Mike Bartley Leads Shaker to State Hockey Title Next to Son

With his son next to him on the bench, Mike Bartley coached a banner hockey season at Shaker Heights High School.

In his 37th year at SHHS, Bartley set an Ohio record for the highest number of games coached at 1,018, maintained his record as the winningest coach in state history — now with a 638-348-36 record to beat — and led the Raiders to their fourth state title.

But, even with all the accolades he’s earned in the last couple years, he said his favorite moment in his career was over a decade ago.

His son, Matt, was a team captain as the Raiders played at the state championship game in 2001.

As Mike Bartley watched from the bench, Matt scored the team’s third goal — pulling the Raiders ahead by two points and helping to seal the championship.

“That was his only experience as an athlete winning a state championship,” said Bartley. “And now he’s won one as a coach, too.”

Matt served as the associate head coach with Mike Bartley this season.

“Having my son at my side was a tremendous asset,” said Bartley.

Bartley, a native of Canada, started playing hockey when he was 7 and played for four years at Bowling Green University on scholarship.

After he earned his bachelor’s degree in education, Bartley took a year off school to play professional hockey for a few developmental teams in Toledo, Maine and Jacksonville, Fl.

“I knew I wanted to coach and teach when my playing days were over,” said Bartley. After a year on the ice, he went back to school for his master’s degree — and in 1976, soon after his graduation, got a call from Shaker schools to teach physical education and coach hockey.

“37 years later, I’m still here,” he said.

The school’s first final four appearance was in 1979. “We were fairly successful right from the get-go,” said Bartley. “It didn’t take long for hockey to bloom in Cleveland.”

Bartley adds that the presence of an ice rink and a great youth hockey program in Shaker Heights probably contributes to the team’s success, but his own coaching prowess can’t be discounted.

“The program is for the athletes, and everything we do is in the interest of the athletes. We approach it from an educator’s perspective,” Bartley said.

Bartley’s coaching philosophy puts education first, he said, and he tries to get educators to work as his associate coaches.

“Athletics, in my opinion, plays an important role in our education system, provided that it’s approached properly. It has long-term value in the development of student athletes. They can learn a lot of things about teamwork and perseverance and dedication,” said Bartley.

“There’s a lot to learn in athletics and it’s not just winning.”