10
Sports
The Message -- for Catholics of Southwestern Indiana
March 17, 1989
Rutter on Sports
By DAVE
RUTFER
Emotionally dif![0000cult year proves
Risemas' gift for molding talent
Despite the anatomical improbability, the
eyebrows of virtually every sports fan in Evansville
shot up when Rich Risemas was named basketball
coach at Memorial in 1982.
Remember the buzz?
Ron Wannemuehler had put in his two
decades and was moving on to coaching nirvana --
athletic directorship. So, the folks at Memorial
looked around, double checked all the applications
and picked Risemas.
Who? What?
If you escaped the stock market the day before
it crashed last year or have expertise in tea-leaf
reading, then you probably expected Risemas to
get this job. Folks who make a killing dealing in
pork bellies and Peruvian tin futures might have
had some inkling. As for the rest of us, the bulb
was burned out.
Risemas was a winner, true, and he was well
known around Memorial. He could coach. No
doubt of that, either.
But his career was at St. Benedict elementary
school. What was that worth? He was used to
coaching players who hadn't been out on dates
yet. At least, no dates that their moms knew about.
Heck, he'd never coached anybody who possessed
a valid driver's license. How would he relate to
dudes who actually NEEDED to shave?
I've often wondered what the face-to-face job
interview at Memorial was like for Risemas.
"Yep, I can pinpoint my greatest coaching
achievement without even thinking hard about it.
We whipped a full-court press on those sixth-
graders from Christ the King two years ago and
they folded like a lawn chair."
If there was anxiety about the choice, Risemas'
first two years probably didn't assuage it. The
Tigers went 5-16 and 4-17. Then the breakthrough
season -- 15-6.
After that, Risemas' troops went 20-7, 25-2,
12-10 and 19-6. That's a tough way to win 100
games and, as Risemas often says, there is nothing
homogeneous in Memorial's student psychology. It
can be a difficult place to coach, and Risemas can
be a difficult taskmaster.
"Diverse personalities," he says.
Whatever the psychological eddies, Risemas'
seventh season finally has demonstrated -- if any
doubts lingered -- that he was the right man for
the job.
Indeed, Memorial's 19-6 record this season is
testament both to Risemas' ability to mold talent
and to his players' emotional resilience.
When Memorial dusted Vincennes in the
Regional championship last weekend for Risemas'
100th victory, it marked the third time in four
years that the Tigers had claimed that title.
In the other year -- 1987-88 -- the Tigers were
steaming along when the wheels fell off.
Sophomore Chad Weikert blew a knee, and Central
interrupted the Sectional championship string.
That injury was the first signal to what might
have become a very mediocre year. If you don't
recall the problems consider:
A: Weikert still has not recovered from the
knee injury and might never be the player he pro-
mised to be. Before the injury, he moved
Memorial's offense up a large notch. While he still
works hard, it's obvious he's less natural.
B: Freshman Kris Robinson, the 6-foot-8 center
of a pre-season recruiting storm, left for Henderson
County. While Risemas might not have used
Robinson this year, Robinson finished the season
producing double figures in both points and re-
bounds for the Colonels.
C: Senior Aaron Gries left a void at point
guard when he decided to concentrate on baseball,
an understandable decision because he has pro
potential. But that left another gap for Risemas to
fill.
D: Then, there's the athletic makeup of the
team itself. Many are marking time between their
best sports. Starting point guard Pat Schulz is a
better baseball player; Tim Vieth is an all-
American soccer player headed for Duke; 6-5 Jason
Edwards is a defensive end and sometimes quarter-
back in football. There may be good athletes on
this team, but not necessarily superior basketball
players.
Risemas has crazy-glued this team together. It
plays hard and, occasionally, well. Whether that's
enough in this weekend's Semistate is doubtful.
Floyd Central and Terre Haute South possess
bigtime talent.
But whatever happens from now on, Risemas
shouldn't despair. He's taken the Tigers past
where logic says they should be, and that's a true
test of quality teaching.
Not too shabby for a grade school coach.
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Flaget team
The sixth grade basketball team at Flaget School, Vincennes, recently won the Rivet High School In-
vitational Tournament. Players were, back row, Mike Mills, Dustin Hitt, Jason Teising, Derrick
Plahn, Mike Mouzin; middle row, coach Joe Mouzin, George Traylor, Eric Mikiska, Charles Kit-
chell, Jon Lazzara and Adam Lane. Cheer|eaders are Sara Tressler, Amanda DeLisle, Michele Hor-
rail, Amanda Scheirmann, Amber Donnoe, Meegan Hedstrom, Barbara Curry, Amy Halter, Andrea
Musick, Laura Carpenter and Katie Meyer.
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Bicknell - Sandborn
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FOR COMPLETE I
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H.G. FISCHER
RT. 1 ST. ANTHONY
I I I
PEACE CENTER TOURS
presents
MEDJUGORJE
MARY'S CALL TO PEACE
A Spiritual Journey & Retreat
with Father Gerald Peterson
of Glenmary Missionaries
MAY 15 - 22, 1989
US$1,265 from Louisville
Plus Taxes - $23 and Tip Fund - $35 - TOTAL $58
Single Room Supplement - $99
ITINERA R Y"
MONDAY -- Depart Hometown for the Gateway City (Chicago or New York),
connect in the afternoon with overnight JAT-YUGOSLAV AIRLINES trans-
atlantic flight to Yugoslavia.
TUESDAY -- Connect with short flight to Mostar or Dubrovnik. Late afternoon
arrival, meet our representatives and transfer to PRIVATE homes in Med-
jugorje for overnight. ..
i WEDNESDAY through SUNDAY -- Experience the presence of Our Mother,
as you gather for daily spiritual conferences led by your SpMtua/ Leader. Each
evening, retreat from the world as you participate in the devotions of the
Rosary, Mass and healing prayer at St. James with the parishioners. The days
are free to climb the thorny hills of Podbrod (the Hill of Apparitions) and Mount
Krizevac (Cross Mountain), as you walk along the pathways of peace. You
have ample time to nourish your faith, as you pray and walk through the
village which has become the spiritual crossroads of the world. Participate in
the mysteries of Mary's intervention and share in the spirit-filled devotion. IN-
CLUDED WITH OUR COMPL/MENTS is the visit to Fr. Jozo, the famed first
spiritual guide of the Visionaries.
MONDAY -- Transfer to Mostar or Dubrovnik for departure for theU.S. Arrive
in New York JFK or Chicago in the afternoon, connect with flight to
Hometown.
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