Being the first isn’t always bad, at least not for retired Harrison High School coach Frank Schwitz. In February, Schwitz will be awarded the inaugural Warrior Lifetime Achievement Award for his years of service as Harrison’s first basketball and baseball coach.
Schwitz will be recognized at a ceremony scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 8, at Harrison High School’s Shoulders Family Commons. Doors will open at 4 p.m. with hors d’ourves being served from 4 to 5 p.m. A brief ceremony honoring Coach Schwitz will begin at 5 p.m.
Advanced reservations can be sent to Harrison High School Athletic Office at 211 Fielding Road, Evansville, IN 47715. Cost is $15 for the ceremony. Individuals can purchase a ticket to the ceremony and the night’s junior varsity and varsity basketball games for $20.
In addition to the ceremony, the school is asking individuals who had Schwitz as a coach to write him a letter reflecting on his impact. A folder containing all the letters will be presented to Schwitz at the ceremony. Letters should be sent to Jon Michael Siau at 2261 Venetian Drive, Evansville, IN 47711.
Schwitz retired in 1992 after serving as a physical education teacher and coach in the EVSC for more than 40 years. He served as the first basketball coach at Harrison from 1962-1972 and as the first baseball coach at Harrison from 1963-1991.
He touched a lot of younger kid’s lives concurrent with coaching at Harrison. I believe he ran the ‘Civic League’ at the old East Side Park (where the UE athletic complex is now) in the very early ’60s. The best I remember it was for pre-little leaguers and the instruction, in life and baseball, from Frank Schwitz and his coaches was outstanding.
He is the very definition of steady. I had him for gym at Harrison and noticed no difference from his days at the East Side Park. I saw him about 10 years ago at one of my nephew’s American Legion baseball games at the UE field and he looked the same. I expect he still does. Thick shock of white hair, fairly slow moving, perfect posture, looking like an improved version of Buddy Ebsen. Well deserving of any accolades that come his way.
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