Friday, November 30 was opening night for Tri-Valley boys basketball, but this evening was not just any season opener, it was a special night which will go down in Tri-Valley history.
A court dedication ceremony for the newly named “Coach Rich Longaberger Court” was held immediately following the boys junior varsity game and just before the varsity game tip-off.
Rich Longaberger has had a long-standing history at Tri-Valley High School that dates way back to the days of the old Jefferson High. Coach Longaberger first began coaching in 1963 and lead the Jayhawks to their second state title that season. Throughout his 22 years as head coach, Rich Longaberger racked up 363 wins and only 155 losses. What is even more impressive is the impact he has left on his former students, fellow coaches, the players, and the community.
Some of his past students and players were present during the dedication and some watched from a live feed on Facebook. “Well deserved, great coach, even better teacher and person!” said, Larry Miller in
After officially designating the court, Coach Rich Longaberger said this during his speech, “My name may be on this floor, but a lot of good people made that happen. People like the parents of the players and families, the cheerleaders, the student managers, and statisticians, the players, and I had the help of several coaches… coaches like Jim Cope, Tom Denton, Fred Graham, and the best of the best Bill Birkhimer.”
This is not the first time Coach Longaberger has been honored for his dedication to the sport of basketball. In 2008 he was inducted into the TVHS Athletic Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Hall of Distinction.
