'A mentor to everyone': North dedicates weight room to honor former coach Sonil Haslam

North Athletic Director Carrie Stewart saw how much Sonil Haslam loved his football players during his time as Vikings coach from 2016-2021.

Haslam was available to help any of his players at any time.

Stewart also witnessed how much Haslam cared about upgrading North's weight room prior to his sudden passing on Nov. 2 at the age of 46.

"The weight room, that was his vistion," Stewart said. "That was his symbol of equity, promise and possibility."

Stewart joined a group of people at North High School and in the Akron Public Schools district to officially rename the Vikings weight room the "Sonil Haslam Weight Room" with a plaque on the wall at the entrance.

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Stewart described Haslam as a "constant, steadying and motivating presence" with his players.

"Sonil led by example and led by his presence, by being present in their lifes and offering opportunities," Stewart said. "... He had a huge impact on our entire community."

The Ohio High School Football Coaches Association picked Haslam as its selection for the Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award in December of 2019. He received a plaque from the OHSFCA at a banquet in Columbus in February of 2020.

Prior to taking the North coaching position, Haslam was an assistant at five schools.

Haslam was an assistant during the 2015 season at Firestone under Eric Mitchell, and was an assistant for two years at East with Marques Hayes, for six years at Archbishop Hoban with Ralph Orsini, for two years at Kenmore with Tony Grimes, for four years at St. Vincent-St. Mary with Jay Brophy and Keith Wakefield and for seven years at East with Mike Kossuth and Cornelius Parsons.

Mark Murphy, the director of FullyEquipped, got to know Haslam in 2017 when his non-profit organization partnered with North to help feed student-athletes and upgrade the Vikings weight room.

"He was grateful for anything that we could provide and he was so humble," Murphy said.

North opened its renovated weight room in 2018 with the assistance of FullyEquipped and other donors.

"That is my favorite project in the five years we have been operating as a non-profit," Murphy said. "It was our first big project and it was with our good friend, coach Haslam."

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Haslam was born and raised in Akron. He graduated from East High School (1994) and the University of Akron (2001). He played high school football and tossed the shot put and discus in track and field. He earned two varsity letters as a defensive tackle under Kossuth’s tutelage.

"In the spring time, we were getting ready for our seasons and in the fall, we practiced way closer to each other than probably either of one us would have liked," North boys soccer coach Emily Johnson said.

"Coach Has and I shared the field for about seven years, and sometimes we even shared some players. Coming to North in the same year and being on the field at the same time, we would talk many nights. We would clean up the field together, fundraise together and come up with new ideas to try to get kids involved and talk about how our seasons were going.

"Coach Has was a mentor to everyone. I always knew if there was anything I needed, coach Has would be there for me. He was there for all of his kids and all of the coaches. Being the football coach at North meant way more to him than just winning games. He was here to influence the boys' futures."

Haslam is survived by his wife, Kelly (Lilley) Haslam; daughters, Margaret and Sara Haslam; mother, Gabriella Haslam; sisters, Lylyon Haslam, Lyya Haslam, Leona aka Bonnie Haslam; brother, Anwar Haslam and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, John Walter Haslam; maternal grandparents, Hattie and Cecil Cunningham; great grandmother, Rose Cunningham, paternal grandparents, Mattie and Bennie Haslam, and uncle, Eric A. Cunningham.

North boys basketball coach Marc Smith respected Haslam as a family-man who had the ability to positively impact people's life's.

"His favorite saying was faith, family and football," Smith said.

St. Vincent de Paul Father Norm Douglas, a 1965 North HS graduate, said he knew Haslam for six years.

"He had a wonderful heart and he had a great spirit," Douglas said. "... He had one of the biggest smiles I ever saw anybody have."

Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: North dedicates weight room to honor former coach Sonil Haslam