Veteran Findlay Boys Basketball Coach To Retire

 
Buckeye2220 said:
Over 500 wins. State Coach of the Year this season. Whoever ran him out of town has some explaining to do. Good luck finding a coach that does more with less better than Rucki.
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Rucki did a great job. No question. The future at FHS in terms of winning games is just not good. How can they win even half their games for the foreseeable future? No coach would be expected to achieve that, including Rucki.
 
I hope this was on his own accord. One of the hardest working, best prepared, knowledgeable, caring coaches and class acts out there. An amazing career
 
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This was 100% his idea to retire. Timing makes sense since 100% of minutes played when the game on the line is graduating and next year will be an ugly rebuilding year.


Findlay Trojans Basketball Coach Jim Rucki Retires​

April 5, 2024
Longtime Findlay Trojans Boys Basketball Coach Jim Rucki is retiring.

“Thank you Coach Rucki for devoting your career to teaching & guiding the youth of Findlay and spending countless hours preparing your teams for success on & off the court,” the school said on Facebook.

Coach Rucki finishes his career with an overall record of 545 wins including 385-178 at Findlay High School.

“We wish you and your family the best in retirement.”

Athletic Director Nate Weihrauch provided the following statement on Coach Rucki:

Coach Rucki is a tremendous coach who has dedicated himself to the philosophy of education-based athletics where he pursued excellence in every aspect.

Coach devoted his life to teaching and guiding our youth and has spent countless hours preparing his team for success on and off the court.

Coach Rucki could always be found in his office after hours or scouting other teams to ensure his team was ready for any scenario.

Coach Rucki earned an overall record of 545 wins including 385-178 in Findlay; earned multiple league, sectional, and district titles and numerous state, district, and league coach of the year honors.

Most importantly, Coach Rucki loved working with kids and teaching them the game of basketball.

Coach has an unwavering commitment to the community of Findlay, Findlay Athletics, and Trojan Basketball.

His 545 career wins and 25 consecutive years with a winning record at Findlay are impressive.

Still, the most impressive feat has been the inspiration, character, integrity, values, and life lessons he taught our young people that will impact them for a lifetime.

Not only has Coach impacted our youth but he has impacted our department as a mentor and loyal and faithful friend.

We certainly wish Coach, his wife Eileen, and their family the best in retirement.
 
trojan warrior said:
No one ran him out of town. He retired.
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Both can be true. It was no secret that over the last few years people wanted him gone. I would imagine that he knew they were going to be bad next season so he decided to step down now before a bad season, which would give administration ammunition to fire him.

I agree that this was his own decision but I would guess that he made the decision because of the pressure he had already been getting.
 
If there was even .001% pressure on Coach Rucki then Findlay as a very weak administration, there are some very stupide fans, and high school basketball has a lot of problems.

Coach Rucki will probably go into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.
 
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trojan warrior said:
25 straight non losing seasons 385-178 record at Findlay. What coach doesn't get criticism? What pressure from whom before the season? Still laughing that this years 21-3 team "lacked talent" as one person on here said. Must have been up after his bedtime to write that.
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How many district titles?
 
Buckeye2220 said:
Both can be true. It was no secret that over the last few years people wanted him gone. I would imagine that he knew they were going to be bad next season so he decided to step down now before a bad season, which would give administration ammunition to fire him.

I agree that this was his own decision but I would guess that he made the decision because of the pressure he had already been getting.
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There was considerable community/parent interest in a new coach two and three years ago, but I believe much less so since then. Coaching is not just about the W-L record, it is about leading and developing young men and helping them improve. Maybe the next coach can do these things, but to have a winning record in the next three years or so really difficult.
 
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FlightCrew said:
How many district titles?
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District titles are very hard.

Flight Crew - Lets how much you know - how many teams are left out of how many in the district title round?
(you have no life line you can not call someone or goggle).

Again he could go into the Ohio Basketball HOF with his career numbers.
 
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CC Track Fan said:
This was 100% his idea to retire. Timing makes sense since 100% of minutes played when the game on the line is graduating and next year will be an ugly rebuilding year.


Findlay Trojans Basketball Coach Jim Rucki Retires​

April 5, 2024
Longtime Findlay Trojans Boys Basketball Coach Jim Rucki is retiring.

“Thank you Coach Rucki for devoting your career to teaching & guiding the youth of Findlay and spending countless hours preparing your teams for success on & off the court,” the school said on Facebook.

Coach Rucki finishes his career with an overall record of 545 wins including 385-178 at Findlay High School.

“We wish you and your family the best in retirement.”

Athletic Director Nate Weihrauch provided the following statement on Coach Rucki:

Coach Rucki is a tremendous coach who has dedicated himself to the philosophy of education-based athletics where he pursued excellence in every aspect.

Coach devoted his life to teaching and guiding our youth and has spent countless hours preparing his team for success on and off the court.

Coach Rucki could always be found in his office after hours or scouting other teams to ensure his team was ready for any scenario.

Coach Rucki earned an overall record of 545 wins including 385-178 in Findlay; earned multiple league, sectional, and district titles and numerous state, district, and league coach of the year honors.

Most importantly, Coach Rucki loved working with kids and teaching them the game of basketball.

Coach has an unwavering commitment to the community of Findlay, Findlay Athletics, and Trojan Basketball.

His 545 career wins and 25 consecutive years with a winning record at Findlay are impressive.

Still, the most impressive feat has been the inspiration, character, integrity, values, and life lessons he taught our young people that will impact them for a lifetime.

Not only has Coach impacted our youth but he has impacted our department as a mentor and loyal and faithful friend.

We certainly wish Coach, his wife Eileen, and their family the best in retirement.
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We are getting conflicting reports on whether Rucki preferred to retire or was required to at FHS. Did you talk with him to know that, as you reported, it was "100% his idea to retire?"
 
HoopsFan1 said:
We are getting conflicting reports on whether Rucki preferred to retire or was required to at FHS. Did you talk with him to know that, as you reported, it was "100% his idea to retire?"
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A coach that has been at a school for 25 years with no losing seasons and goes 21-3 is not going to be fired. Also, no surprise a guy around 70 doesn't want to go through the long rebuilding period the school is going to enter. There are 4 classes with very limited B-ball talent that will be at the HS next year. I don't know why people find it is so hard to realize that some old people just want to retire even if they loved and were good at their job.
 
HoopsFan1 said:
We are getting conflicting reports on whether Rucki preferred to retire or was required to at FHS. Did you talk with him to know that, as you reported, it was "100% his idea to retire?"
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If it is anything other than retirement then Findlay has a very weak administration, there are some very stupide fans, and high school basketball has a lot of problems.
 
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jafo said:
Austin Gardner, Marietta, former FHS JV coach and a Rucki clone. Mason Roth, Bowling Green and others, I hope. Calipari went to Arkansas and Hurley likes UConn so I guess they're off the market.
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Q: Do we even know if these two coaches are interested in the FHS job? Hearing maybe not.
 
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