Tommy Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Bob MillerYou Know you grew up in Portage Indiana when.... 2lt5134c87poatnhso9trcd · Sad to report the passing of Robert "Bubba" Mattix. An educator and longtime coach associated with Portage football. He first came to Portage in the fall of 1971 when he coached the JV football team. He left after the 1975 school year to coach elsewhere, but he returned in 1984 to Portage as an asst coach and was the Head Coach from 1989-1993. From his Hall of Fame bio, you can see was from Hobart and he coached at a number of places in his career, but Portage is where he started. I'm fortunate to have been on his first team (he missed practice the day his oldest was born, the next day his smile was electric, and everyone was smiling) and also there the day he went into the HoF. I know he made a difference in my life back in the day. He also coached freshmen and junior high hoops for a number of years, touching countless lives with his positive nurturing personality. As a former player said, "He was a great coach for sure, but a genuine human being." One of the truly great ones on and off the field. A legend. Prayers to the Mattix family. RIP Coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DE Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 VERY good man for sure. I believe he became the PHS AD in 1994 when Coach Buzea took over the football program. If my memory serves me correctly, Bubba was the PHS AD through the end of the 2005-2006 school year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobref Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Remember Bob well from both his time at Portage and at Valpo U. Great football guy. Never heard anyone say a bad thing about him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boilernation Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 19 hours ago, DE said: VERY good man for sure. I believe he became the PHS AD in 1994 when Coach Buzea took over the football program. If my memory serves me correctly, Bubba was the PHS AD through the end of the 2005-2006 school year. I think Les Kline (Coach of '77 Title Team) was still the AD in 1994. I believe Bubba left Portage after the '93 season to coach OL at Valpo U. My recollection of Bubba was that he was the epitome of the type of guy you wanted coaching High School athletes. Just a great human being that had a passion for coaching. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachHandley Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 I have been told he was the Head Football Coach at Wabash High School from 1979-1983. Prayers from the Wabash family to the Mattix Family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Posted January 19, 2022 Author Share Posted January 19, 2022 Coach Mattix left Portage in 1994 to join the coaching staff at Valparaiso University. Came back to Portage to serve as athletic director after Larry Casbon retired. Left Portage and joined coach Buzea's staff at Michigan City between 2007-2009 and join Buzea when he left Michigan City for Homewood Floosmoor. Recent years he came back to Portage to serve as the coach for the freshman team. I believe he also joined coach Buzea's staff at Crown Point this season. Great coach, man and family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DE Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 8 hours ago, Tommy said: Coach Mattix left Portage in 1994 to join the coaching staff at Valparaiso University. Came back to Portage to serve as athletic director after Larry Casbon retired. Left Portage and joined coach Buzea's staff at Michigan City between 2007-2009 and join Buzea when he left Michigan City for Homewood Floosmoor. Recent years he came back to Portage to serve as the coach for the freshman team. I believe he also joined coach Buzea's staff at Crown Point this season. Great coach, man and family. Thank you. Well said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod22 Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 Mr. Mattix was @ West Central from 1975-1978 where he was football and wrestling coach along with being a teacher of science, P.E. and Driver's Ed, then came back in the early 80's for a 1 year stint as AD. Got this off of the alumi page for West Central. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Posted January 20, 2022 Author Share Posted January 20, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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