Regardless of which Hall of Fame may be referenced, generally, member selection is based upon a combination of eligibility factors, performance, excellence, contributions, and a voting approval process. There can be no denying that if an individual coached for 149 years, winning over 2,300 games, they would be a shoo-in for membership.
While France’s Jeanne Louis Calment holds the Guinness World Records record for the longest fully authenticated human lifespan at 122 years, 164 days (passing in 1997), the West Branch Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame could find no record of any coaching expertise; so they selected five area coaches who have combined for the numbers listed above to headline 12 new members to join its ranks, with installation scheduled for November 8 at the Genetti Hotel.
Those five honored coaches include high school coaches Craig Weaver, Sr., Mike Kirby, Chris Eiswerth and Casey Waller, along with 37-year college coaching veteran Charlie Fisher.
Craig Weaver – you name the sport, and he has coached it for over 42 years as a girls’ basketball, softball, tennis, boys’ basketball, and football coach during tenures at Montgomery, Hughesville, and Muncy. He is the Lycoming County all-time leader with 613 girls’ basketball wins, with his various teams winning numerous district championships and state playoff appearances.
Mike Kirby – wore the coach moniker for 34 years as boys’ basketball coach at St. John Neumann and girls’ coach at Loyalsock Township, winning 592 games and 70% of his games. Twice, he led Neumann to two undefeated regular seasons and three appearances in the state tournament. His Lancer Ladies won six district championships and 13 state playoffs, including the Class AA quarterfinals in 1984. As a player, he was the point guard on the 1972 Neumann basketball team that won the Pennsylvania Catholic Class C state title.
Chris Eiswerth – the current South Williamsport head football coach and the only coach in school history to win more than 100 games, including leading the Mountaineers to district tournament appearances every year, while posting a .671 winning percentage, the best in school history. In 2014 & 2023, his teams reached the PIAA state semifinals. He was named PIAA Class A coach of the year in 2023 and was inducted into the South Williamsport High School Hall of Fame in 2023.
Casey Waller – Loyalsock, Hughesville and South Williamsport all named Waller to coach their baseball teams, and they were all rewarded with.700 winning seasons and state playoff appearances. His team won 115 games at Loyalsock, 93 at Hughesville, and 63 at South during a 17-year run. His 2008 Lancer team won the Class AA state title. In his first year of coaching girls’ softball, his Loyalsock Lancer girls’ softball team won the 2026 HAC-II. As a player, Waller played eight seasons of minor league baseball after being drafted by the Phillies in 1989.
Charlie Fisher – the Warrior Run native coached collegiate football for 37 seasons as head coach at West Georgia and Western Illinois, reaching the D-II Championship twice and the FCS Championship once. He served as an assistant coach as offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, or wide receiver coach at Division I Eastern Kentucky, Ole Miss, Lenoir-Rhyne, North Carolina State, Temple, Vanderbilt, Miami of Ohio, Penn State (2012-13), Richmond, and Arizona State. He coached four NFL Draft choices at quarterback and five first-round picks at wide receiver. He was inducted into the Warrior Run (2015) and West Georgia (2013) Halls of Fame.
Others to be honored include:
Rachel (Houseknecht) Anderson – Hughesville 2007 PIAA 100-meter hurdle champion and track and field standout at Division 1 Liberty University, including All-Big South Conference honors in the pole vault.
Alexis Bower – 2013 Gatorade Pennsylvania Softball Player of the Year at Williamsport High School and three-time all-state selection. Named two-time First Team All-Northeast Conference at St. Francis College.
Ashleigh (Wetzel) Espinosa – Lewisburg High School Track and Field/Cross Country. Won 2003 PIAA state title in the 1,600-meter run. Named All-SEC Cross Country runner at Vanderbilt University in 2004.
Hannah (Allison) Harris – Mifflinburg High School Field Hockey/Basketball. Softball. Led Mifflinburg to the 2007 PIAA Field Hockey Championship. A four-year starter at Penn State Field Hockey, appearing in three NCAA Championships, winning two Big Ten titles.
Doug Kohler – Starting point guard for the 1968 Williamsport High School team that advanced to Eastern Region semifinals. Played baseball and basketball at the University of Scranton. Became an avid tennis player, traveling the state, winning many doubles tournaments with partner, Ron Travis.
Keenan Michael – Montoursville High School Track & Field. 2008 PIAA Class AA champion in the 110-meter hurdles. A three-year letter winner and Honorable Mention All-American in the 400-meter hurdles at Michigan State University.
Joey Prato – St. Joseph’s High School Basketball (Honored Posthumously). Finished his career (1956-59) as the then Lycoming County record holder with 1,892 points. First player in Lycoming County history to surpass 600 points in a season and held the County scoring record for 39 years.
Additionally, Jim and Bonnie Winder will be honored as Volunteers of the Year for their many years of service to the West End Babe Ruth baseball program.
Individuals interested in attending the November 8 ceremonies can gain information by contacting Joe Guistina, guistina@lycoming.edu.
