Legend named second Cougar Champion

VW independent staff/submitted information

A new tradition – the Cougar Champion – continues in 2026 following the inaugural award granted to Willie Hernandez last year. This award has been created exclusively at Eggerss Stadium and coincides with the building of the state-of-the-art press box branded the Cougar Champions Press Box. The idea behind it is to recognize one Cougar champion each year.

“This award was created to honor an individual, group, or organization who displayed the characteristics of a true champion associated with Van Wert Cougar football, those being, excellence, team spirit, pride, leadership, determination, and confidence,” said Jan and John White, sponsors of this annual award.

The award qualifications include those who have made a significant impact throughout the history of Cougar football including coaches, players, fans, administrators, and students.

The recipient of the 2026 Cougar Champion is Gilbert ‘Gil’ Smith.

Coach Smith’s coaching career spanned 19 years beginning in 1941 and running through 1959. His impressive record of 130 wins, 30 losses, and 10 ties made him the winningest coach in Van Wert High School football history.

“Without a doubt, Coach Smith was the most successful football coach in Van Wert history,” John White said. “Not only did he have eight undefeated seasons, five of those were in consecutive years from 1954 to 1958”.

Coach Smith is credited with 12 WBL championships, 11 of which were outright champs. Three of those came in his first three years as Van Wert head coach from 1941 through 1943. He also had a 47-game streak without a loss from 1953 through 1958.

He is a member of the Ohio High School Coaches Hall of Fame as well as the Defiance College Hall of Fame.

Coach Smith passed away on January 1,1980, at the age of 76.

“It’s important to keep the legacy of legends like Coach Smith alive through history,” White said.

Gil Smith will be honored as the second Cougar Champion on the field prior to the Bryan game at Eggerss Stadium on Friday.