GROVE CITY, Ohio — Grove City High School alum Greg Waits is not your average first-year head coach leading his team into the playoffs. 

Waits bleeds red, white and blue... the long-time Grove City basketball coach who won five league titles has flipped the script and has led the football team to its first winning season in nearly a decade. 

What You Need To Know

  • Grove City High School is back in the playoffs and the team had its best regular season since 2013

  • Greg Waits coached the basketball team for 15 years and has been an assistant football coach since 1998 

  • The Dawgs had to rebuild their band and sports programs after a failed levy during the 2009-2010 school year 

That success has made these dawgs hungry for more. 

“We expect a lot more and our kids want more. And you know that's why we approach every practice, every single day that we are here, we want more," said Waits. "We're not going to be satisfied just making the playoffs or maybe just having a winning season."

Waits said there have been some tough times over the years, like the 2009-10 school year when the Southwest City School District shut down extracurricular activities after a failed school levy. 

“It took some time, and it did. You know we lost some key people, we lost some good people," Waits said. "But we've rebounded and our district is probably better than it's ever been right now." 

For Grove City High School, that's ancient history and the energy of this year's team is creating a buzz that's felt on and off the field.

“It's just been a whole different atmosphere, been much more exciting. The team has just been out there just having a great time and you can see that with how they play and our students are enjoying that as well,” said Director of Bands, Jason Graham. 

“He's always encouraging up to be the lion. It doesn't matter who we face, how big, how tall, how strong they are, we just have to go out there and do our job,” said senior offensive guard, Isaac Carter. 

Waits said he's thankful for the community's support this season.

After nearly a quarter century as an assistant football coach, his message hasn't changed, what you do in the classroom, on the field, and in the community matters. 

“The kids just have a blast every day and I think that's sort of the culture environment we're trying to change. Our fans are going to pack the stadium here and they are going to cheer and they're going to have a great time," said Waits. "You know we have the best band in the state of Ohio bar none. And we are finally putting a product on the field to make everybody happy and very very proud of us."