By Bruce Rolfe
A months long process came to an end for a Kalamazoo artist who put a statue of Galesburg-Augusta legendary Hall of Fame Coach Bill Maskill he was commissioned to make on a cement pedestal July 30 at Maskill Field on the campus of G-A High School.
Joshua Diedrich, who began discussions with the Maskill family in May, 2023 about the sculpture, started the design process later in October.
With the assistance of Frank Couch and Andy Langs of the G-A Maintenance Department, the 500-pound Coach Maskill Statue was removed from Diedrich’s truck onto the cement base near the entrance of Maskill Stadium.
With the assistance of long time Maskill family friend and G-A football statistician Dale Martin, Diedrich secured the statue onto the cement base with two stainless steel threaded rods. He then placed a plaque that describes some of Maskill’s career football coaching statistics, on the front of the cement base.
A months long process came to an end for a Kalamazoo artist who put a statue of Galesburg-Augusta legendary Hall of Fame Coach Bill Maskill he was commissioned to make on a cement pedestal July 30 at Maskill Field on the campus of G-A High School.
Joshua Diedrich, who began discussions with the Maskill family in May, 2023 about the sculpture, started the design process later in October.
With the assistance of Frank Couch and Andy Langs of the G-A Maintenance Department, the 500-pound Coach Maskill Statue was removed from Diedrich’s truck onto the cement base near the entrance of Maskill Stadium.
With the assistance of long time Maskill family friend and G-A football statistician Dale Martin, Diedrich secured the statue onto the cement base with two stainless steel threaded rods. He then placed a plaque that describes some of Maskill’s career football coaching statistics, on the front of the cement base.
Kalamazoo artist Joshua Diedrich (left) and Andy Langs of the G-A Maintenance Department, are pictured placing the Maskill statue on the cement pedestal July 30.
Diedrich said for an artist, completing the final steps in the statue making process and delivering the statue and securing it into place, like he did July 30, offers satisfaction and relief.
“It’s honestly, mostly a sensation of relief more then anything. I don’t really get a sense of accomplishment until a lot later, if at all. It’s kind of like at the end of Lord of the Rings, where Frodo’s laying in the stream of lava and just like, it’s gone. There’s that sensation that it’s no longer my liability and my responsibility and I don’t have to make sure everything works out anymore,” said Diedrich.
The last official part of the journey for Diedrich will take place September 5 when the Coach Maskill statue he made will be unveiled and dedicated in a 6 p.m. ceremony before the Rams take on Plainwell as part of a Friday night Ram Jam tailgate event that will feature hot dogs and pop, a bounce house and more.
He feels the statue unveiling will also bring a sense of accomplishment when many people will be seeing the Coach Maskill statue for the first time.
“It’s always a little different but you get a little more sense of having done something that day just because you get to see the effect it has on people and you get to see the effect it has on the community. So that’s always a nicer day then the install day,” said the sculptor.
The family gave Diedrich photos of Maskill and then he started developing the sculpture. He said because most people remembered how Maskill looked later in life, the hall of fame coach looks a little older on the sculpture.
“It’s honestly, mostly a sensation of relief more then anything. I don’t really get a sense of accomplishment until a lot later, if at all. It’s kind of like at the end of Lord of the Rings, where Frodo’s laying in the stream of lava and just like, it’s gone. There’s that sensation that it’s no longer my liability and my responsibility and I don’t have to make sure everything works out anymore,” said Diedrich.
The last official part of the journey for Diedrich will take place September 5 when the Coach Maskill statue he made will be unveiled and dedicated in a 6 p.m. ceremony before the Rams take on Plainwell as part of a Friday night Ram Jam tailgate event that will feature hot dogs and pop, a bounce house and more.
He feels the statue unveiling will also bring a sense of accomplishment when many people will be seeing the Coach Maskill statue for the first time.
“It’s always a little different but you get a little more sense of having done something that day just because you get to see the effect it has on people and you get to see the effect it has on the community. So that’s always a nicer day then the install day,” said the sculptor.
The family gave Diedrich photos of Maskill and then he started developing the sculpture. He said because most people remembered how Maskill looked later in life, the hall of fame coach looks a little older on the sculpture.
Sculptor Josh Diedrich attaches the front description plate to the statue cement base.
The sculpture is a three-quarter full sized figure, life size, but cut off at mid thigh. The sculpture shows Maskill being raised up on the shoulders of his football players.
Martin said the scene with Maskill being raised on the shoulders of his players was from the October 15, 1982 game when Maskill won his 213th game to become the all time winning coach in Michigan history. G-A beat Paw Paw 41-12 that night. The October 20, 1982 Galesburg Argus notes after the win Maskill was carried on the shoulders of his players for a period of time.
The pedestal was made high enough so the football helmets on the sculpture are about the height of people’s heads going into the stadium. So as there is a crowd around, it looks like he’s lifted up on the shoulders of the crowd as they go in to see the game. There are three football helmets and Maskill is holding the football with his hand on one of the helmets.
As the Maskill family has watched the statue making process, they have been amazed how Diedrich has captured Coach’s characteristics and emotions without knowing him.
The Kalamazoo artist said it was a pleasure working with the Maskill family through the entire process.
“The Maskills have been a dream. They’ve been great. They’ve been supportive the entire time. Very engaged. Mary Helen (Coach Maskill’s son Billy Maskill’s wife) in particular, is just very aware of the whole artistic process and how it works, so that’s delightful. They’ve been delightful,” observed Diedrich.
Born in Detroit April 10, 1923, Maskill began his coaching career with a six-year stint at Sheridan High School where he compiled a 31-18-1 record. However most of his 40 years teaching and coaching were spent at G-A High School where he coached football 34 years, taught physical education for 25 years, was athletic director, and spent 18 years teaching science.
Known as “Coach” by most people, Maskill coached at G-A from 1957-1990. He guided four G-A football teams to four Class C state championships (1962, 1966, 1967, and 1970), and two Class C state runner up finishes in 1990 and 1959.
He was named Regional Coach of the Year nine times and was recognized Class C Coach of the Year seven times.
Coach compiled a 241-66-1 record at G-A and had a career record of 272-84-2.
He retired in 1990 as the “Winningest” Coach in Michigan.
Maskill was inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1983, the National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005 and the G-A High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.
The plaque on the cement pedestal base the statue rests on states Maskill coached 537 players in 34 years at G-A.
Martin said the scene with Maskill being raised on the shoulders of his players was from the October 15, 1982 game when Maskill won his 213th game to become the all time winning coach in Michigan history. G-A beat Paw Paw 41-12 that night. The October 20, 1982 Galesburg Argus notes after the win Maskill was carried on the shoulders of his players for a period of time.
The pedestal was made high enough so the football helmets on the sculpture are about the height of people’s heads going into the stadium. So as there is a crowd around, it looks like he’s lifted up on the shoulders of the crowd as they go in to see the game. There are three football helmets and Maskill is holding the football with his hand on one of the helmets.
As the Maskill family has watched the statue making process, they have been amazed how Diedrich has captured Coach’s characteristics and emotions without knowing him.
The Kalamazoo artist said it was a pleasure working with the Maskill family through the entire process.
“The Maskills have been a dream. They’ve been great. They’ve been supportive the entire time. Very engaged. Mary Helen (Coach Maskill’s son Billy Maskill’s wife) in particular, is just very aware of the whole artistic process and how it works, so that’s delightful. They’ve been delightful,” observed Diedrich.
Born in Detroit April 10, 1923, Maskill began his coaching career with a six-year stint at Sheridan High School where he compiled a 31-18-1 record. However most of his 40 years teaching and coaching were spent at G-A High School where he coached football 34 years, taught physical education for 25 years, was athletic director, and spent 18 years teaching science.
Known as “Coach” by most people, Maskill coached at G-A from 1957-1990. He guided four G-A football teams to four Class C state championships (1962, 1966, 1967, and 1970), and two Class C state runner up finishes in 1990 and 1959.
He was named Regional Coach of the Year nine times and was recognized Class C Coach of the Year seven times.
Coach compiled a 241-66-1 record at G-A and had a career record of 272-84-2.
He retired in 1990 as the “Winningest” Coach in Michigan.
Maskill was inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1983, the National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005 and the G-A High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.
The plaque on the cement pedestal base the statue rests on states Maskill coached 537 players in 34 years at G-A.
Sculptor Josh Diedrich attaches the front description plate to the statue cement base.
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