Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletics

In all of IUP's history. Only two persons have served longer as head coach of a sport than Lew Shaffer's 22 years from 1946 through 1968 as wrestling coach. For Shaffer, they were not easy years, and his success is not measured in wins and losses.
Wrestling, not only at IUP but at many other colleges and universities, is a sport whose teams have far more often than not waged an uphill battle for results and recognition. At IUP, the campaign came to a close in 1985, when the curtain came down on wrestling as a varsity sport.
For 22 years, as IUP transformed itself from a state teachers college of approximately 1500 students in 1946 to a university six times that big in 1968, the wrestling ramparts were manned by Lew Shaffer as coach.
Perhaps his role is best described by 1967 graduate Rick Camden, now residing in Aberdeen, Maryland, who volunteered a letter within which he voiced:
"We didn't gain much fame, but we had a great time, and it helped to prepare us for life. We learned that motivation and drive had to come from within. IUP's Athletic Hall of Fame can be proud of Lew Shaffer, a competent, loyal and dedicated coach and man.
"We didn't set the world afire, but we held our own in dual meets against some of the state's best wrestling teams. We learned how to labor in obscurity and show up every day to pursue our athletic dreams."
Shaffer's values extended to his work on campus for many years as an assistant football coach and as aquatics instructor (in the days before IUP sponsored swimming teams).
Part of the IUP faculty from the close of World War II until 1973, Shaffer had taught and coached in both Blairsville and DuBois after graduating in 1931 from Ohio University (where he played trumpet in classmate Sammy Kaye's band).
In the Indiana community, he was president of the Indiana Lions Club and active in developing the highly worthwhile youth programs of the Lions Health Camp.
The Indiana Red Cross created an annual Shaffer aquatic scholarship in recognition of his longtime contributions to Indiana County water safety concerns.
Married to the former Grace Foster for nearly 58 years, he was the father of Faye Harris and Janice Parcell. Shaffer is represented at today's induction by granddaughter Kimberly Campbell of Shippensburg.