Chester “Bud” Simon '65

Chester “Bud” Simon, Class of 1965, was a three-sport letterman at Poland Seminary High School, excelling in football, basketball, and golf. In football, he served as team captain in 1965 and earned selection to the Tri-County All-Star Team. In basketball, he was also a team captain and was selected to the 1964 Tri-County Team. Bud completed his high school athletic career by serving as captain of the golf team during his senior year.

After graduating from Youngstown State University, Bud founded a successful roofing and construction business in Youngstown. He also built Youngstown’s first indoor soccer facility, the Western Reserve Sports Complex (also known as Bud’s Place) in Austintown, which hosted soccer, football, baseball, golf, and other athletic activities.

A certified National Soccer Coach, Bud devoted decades to youth sports, coaching girls basketball, soccer, and boys soccer. In 1989, he was named Ohio North-Youth Soccer Association Coach of the Year and helped identify soccer talent for local college recruitment.

In 2005, Bud and his wife, Karen, moved to the Dominican Republic to serve as full-time missionaries. There, he launched a boys basketball program at a local high school in Santo Domingo before passing it on to a younger coach. Throughout his missionary work, Bud has used sports as a way to mentor young people and build meaningful relationships. He currently counsels, preaches, and is developing a vocational school to help people gain practical life and job skills in the Dominican Republic.