Gebhardt at (440) 329-7135 or timothygeb@msn.com.