Archie Griffin wanted to meet Long family

Chad and Jen Long is a love story.

It's also an Archie Griffin story.

A daughter, Jaiden Long, is part of the tale as well. Chad Long, who is varsity football coach at Fremont Ross, earned the Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Award as a Clyde senior in 1997.

One male and one female earns the Ohio High School Athletic Association sponsored award at each high school and middle school in the state. It represents integrity and ethics demonstrated by Griffin.

Many schools consider it the highest honor an athlete can achieve. It is for seniors or eighth graders.

Long's wife, Jen, who is among a quartet of varsity girls wrestling coaches, including Chad for the Little Giants, received the Archie Griffin Award at Tiffin Columbian in 2000.

Jaiden Long is a freshman at Ross. She achieved the award in middle school last year.

Ross offensive line coach Tom Kiser attended the ceremony because he has grandsons in high school. Kiser and Griffin spend a lot of time together as close friends.

Upon hearing the name of the award, Kiser was interested and excited. He soon learned of the Long triumvirate, and immediately informed Griffin.

The only two-time Heisman Trophy winner and award namesake was just as enthusiastic as Kiser to travel to Fremont to see the Longs. Maybe not quite as excited, if you know Kiser that would be a lot, but excited nonetheless.

"I wanted to meet them," Griffin said. "That's something I'm proud of. Everywhere I go, somebody tells me they won it. It's an honor. I've always loved it. Three in the same family with the award is special."

Jaiden competes in wrestling, track and cross country.

"He represented Ohio," she said of Griffin. "I felt honored. It's Archie Griffin's award. He did so much to show a good reputation for Ohio. He was a good athlete all-around. People knew him that way because of what he did on and off the field.

"He's a good human being."

Jaiden's taught to have similar values.

"Be athletic, respect everyone and get everything done in school," she said. "In sports, get your business done. It's how I've been raised. People always looked at me, so I can't make a bad move."

The award, and her household, make her want to outshine her parents.

"I'm trying to beat my dad in wrestling," she said. "I'm not trying to be a two-time runner up. I'm trying to be a state champion. I try to do better than them. Put my name out there more and make my family proud. Put a representation on our last name.

"They did that, I'm trying to make it bigger."

Jen was more rewarded by Jaiden's award than her own.

"It was a very proud mom moment," she said. "Our bottom line is be a good human. We stress academics and athletics. Do the best, whatever that means for you. Put in the work and time and dedication. Represent your school well.

"I was with her as a wrestling coach and track coach. Sometimes it works well, sometimes you go home mad at each other. It's not so much you strive for it, it's recognition for the work. That was an amazing moment."

Jen competed in track and cross country at Columbian. She would have wrestled if the same opportunities were allowed to her as her daughter.

She was a cheerleader for basketball as well.

"It's an honor to meet the guy who you earned the namesake award for," she said. "It's something we share. Both sides of the family are competitive and we naturally encompass that in our family unit. Bragging rights. It's exciting to see if she beats him.

"Chad and Ray still go back and forth with football. It's hurdles for us. I coached my brothers in hurdles. We still brag over who beat whose time. Who's faster. Wrestling's on both sides. We still wrestle at family functions. It's just fun.

"I'm the fastest in the 100 hurdles. My brothers say it's not fair because it's 110."

Chad competed in football, wrestling and track for the Fliers.

"I know about Archie Griffin and what he stands for," he said. "You can't find a more humble and willing guy to do whatever anybody asks, friends, family, community. That guy is just an unbelievable human being. A one and only."

Griffin has three ingredients to development: desire, dedication and determination.

"Those are a lot of what I stand by as well," Chad said. "We're a family of sports. A family of integrity. A family of sportsmanship. It's a unique thing to have a trifecta of family members. I was brought up to be a competitor, treat others fairly and work hard to get what I want.

"That means as a student-athlete and putting in the grind time."

Chad and Jen long both graduated from Bowling Green State University. They didn't meet until they were both teachers at Tiffin Columbian, where Chad coached Jen's brothers in football and wrestling.

Maybe consider the Archie Griffin Award to be the spaghetti noodle for this lady and the tramp story. Chad is the tramp.

There would certainly still be a Jaiden if there was no Griffin Award. But Archie is part of the family now.

"It was fate," Chad said.

mhorn@gannett.com

419-307-4892

Twitter: @MatthewHornNH

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Griffin meets Longs, shares special bond with family