Longtime Upper St. Clair coach heading to National High School Football Hall of Fame

UPPER ST. CLAIR, Pa. — Longtime Upper St. Clair football coach Jim Render’s accolades are numerous: two PIAA State Championships, five WPIAL Crowns and a career record of 406-141-6, which puts him 25th all-time nationally.

Not to mention, he’s the winningest football coach in WPIAL history.

“I was very fortunate,” Render said. “I had some great victories, especially here at Upper St. Clair.”

Yet earlier this year, he was almost in disbelief when he found out he was set to be inducted into the National High School Football Hall of Fame.

“It wasn’t something I was really anticipating happening,” Render said.

On June 14, he’ll join 32 other inductees in Canton, including Steel Valley’s Charlie Batch, Pitt’s Louis Riddick and Michael Vick.

“Everybody from Danny Marino to Jerome Bettis was nominated,” Render said, “and I thought, well, they’re probably gonna, it’ll be a while till they get to the high school coach level.”

Render’s head coaching career began in Carrolton, Ohio, in 1970. Less than a decade later, after a stop in Uniontown, he found himself at Upper St. Clair.

“I thought, well, I’ll go down there to Uniontown for two years, and I’m getting my fanny back to Ohio,” Render said. “Well, that was 60 years ago, or whatever it is, 40 of which I spent at Upper St. Clair.”

All the victories, of course, are memorable.

“If I started naming things, I would probably slate some of the former players, and I don’t want to do that,” Render said. “Let’s just say, there was a lot of great thrills.”

But it’s the journey that’s been the most memorable for Render, especially the two years the Panthers won the State Title.

“When I think about those things, I remember the journey, and, of course, the final game is the culmination,” Render said “But, you know, the togetherness and the hard work and all the things that, and you got to have some luck.”

His advice to young coaches just beginning their careers?

“Emphasize the fundamentals and don’t get away from what made this game great,” Render said.

And as he looks back ahead of his induction, the most important thing Render learned comes from all those he met along the way.

“The players make the difference,” Render said. “You know, coaches get awards and coaches get credit, and I understand that, I guess. But the doggone players are why we’re all here, you know, and I was very fortunate to have some marvelous players over my career.”

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW