Tom Firth

Coaching, Class of 2010

Thomas “Tom” Firth was a lifelong educator and coach whose dedication to Eisenhower High School helped shape generations of Warren County athletes. Born in Warren, Pennsylvania, Firth attended Northern Area High School from 1952 to 1958, participating in baseball, basketball, football, and track and field. He continued his education at Slippery Rock University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Health Education. After playing collegiate soccer as a starting halfback, he began his coaching career at Punxsutawney High School, where he coached junior varsity basketball alongside future Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly.

Firth returned to his hometown area in 1962 to teach and coach at Eisenhower, serving as an assistant track coach, junior high football coach, and junior varsity football coach before becoming head football coach in 1968. After seven years coaching football, he discovered a passion for volleyball and went on to coach Eisenhower’s girls’ program for 13 years and its boys’ program for 10 years. His teams achieved undefeated seasons, district championships, and numerous individual honors, with several athletes continuing their careers at the collegiate level. He also returned to coaching track and field, where he helped develop outstanding athletes, including his daughter, Julie Firth Torbett.

Firth’s influence extended well beyond wins and championships. His daughter Julie became an accomplished athlete at Eisenhower, setting school records in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles and qualifying for the state championship in the 300 hurdles. She later earned a scholarship to play volleyball at Penn State under legendary coach Russ Rose and built a successful coaching career at the University of North Carolina Asheville, earning Coach of the Year honors twice and leading two conference championship teams. Julie credits her father’s demanding coaching style and commitment to developing athletes with preparing her for success both in sports and in life.

Firth retired from teaching and coaching in the early 1990s but returned for one season of volleyball in 1998 to help sustain the program he had built. The 1982 Eisenhower yearbook, The Lance, was dedicated to him in recognition of his impact as a teacher, coach, and mentor. Remembered as a quiet, thoughtful man who never stopped learning and was willing to learn from his own athletes, Firth remains a respected member of the community. His decades of service, championship teams, and lasting influence on students and athletes make his legacy an important part of Warren County sports history.