Jim Leininger - 2004

Ayersville

Jim Leininger began his teaching and coaching career at Oakwood High School, Paulding County in 1969. Coach Leininger has been a head baseball coach for 23 years. One year at Oakwood, six at Paulding Exempted Village, and 16 at Ayersville. His teams have compiled a record of 422-174. Included are 18 district, 8 regionals and 1 state tournament appearance. The 1997 Ayersville Pilots were Division 4 State Champions and Coaches Poll Champions. Coach Leininger's team have also appeared in 5 ACME summer tournaments including a 1973 runner-up and a 1975 championship with Paulding. His teams have won 5 Northwest Conference and 9 Green Meadows Conference championships. He also has completed 8 different seasons with 20 or more wins.

Much of his success at Ayersville for the past 16 years, Coach attributes to his longtime dedicated assistant coach Steve Yenser. Coach Yenser has been a faithful assistant, a great baseball teacher, and a wonderful role model for the many young men who played and took pride in the Oakwood Paulding and Ayersville baseball programs.

Jim Leininger was born and raised in Toledo where he attended Woodward High School. He continued his education at Bowling Green State University where he pitched for the Falcons for three years and graduated in 1969. During the summer of college days, he began coaching with Churchill's Super Markets in the Knothhole Leagues. Coach Leininger also spent 11 years as a high school basketball coach at the freshman, junior varsity and varsity levels.

Coach Leininger and his wife, Sharon have been married for 38 years and have four children. Bob is a sergeant in the U.S. Army, stationed at Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri. Jill is a homemaker and pastor's wife, in Grand Ledge, Michigan. Curt is in youth ministry and resides in Ewing, New Jersey. Jamie is deceased. Coach says his wife Sharon has been his number one fan and has totally supported him in every year of his coaching. She has been a dedicated wife who supported her husband's career for the last 38 years. He also says that she is the best and neatest scorebook keeper around. The Leininger's have seven wonderful grandchildren, Josh and Emily in Missouri, Caleb, Noah and Abby in Michigan and Grant and Natalie in New Jersey.