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    • Greencastle-Antrim Athletic Director Vicki Ritchey Retires
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    Greencastle-Antrim Athletic Director Vicki Ritchey Retires

    Vaseline Posted on

    Jaxon Sheely
    | Specially for Public Opinion

    Fall in Greencastle-Antrim. The leaves are starting to change, kids are going back to school, the Friday night lights are back on, and the crowds are cheering through Kaley Field.

    As all of this continues, longtime athletic director Vicki Ritchey will be stepping down, retiring on September 3 after 19 years in the position.

    “I’m tired, after 19 years of 16-hour days and five, sometimes six, days a week, it takes a toll on you,” Ritchey said. “I’m a grandmother now, so I miss almost all of the evening events that involve my grandchildren. Plus, I have elderly parents, and it’s time for me to take care of them.”

    The 59-year-old Greencastle native has been with the district since 1987, starting as a volleyball coach. She worked in various positions in the district before becoming an assistant to Mark Hastings, a former Greencastle-Antrim administrator who also served as AD. After his term ended, she assisted athletic director Delbert Myers for three years before he stepped down. She was given the job as athletic director in 2006.

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    Ritchey experienced many memorable moments during her tenure, especially in the early years.

    “Talk about jumping into the fire, the ’06-’07 basketball team was special,” she said. “They went to states to play for a championship. Penn State sent us 1,000 tickets and they sold out within an hour. I had to call them for another thousand, and they sold out the next day. I remember telling people, ‘I put tickets in envelopes and sell them in my sleep.'”

    Two years later, the softball team won the state title, 1-0 in nine innings against Bethlehem Catholic.

    “The ’09 girls softball team was fantastic,” she said. “They’ve had a couple of good years and it all culminated in that win.”

    Although her first seasons were exciting, one thing was clear: the days and weeks were long. Despite that, she fell in love with the position.

    “We get such amazing support from our community,” she said. “When we were selling tickets, there were times when we were three hours away from an event and people still came out in droves to support. Schools were amazed by that, because we’re a small school compared to these other schools. The entourage that follows our kids and coaches is amazing. They’re so supportive.”

    Ritchey helped repay that support. In 2018, a student named Emma Strait was diagnosed with leukemia. To help, the athletic department accepted donations and sold T-shirts. They also received donations through their own booster clubs. Within three weeks, they were able to present a check for $8,500 to her family.

    Ritchey also made her mark in a male-dominated world.

    “I wouldn’t dare speak for the others, but I personally have never felt discriminated against,” Ritchey said. “The other ADs make me feel very valued and welcome at the conference and in the position. They have recognized my dedication and my contributions to the position. I was the chair and did the scheduling for volleyball.”

    Ultimately, Ritchey seems pleased with her accomplishments and her career at Greencastle-Antrim. The 37 years of service have been productive and fulfilling in many ways.

    “I’ve enjoyed it, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, I’ve got great coaches, we’ve got great kids here, we’re very fortunate. Overall, we’ve been very blessed and we’ve had great success with the teams. That’s a compliment to the kids and the coaches. Our coaches are dedicated and they’re just great people.”

    Greencastle is currently seeking candidates for the position of AD.

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