Richmond boys – Departing Coach Shabaz Khaliq
RICHMOND, Ind. – (Updated 5/20) Coach Khaliq departs to take over at Mooresville. Good Varsity Club member supplies what can only be described as the full meal deal on this opening. Last year: 10-10, lost to Sectional champion Mt. Vernon in opening game of Class 4A Sectional Highlights included win against Connersville and also a stretch late in year where they won 6 of 7 games heading into Sectional.
Returning: Whole roster - Richmond had no seniors last year. Top returnee is all-NCC forward Stephan Douglas (16.7 points, 7.8 rebounds). Also return point guard Darion Smith (8.9 points, 2.8 assists), combo guard Chase Newton (5.3 points), shooting guard Tylan Harris (12.4 points), SF/SG Tim Arnold (9.4 points), and bench players G Gunner Kovach (athletic do-it-all wing) and F Trenton James. JV was not good - won just 4 games, but played a lot of freshmen and sophomores who could use another year of seasoning and can afford to do that with full rotation back. Incoming 8th grade was solid group, but overhyped in a typical Richmond way (see the BAD of the job).
Good of the job: Money, facilities, and administration. Money = nearly $14K for coaching stipend alone. Facilities are amongst best in area and state with improvements ongoing. New bleachers took down capacity of Tiernan, but still great gym with modern touches. Locker room got a minor renovation in 2018 and is due to be completely redone in next phase of ongoing renovations. There will be a brand new floor design for the Devils this year - but that also means you'll be spending the summer practicing at a local middle school. Lastly, great admin team with principal who was a longtime coach, former AD, and current member of IHSAA board. Very pro athletics and very supportive of coaches without as much pressure as you'd expect to get a win. AD is also a former football coach, but incredibly supportive.
Bad to the job: A fan base divided and stuck in the 1980s. Richmond was the "beast of the east" for a 10-ish year stretch in the 80s and early 90s. The road to the Hinkle Semistate no longer runs through Tiernan and no longer includes playing the small schools to get there. Not uncommon as compared to other North Central Conference schools...but just two Sectionals since class basketball. This has led to siphoning of players from RHS as Class A and Class 2A schools in area sell dream of "hanging banners" by winning Sectional titles. There's not the same level of industry, population, etc. as there was 25 years ago - which of course means to having fewer good players in the city. Ceiling here is likely a Sectional title, but old-timers swear there's "enough to win big here". Meanwhile, the head coach is responsible for running a full youth program - not just having camps and things like that. But, literally, the coach has been tasked with using his high school staff to host, organize, and completely run a YMCA-level youth league with "all-star" travel teams participating in local travel leagues against similar towns. To some - this is the RHS varsity coach's biggest job. As in - nevermind getting ready for Marion or Lafayette Jeff - be invested in the future and make sure that they have trophies for the youth tournament. Unrealistic expectations from all around? Can you handle it?
Ugly to the job: This is a fish bowl job. Every single move will be questioned, criticized, and judged by people who don't know you...even if they'll swear they do. Longtime radio announcer sent packing? Completely unfounded anonymous letter sent to school accusing recruiting? A "positive" local Twitter account that only takes shots and makes accusations about one program in town? Multiple phone calls to the athletic department calling the head coach and members of his staff the most vile of racist names? All of those were very real events in the past year. These are the red flags and the buyer beware that should be asked about. No coach since George Griffith (and probably even he did) has left Richmond with everyone thinking "he did a good job". There's always something to be criticized, second-guessed, and discussed on social media. Normal at every Indiana spot? Be assured - not to this level.
Jobs/Interest: Khaliq's Social Studies position will be on the table. FACS also currently open. It's typical that jobs open up at RHS throughout the summer, but nothing beyond that confirmed at this moment. Two viable candidates on staff currently. Brian Bennett, listed as associate head coach, is an English teacher and has been RHS assistant for five years and a varsity assistant at other spots for more than a decade. However, he did not apply last time around. Brandon Miller, who has split time between varsity assistant and JV coach the past four years, is an RHS graduate, works in the building, and did apply the last time through. Miller starred at nearby Earlham College and is married to an RHS graduate, too. He will almost assuredly be interested again. Last thing of note: Richmond Community Schools just hired Curtis Wright as its superintendent. Wright played at RHS and Earlham and was previously the boys head coach at Ben Davis. So, it would seem he might want some say in the hire.
