A family bond over sports is nothing new, but when winning permeates three generations like it has in the Garvin family, that's a story worth telling.
“We’re pretty tight-knit, a pretty strong family,” said Mike Garvin.
Grandfather Bobby Garvin was a standout at Beaver Falls High School and holds the career ERA record at Geneva College.
His son Mike Garvin led Riverside to a WPIAL title in 1996. Mike’s two sons Mitchell and Hunter Garvin were key players in Riverside’s 2023 undefeated state championship season. It was the first team in WPIAL history to go undefeated and win a PIAA title.
Mike, Mitchell and Hunter all won their titles under longtime Riverside coach Dan Oliastro.
It was a fitting end to Mitch’s high school days.
“Watching all the older guys when I was younger and seeing them play on the big fields, I always wanted to be on that big field myself,” he said. “To do it with my younger brother is absolutely amazing and a dream come true.”
Riverside’s state title is far from a surprise to the Garvin family. Most of the group has been together for over ten years, showing signs of big things to come even as young kids. Mike coached them most of the way, much like his father did for him.
“I saw that there was talent there,” Mike said of Mitchell and Hunter’s early interest in baseball. “I decided that I’m going to do everything in my power to teach these guys the game of baseball, and at the same time not do it selfishly.”
Along with coaching, Mike was also an umpire when the boys were young. He says he made a conscious effort never to play favorites with his sons, often leading to some contentious moments that everyone can look back on with a smile.
Mike recalls one moment where he called a close strike while Hunter was at the plate.
“[He] looked back at me with a little bit of a disgruntled look on [his] face, and I remember saying ‘it’s close enough, swing the bat.’”
Though Hunter still doesn’t quite see it that way.
“I was kind of mad at my dad because I didn’t think it was a strike,” he said with a laugh.
There are decades worth of those memories between the three generations, but surely Riverside’s most recent feat is pinned at the top of the list.
As Mitch and Hunter excelled in the state final, Bobby, Mike and the rest of the Garvin family were in the stands to see it happen.
They are moments and relationships the boys don't take for granted.
“To have more than one person to love me, especially my parents and my grandparents, it’s truly a blessing,” said Mitchell.
With grandchildren playing sports across the state, Bobby tries his best to attend as many games as he can. He thought nothing of driving across the state to watch his granddaughter’s regular season basketball game while she was in high school.
“Not many people get to have the opportunity of being with their family and their family supporting them with what they do,” Hunter said. “It means the world to me.”
As Mitchell moves on to trade school, Hunter takes over as Riverside baseball’s lone Garvin. Though success could still be ahead for the Panthers, the 2023 season marks a baseball life coming full circle for Mike.
His Riverside team fell short of a state title, and he always hoped his sons would finish the job.
“It was a team effort and it gives me a tremendous amount of satisfaction knowing that I coached every one of these boys at some point in the last ten years. Hopefully, they learned something from me. It was the ultimate ending to a great story.”