Ed Olkowski earned his place in the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame as
one of the most successful high school basketball coaches in
Pennsylvania. His achievements are all the more remarkable because
Midland High School always played in classes well above its
actual enrollment. Like other famous Leopard coaches before him, Ed
took average sized players from a small school and excelled, winning ten
section titles, seven WPIAL crowns, four PIAA titles, and one state
runner-up trophy over a 17 year span. His total record at Midland
stands at 322-96 in spite of dwindling enrollment. Ed played
his high school sports in home town Beaver Falls, where he
starred in both basketball and baseball before graduating in 1948.
He also played both sports at Slippery Rock State College,
graduating in 1953. After a hitch in the Army, Ed had a brief
fling at professional basketball with the Philadelphia Warriors
before starting his highly successful coaching career. He was junior
varsity basketball coach at Midland High School from 1957 to 1967,
compiling a 188-40 record. His undefeated 1965 JV team romped to 20
straight victories. After becoming head basketball coach at Midland
in 1968, Ed’s teams won state championships in 1971, 1973,
1974, and 1976. His combined record for both
varsity and junior varsity teams at Midland stood at 511-136 in
1984.
Ed Olkowski earned his place in the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame as
one of the most successful high school basketball coaches in
Pennsylvania. His achievements are all the more remarkable because
Midland High School always played in classes well above its
actual enrollment. Like other famous Leopard coaches before him, Ed
took average sized players from a small school and excelled, winning ten
section titles, seven WPIAL crowns, four PIAA titles, and one state
runner-up trophy over a 17 year span. His total record at Midland
stands at 322-96 in spite of dwindling enrollment. Ed played
his high school sports in home town Beaver Falls, where he
starred in both basketball and baseball before graduating in 1948.
He also played both sports at Slippery Rock State College,
graduating in 1953. After a hitch in the Army, Ed had a brief
fling at professional basketball with the Philadelphia Warriors
before starting his highly successful coaching career. He was junior
varsity basketball coach at Midland High School from 1957 to 1967,
compiling a 188-40 record. His undefeated 1965 JV team romped to 20
straight victories. After becoming head basketball coach at Midland
in 1968, Ed’s teams won state championships in 1971, 1973,
1974, and 1976. His combined record for both
varsity and junior varsity teams at Midland stood at 511-136 in
1984.