- Date Of Birth: April 10, 1923
- Date Of Death: October 22, 2019
- State: Michigan
William “Coach” Raymond Maskill, Jr. (96; d. October 22, 2019), the legendary Galesburg-Augusta High School coach was a true-life coach to an amazing number of people, who appreciated the gifts he gave so willingly to everyone.
The man we know as “coach” was born April 10, 1923 in Detroit, where he attended school and went to De La Salle Collegiate High School. He received a football scholarship to the University of Michigan, but after his freshman year, he was drafted into the Army. Due to hearing loss, he was released after 1 ½ years of service. Fall of 1945, coach attended Michigan State University where he played football and ran track, placing 5th nationally in the 880 relay.
Graduating in 1947, he married Sarah Jane Ringelberg and had two children, William “Billy” Maskill and Jayne Fabry, as well as three grandchildren, Tim Fabry, Hunter (Megan) Maskill, and Jaime (Graham) Maskill Worsham. He began his coaching career at Sheridan, Michigan (5 years) then took on building his legacy at Galesburg-Augusta High School for the next 34 years with record of 241-6-1, finishing with a record of 272-84-2. This would include five undefeated teams, four State Championships and nineteen Kalamazoo Valley Athletic titles. Coach was recognized as Regional Coach of the year nine times and Michigan Class C Coach of the Year six times.
In 1983, Coach was elected to Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Galesburg Augusta named the football field “Maskill Field” in 1986. The Detroit Free Press selected Coach to the Dream Team Coach of the Year in 1990. In 1992, he won the Charles E. Forsyth award and the NHSACA and Federation District Coach of the year. Then in 1996, he was elected to Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In 2003, Coach was elected to the De La Salle Collegiate Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2005, he reached the highest election to the National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
In 2009, Coach was the first person inducted into the Galesburg-Augusta High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Coach leaves behind a large family – to date, he and his three siblings had 27 children, 68 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.
