MERCER COUNTY, Ohio — After a record 13 Ohio State championships, many have asked, “What’s in the water?” at Marion Local High School in Mercer County.

Turns out, it has less to do with hydration and more so with the man steering the ship.

Tim Goodwin is both the principal and head football coach.

He gives his all to the students and staff every day.

“Both hats, this is the 13th year I’ve done both. I was a math teacher for the previous 12 years, head football coach for all 25 of those,” Goodwin said.

Marion Local is a rural district.

The high school is home to about 270 students and 30 staff members.

“Here at Marion Local, here if you call the parents, that still means something and the parents are very supportive,” he said.

For Goodwin, that connection has made a big difference.

“In the Spring we do state testing and actually Marion Local Schools was the number two ranked school in the state of Ohio in terms of performance,” he said.

High test scores in the classroom aren’t the only places that students shine.

“We got volleyball, track and field from the spring that was really cool, two boys’ basketball, a girls’ basketball, 13 football,” Goodwin said as he looked at the large trophy case holding rows of championship trophies.

Goodwin has been the head coach for quite a few of those championships and even coached his own son to a state title his senior year.

“I had done it with a lot of other “sons” of other people and I wanted to do it with my own, just fortunate he was with a good class. It’s a combination of good kids that are supported at home and have some athletic ability and the first couple of teams do it and the other ones see that it can be done and want to do it for themselves. So a lot of hard work and dedication,” Goodwin said.

At Marion Local, it’s common for student-athletes to follow in the footsteps of older siblings or even parents.

“We got to work together. We have a lot of kids who play two, some who play three, but a lot of them play two and the coaches get along well and we just make it work,” said Goodwin.

Once the school day is over and it’s time to put on his coaching hat, Goodwin typically finds himself, his staff, and the team reviewing game tape in the same classroom where he taught math years ago.

When it’s time to set foot on the field, it’s all about pushing forward and enjoying the moment.

“Our slogan for this year is Pride in the Process, Honor in the Results. The daily grind and just finding joy in that and being around each other. As I get older, I realize there’s not too many more of these for me, so just to try to find joy in the mundane, it’s a long grind,” he said.

The season can feel long, but shaping young minds is a job with results that can last a lifetime.

“It’s an honor for me to be a part of that and a part of a great school where there’s teachers that care, parents that support, and kids that show up and are coachable and have good attitudes. I’m just thankful to be at Marion Local,” said Goodwin.

Goodwin is originally from the Lima area but first came to Marion Local for a teaching job, and has been there ever since.