Trinity grad Rich to be school’s AD
The hallways at Trinity High School look much different than Ricci Rich remembered. Then again, it has been 19 years since he was a student there.
The school might have a different feel, but it still holds the same meaning to Rich, who graduated from Trinity in 1996.
It’s still home.
That’s why he decided to pursue the district’s opening for a director of athletics and activities. Now, the 36-year-old Rich, a Washington resident, is going home.
Trinity Area School Board approved Rich as the district’s director of athletics at Thursday’s meeting. He received a contract that runs through the 2019-20 school year at an annual salary of $79,000.
Rich has spent the past eight years as the athletic director at Moon and held the same position at Brentwood for the previous two years.
“It’s home. I’ve never left. I still live here,” Rich said of Trinity. “We built our house here. I coached, played sports and went to school there. I’ve been a Trinity guy since I was 5 years old. It was a natural fit.
“There is a lot of potential and a lot of good things in place. There have been some struggles in recent years and we want to get to the point where you see blue and white T-shirts and sweatshirts around the community all the time. Athletics are a window into the school for people who don’t have children attending the district.”
Trinity Superintendent Dr. Michael Lucas said it was Rich’s passion that stood out. The position opened early last month when the board officially accepted the resignation of Bobby Jones, who was on a leave of absence since September for unspecified reasons. John Digon acted as interim athletic director during that time, but he was hired as the high school’s assistant principal in March.
“Ricci adds instant credibility to our athletic programs,” Lucas said. “People around the state are familiar with him and his work. We hope to use his experience and background as a spring board for our athletic programs.”
After his time as a student at Trinity, Rich attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania and California University while pursuing a degree in sports management. While attending the latter, he gained an “invaluable” learning experience in Washington.
Former Trinity athletic director and football coach Ed Dalton hired Rich as an assistant football coach. Rich experienced high school athletics from the perspective of a coach, spending seven years on Dalton’s staff. The lessons learned carried weight once he got his break in athletic administration at Brentwood.
“You get to be on the other side. It was a good learning experience, especially being an athletic director now. I got to see what the demands are for coaches and what they deal with,” Rich said. “You see the things that people don’t and you learn from other coaches as to what your style is and you gain a better understanding.”
Rich oversaw a large department at Moon High School, but he made his home in Washington, 40 miles away. Now, Rich can stop at home before long nights at work and he plans to make his stay at Trinity a long one.
Though the district has had continued success in athletics, Rich wants to make a few changes to prepare the department for the future and add excitement around the community.
“A lot of the decision was the pride to be able to work with something you are so connected with,” Rich said. “I still have a lot of friends who coach and teach there. I’m absolutely excited. It’s a 20-year decision. I want to be there until I retire and my kids are out of school. It’s a great feeling.”
Staff writer Karen Mansfield contributed to this story.