My View/Your View: Heritage Christian's Risinger is among one of the best

Rick Risinger probably has given more than a few Indiana high school basketball coaches reason to scratch their heads. Many hard-working coaches who toil at their trade never enjoyed - and likely never will - the success that Risinger has savored in his four seasons coaching varsity girls basketball at Heritage Christian, the state's Class 2A girls basketball powerhouse on the northeast side of Indianapolis. Consider this remarkable feat: Four straight championships and a 104-8 won-loss record, including 26-1 this season, over that span. Such an accomplishment not only makes him one of the most celebrated coaches in Indiana basketball history but also the first coach to win four straight state championships, not to mention lead a team to four successive titles in the same class. Risinger may have proven you don't necessarily need to be a basketball coach by profession to actually be a good, successful coach. That's not to say there are not GOOD basketball coaches in Hoosierland, where basketball has been a way of life since 1911. On the contrary, there are many, many GREAT coaches. There are many coaches envious of Risinger's feat, too, I'm sure. And, yes, most coaches will admit, or should admit, that the No. 1 formula for success is to be surrounded by talented players. Just look at Risinger's success . . . mind-boggling, to say the least. His Eagles will start the 2009-10 season riding a 62-game winning streak against Indiana opponents, not to mention 42 in a row against Class 2A teams. And then there's that winning percentage - an incredible .927 standard. I know of no coach in Indiana high school basketball ever to post such a record in four seasons. And, yes, Risigner had some great players, starting with UConn-bound and Indiana All-Star Kelly Faris, referred to this season by former Carmel girls coach Judi Warren as "the best player I've seen come along in a long, long while.'' Risinger isn't about ego, either. There's a humble side that's as prevalent as his white hair. You won't see him or ever hear of him patting himself on the back. He's offered praise while giving credit to his players many, many times. He genuinely seems to simply enjoy being a part of such a marvelous, rewarding experience. For Risinger and his players, it's all about "team.'' Risinger is also quick to point out that he fell into the job, that he had no designs on coaching high school basketball. Basically, he was in the right place at the right time, and the program is all the better for his presence. It all came about because of a set of circumstances. His daughter Megan played at Heritage Christian, plus then there was the death of Eagles varsity coach Mark "Doc'' Richards, whom Risinger reportedly provided some scouting assistance. In case you don't know the story behind Risinger's well-documented rise in the coaching ranks, he was asked to assume coaching duties when Richards succumbed to cancer in 2005. They had built a strong relationship while his daughter played for Richards. "I never really intended to coach,'' said Risinger, who is retired from Verizon. "My dad was a coach. I always enjoyed watching him, but I never planned to go into coaching.'' While leading Heritage Christian to the school's first state championship, Risinger credited Richards for getting the program started, that began with a State Finals runner-up finish in the 2003-04 season, and he also publicly dedicated the season to Richards. Megan Risinger, now an assistant coach for her dad, was an assistant for Lafayette Central Catholic on the Class A state championship team in 2006. Ironically, both Megan and her dad celebrated championships on the same day in Downtown Indianapolis. Risinger - who was quite a high school player himself at Richmond, where he was selected to the Indiana All-Stars in 1969, and also played collegiately at Purdue - said he doesn't know how long he'll stay in coaching. "I guess until I get tired of it . . . if I ever do,'' he said with a big smile after savoring the state championship victory over Oak Hill in March at Lucas Oil Stadium. "I really like coaching the girls and I like the school. It's been a fun and rewarding experience.'' About the only thing left for Risinger's resume, unless he wins a fifth championship or a National Coach of the Year honor, possibly could be an invitation to take a seat on the bench as coach of the Indiana All-Star girls team. Maybe even in the near future. Risinger, the reigning City Coach of the Year, already knows a little about the girls All-Stars basketball experience, watching from the stands. Another daughter, Courtney, represented Terre Haute South on the girls team in 1998.