By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

In Bob Mihalik’s 24 years coaching at Aurora, the success stories have become a regular part of the season.

He ascended to the No. 3 spot as Portage County’s winningest coaches last season (201 career wins) and won a state championship in 2008 (while also advancing to the Final Four in 2006, 2011, 2012 and 2019).

He has 11 league championships.

AJ Barner, shown kneeling during his senior season at Aurora, shares a brief conversation with a waterboy during the 2019 season.
Steve Golton/Special to Portage Sports

He coaches players to all-league, all-district and All-Ohio status each year.

He has qualified for the playoffs in 18 of the last 23 seasons.

And on and on.

This past spring, though, Mihalik had what has become a rare first at this point in his career.

One of his former players was selected in the NFL Draft.

AJ Barner, who starred for the Greenmen from 2016-2019 before going on to play in college at Indiana and at Michigan where he won a national championship, was selected in the fourth round by the Seattle Seahawks.

During Barner’s senior season with Aurora, he finished with 77 tackles and nine tackles for a loss, while also contributing offensively. In his final season with the Wolverines, he earned All-Big Ten honors, catching 22 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown. During his four year college career, he had 64 catches for 610 yards and five touchdowns.

Barner, a 6-foot-6, 251-pound tight end, was selection No. 121 overall in the draft.

He was the second Aurora player to ever be selected in the draft, with the first being Tom Curtis in 1970 by the Baltimore Colts. Curtis, who also played at Michigan, spent two seasons in the league and won a Super Bowl with the Colts in 1970, playing in 10 games and starting two as a defensive back.

Barner’s NFL career officially began on April 27, 2024, when his name was called at the podium in Detroit.

He was at his house in Aurora, with his family and close friends, including coach Mihalik and others from the Greenmen football staff.

“It was very tense watching that Saturday afternoon,” Mihalik said. “When he got the phone call, it was such a celebration. It was so cool to see a lifetime dream come true for a young man and his family.”

Everyone’s dream and path to get there are different. For Mihalik, his focus remains consistent in his communication to players and families.

“Our goals are always the same, and we pass these out to the players and discuss them in May: No. 1: Do what’s right and make good decisions in all aspects of life. No. 2: Do your best at all times both on the field and in the classroom. No. 3: Treat other people like you want to be treated.

“Our players know this is the expectation from the seventh grade on,” Mihalik added. “These have nothing to do with how fast you are, how strong you are, etc. These are character choices. If we can buy in as a team and commit to these three expectations, winning seasons take care of themselves.”

And they certainly have.