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Late coach inducted into hall of fame
LINCOLN -- Family and friends of McCook High School's late, beloved golf coach, Ron Coleman, gathered in Lincoln Sunday afternoon for Ron's induction into the Nebraska Sports High School Hall of Fame.
During the emotional ceremony, Ron's oldest son, Justin, spoke for the family. "The kids loved him," Justin said. "They knew he would give them whatever they needed, be that a hug or a swift kick in the 'booty.'"
Ron, who was a coach at McCook High School from 1978 to 2004, died as a result of a home accident Nov. 30, 2004. The tragic accident cut short one of the nation's best high school golf coaching careers. In a 14-year span -- between 1990 and 2004 -- Ron's team won seven Class B state championships and two runner-up trophies.
Ron -- known as RC and Coley by his friends -- also coached other sports, helping lead the McCook Bison to two state football championships and two runner-up finishes. He also coached basketball, serving as the co-head coach at McCook High in 2003-2004.
Ron began his coaching career at Barneston where he was heard football and basketball coach for two years.
RC did not begin golfing until near the end of his college years. He was self-taught, becoming a scratch golfer during his years of golfing at Heritage Hills in McCook.
"His talent as a coach was making it a team sport," Justin said. "He had full scale practices, spending a great deal of time on the short game," Justin said.
The Hall of Fame ceremony took place at the prestigious Lied Center for the Performing Arts. To receive the award, Ron's wife, Joanie, came forward with her sons and their families: Justin and Chandra and their seven-month-old baby, Graison, and Clint and his wife, Karmon.
Also attending were all of Ron's and Joanie's brothers and sisters. The siblings include the Colemans: Gene and Ray of Lincoln, Steve of Fremont, Marie of Ulysses and Margaret of Weston; and the Miriovskys: Nancy of Papillion, Tom of David City and Joanie's mother, Bea, of David City.
Twenty-two officials, coaches and athletes were inducted into the Hall of Fame. During the ceremonies, Jim Tenopir, formerly of McCook and Cambridge, announced that the new headquarters for the Nebraska School Activities Association will be completed in March of 2008. The new facility, located north of the Haymarket ball park, will include a room to showcase Hall of Fame honorees. Tenopir is now executive director of the NSAA.
As a Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame member, Coleman joins a distinguished group of honorees from Southwest Nebraska, including these past inductees: Fred Bessler, Chase County; Carol (Nunnaly) Countryman, McCook and Lincoln High; Dale Bubak, Hayes Center; Karen Dahlgren, Bertrand; Paul Forch, McCook and Lincoln East; Ed Haenfler, Grant; Bill Holliday, Wilsonville, Aurora and Loomis; Bill Jackman, Grant; Clint John, Cambridge; Jeff Kinney, McCook; Jim Mather, Arapahoe; Eugene "Hoppy" McCue, Arapahoe; Leo McKillip, McCook; J.R.Mollring, Cambridge; Ethan Lee Todd, Grant; and Ernie Wach, Bartley