Tony Oilar reflects on 44-year career

By RICHIE HALL
Tony Oilar only had one job interview in his entire professional career.
It was back in the spring of 1976, when he interviewed for a social studies teacher position at Noblesville Junior High School. He was hired and that would be the beginning of a 44-year career in Noblesville Schools.
Oilar is retiring at the end of the school year. He came to Noblesville as a small-town kid from Frontier High School who had just graduated from Ball State University. Oilar spent his entire career as a Noblesville Miller, where he became a well-respected teacher, coach and administrator.
“I really don’t know what I would have done if I had not been hired by Noblesville,” said Oilar. He was friends with Noblesville High School graduate Dan Deirdorff, whom he asked how to get to Noblesville from Muncie. Once he got to Noblesville and checked it out, he thought it was “huge,” since there was a Jim Dandy and McDonald’s there.
“Considering where I came from, I had hit the big time,” said Oilar.
Oilar was hired by then-Noblesville Junior High principal Jack Ford, who grew up about 10 miles from where Oilar grew up – “so that didn’t hurt my chances,” he said. At the time, Hall of Famer Dave Nicholson was the NHS varsity boys basketball coach.
“I played against his Benton Central teams as a junior and a senior so he was somewhat familiar with me,” said Oilar. “That probably didn’t hurt my chances either.”
Oilar taught social studies at Noblesville Junior High and Noblesville Middle School for 30 years, serving as the department chair the last 10 years he was there. He taught eighth-grade American History “and loved every second of it,” he said.
Oilar made news in 1984 when he won second place in that year’s Olin W. Davis Awards “for developing outstanding curriculum units on economics,” according to a Noblesville Ledger article from Aug. 13, 1984. Oliar’s project was “Economics and the Western Movement.” The next year, he received a master’s degree from IUPUI.
In addition to teaching, Oilar also began his coaching career in 1976, as the seventh-grade boys basketball assistant coach. It was the beginning of a 24-year coaching career, as he became the seventh-grade head coach, the freshman head coach, the junior varsity head coach and the eighth-grade head coach.
Oilar remembers the fun he and his teams had winning two Hamilton County boys basketball freshman tournaments, and six eighth-grade county boys basketball tournaments. “I also coached three undefeated teams,” he said. “Those teams were loaded with talent. I had great kids who came from great families.”
His best memory involves an eighth-grade team: His son Brian scored with six seconds left to give the Millers a two-point win over Fishers in the championship game of the county tournament. “What a moment,” said Oilar.
Oilar was part of legendary basketball coach Dave Nicholson’s staff during the 1980’s, which he called one of his best memories.
“We had very talented players,” said Oilar. “The atmosphere at the games in the ‘old’ high school gym was just unbelievable. When the pep band played ‘Miller Time’ prior to the opening tip it was the best atmosphere in the state. Being a small part of the 1984 undefeated boys basketball team was something I will never forget. We also had great teams after 1984.”
“I coached many great basketball players such as Scott Haffner, Tom Coverdale, Larry Simmons, Scott Fleming, Chris Hartley, John Karaffa, Rob Cutter, Mark Roberts and many others,” said Oilar. “I also coached a kid by the name of Kevin Pritchard. He was on my seventh-grade team in 1980-81. He moved after that year to Oklahoma and was the two-time Mr. Basketball in Oklahoma and won a National Championship playing for Larry Brown at Kansas. That is the same Kevin Pritchard who is the President of Basketball Operations for the Indiana Pacers today. I sure wish he had stayed a Miller. Dave Nicholson always said I was the one that ran him away.”
Oilar also coached baseball, mentoring eight-grade and junior varsity teams, and also serving as the varsity assistant baseball coach. He has some great memories of Millers baseball as well, including one from 1985, when he was on the coaching staff. Noblesville upset what Oilar called “an outstanding Carmel team” in the sectional championship game. The Millers won 3-2 in a game delayed several times by lightning; the victory ended a seven-year sectional drought for Noblesville.
The 1985 season also included an unforgettable win by the Millers over Sheridan. The score was tied and the Blackhawks had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning. Oilar tells what happened next.
“There were a couple Sheridan fans starting to get all over Coach Ron Fleming because it looked like for sure the Millers would lose,” said Oilar. “I was so upset I was looking for my keys in the dugout. We brought the outfield way in…there were no outs. I remember a fan yelling at Fleming asking if he was crazy.
“The Sheridan hitter hit a screaming, sinking line drive to center fielder Brian Purvis who was playing very shallow. Brian dove, somehow caught the ball for out No. 1, threw to second to double up the runner for out No. 2 and then Scott Fleming threw to third base for the third out. The runner at third was crossing home. Triple play! The Millers then won in extra innings. When I see Ron Fleming today we still talk and laugh about that night at Sheridan.”
In 2006, Oilar transitioned to administration when he became the athletic director at Noblesville Middle School for five years, then served as the assistant athletic director at NHS for 10 years. Having spent his entire career at Noblesville, Oilar got a front-row seat to the changes in Noblesville Schools and the city in general.
“The biggest change I have seen since I came to Noblesville in the fall of 1976 is the tremendous growth of the city,” said Oilar. “Regarding education, I think the biggest change is the expectation of teachers. They certainly have a lot more on their plate than when I started in 1976. I am not saying that is wrong, I am just saying that is the way it is.
As for athletics, Oilar doesn’t think much has changed.
“Kids still want to play and compete,” said Oilar. “The only thing that bothers me a little is I think sometimes the goal of getting the scholarship gets in the way of being a great teammate. This certainly is not always the case, but sometimes. Parents haven’t changed at all….they still want what is best for their children.”
So did Oilar, and he proved it with his 44 years of outstanding service to Noblesville Schools.
“I am glad I stayed at Noblesville my entire career,” said Oilar. “It was a great place to raise a family. As I step down, I would just like to say thank you to Miller Nation. You took a kid from Frontier High School and you made him a Miller for life.”

Tony Oilar announced his retirement from Noblesville chools after a 44-year teaching, coaching and administrative career. (Photo provided)