Don Trainer, former principal of Miami Trace High School, became a member of the Rio Grande College Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony held Nov. 18, 2017.
Trainer, a 1963 graduate of Beaver High School, starred for Rio Grande’s men’s basketball program from 1963-67.
He scored 1,314 points for the Red Streaks over the course of an 85-game schedule.
Trainer averaged 15.4 points per game for his career, while shooting over 47 percent from the floor and 84 percent (408 of 484) from the free throw line.
He averaged 17.3 points per game his final three years and accomplished that taking an average of 12.5 shots per game.
During the 1964-65 season, Trainer finished fifth in the country by connecting on 90 percent of his charity line attempts (127 of 141).
At one point, Trainer hit 45 consecutive free throws that season. He also scored a career-high 43 points in a game against West Liberty (West Virginia) State.
The Beaver, Ohio native and two-year captain went on to teach mathematics for 20 years and retired as principal of Miami Trace High School.
Trainer also served as both a high school and college basketball official for 15 years, working in six Regional and State tournaments.
Under the direction of high school coach Gene Brushart, his team advanced to the Regional Finals, only to lose to the eventual State champion by two points.
Trainer was named Honorable Mention, All-Ohio and First Team, All-District.
The youngest son of Rev. Woodrow and Dora Trainer, he gladly accepted a scholarship offer from Arthur W. Lanham to play basketball at Rio Grande College.
He majored in mathematics and minored in history, political science and English.
Trainer was captain of the basketball team his junior and senior year. His 90-percent free throw shooting average ranked fifth nationally according to NAIA statistics.
It is recorded that he made 45 consecutive free throws during his sophomore season. According to the Gallipolis Tribune, he was the first player since the Bevo Francis era to score more than 40 points in a game.
Trainer was elected to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges from the areas of mathematics and athletics as he finished his studies in 1967.
His teaching career started in the fall of 1968 at Beaver Eastern High School and culminated in 1974. While at Eastern, he was head basketball coach, head track coach and athletic director for five years.
He amassed a 68-32 regular season record in basketball in addition to teaching all mathematics classes.
He also attended Xavier University in 1971 and 1972, where he earned a Masters of Education Degree in Administration.
Trainer accepted a mathematics position at Miami Trace High School in 1974. After teaching college prep mathematics courses for 14 years, he was elevated to the assistant principal’s position in 1988.
In 1992, he was promoted to principal of the 1,000-student high school and served in that capacity until his retirement from education in 1998.
While teaching, he became a registered basketball official and filled his basketball void through that outlet.
He worked numerous District tournament games during his tenure and was assigned seven Regional games and one State tournament game. Trainer also worked in the NAIA American Mideast Conference. After 14 years of officiating, he retired to watch his children in their athletic endeavors.
Upon completion of his education career, Trainer continued his employment status at a grain facility that ships non-genetically altered grain to Japan. He coordinated production at the plant until his full retirement in 2014.
Trainer has three children — Aaron, Angela and Amy.
He and his wife, Helen, reside near Washington C.H., Ohio.
