Eugene Lewis is one of Buffalo State’s busiest coaches.
Lewis has been the Buffalo State men’s and women’s track and field coach for the last 12
seasons on top of being the wide receivers coach of the football team for the last eight.
The task of possessing both titles is a tall one, but Lewis manages to juggle his demanding
schedule and succeed as a coach.
“Time management is the biggest thing for me,” Lewis said. “I put in a lot of hours, but I enjoy
my job. Being a coach is very fulfilling to me.”
Lewis, an Akron, Ohio native, was an accomplished football and track performer at Youngstown
State University in the mid-1990s. He has applied his past athletic success to improve on his
coaching methods.
“I talk about my accomplishments and share my experiences with the athletes,” Lewis said. “I
teach them the things that made me successful. It’s a work in progress and you learn as you go
every day.”
“He’s an accomplished former player himself,” said Ryan Carney, wide receiver on the football
team. “He’s constantly in my ear giving me advice and telling me what I did wrong and how to
fix it.”
Lewis was able to learn from former Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel. Lewis
played for and coached under Tressel at Youngstown State before Tressel gained national fame
at Ohio State.
“I use Jim’s teaching on my wide receivers today,” Lewis said. “I have a very good relationship
with Jim. I learned a lot from him in both the field and the classroom.”
With those teachings, Lewis has guided the track and field teams to much attainment. Under
Lewis’ tutelage, 60 school records have been broken, 93 SUNYAC championships have been
achieved and 41 athletes have qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championships. Of
the 41, seven have been crowned national champions.
Lewis keeps his coaching tactics in track and field mostly separate from those of football. It has
proved to be an effective style for him and one that has not gone unnoticed.
“Eugene is very hard-working person, and knows his student-athletes,” athletic director and
head football coach Jerry Boyes said. “He is a thinking coach, and football players are different
than track athletes and his approach with each sport is different.”
“His honesty is his best quality,” Carney said. “Lewis keeps it 100 percent real with you at all
times. If you’re playing great, he will tell you, and if you’re not, he won’t hesitate to let you
know.”
Whether it is on the football field or on the track, Lewis, who has gained a reputation of being a
great motivator, wants his athletes to lead by example.
“To be the best, you have to want to be the best,” Lewis said. “To be an athlete, you should be
motivated before you hit the field.”
It is his skill to supplement student-athletes’ athletic abilities that has also stood out during
Lewis’ tenure at Buffalo State.
“Very hands-on with the player’s development,” Boyes said. “(Lewis) wants to be a successful
coach, and is surrounded by a good staff on the football team and leads by example.”
“Coach Lewis has improved my skills as a football player,” Carney said. “He’s a player’s coach,
and always has something positive to say.”
Lewis has enjoyed his time coaching at Buffalo State and would welcome another decade of
harmony with the school.
“I like Buffalo State because of the stability and success of this university,” Lewis said. “Another
12 years is a possibility. I thought about it, but everything will be explored and I’m extremely
happy with what’s happening today.”
Bill Schutt can be reached by email at schutt.record@live.com or on Twitter @williamschuttjr.