End Of An Era: Rick May Retires From Coaching

Veteran Central Coach Will Still Teach After Coaching Basketball For Past 38 Years

  • Friday, August 7, 2020
  • John Hunt
Central's Rick May will remain on faculty as a teacher, but he's retiring after coaching for the past 38 years, finishing his career with a record of 424 wins and 288 losses.
Central's Rick May will remain on faculty as a teacher, but he's retiring after coaching for the past 38 years, finishing his career with a record of 424 wins and 288 losses.
photo by Dennis Norwood/File Photos

Rick May has been a high school teacher and coach his entire professional career where he’s impacted thousands of teenagers and won a lot more games than he lost.

The 62-year-old guy, who grew up in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Springfield, Va., spent the first three years of his coaching career at Potter High School in Bowling Green before moving to Chattanooga and taking a job at Boyd-Buchanan where he coached girls basketball and softball for 22 years, winning a state title in softball in 1989.

He had great success with the Buccaneers and Lady Bucs before moving once more to Central, where he’s spent the past 16 years leading the Lady Purple Pounders.

This popular and successful fellow is one of those guys who you can't help but like.  He's the guy you want your child to play for, knowing for sure that they will be a better person for the experience

May has had some life-changing health issues in recent months – including a serious heart attack in mid March.  He will remain at the Harrison school where he teaches World Religion and World History, but he’s calling it a career as a coach after compiling a record of 424-288 in 38 years on the basketball sideline.

It took much thought and prayer and plenty of consulting with Sherry, his lovely bride of 38 years, but it was a text message he received from his son-in-law Dustin Abbott that ultimately helped him make the decision to retire from coaching.

“Dustin is married to my oldest daughter Allison and they have two sons ages five and seven.  He sent me a text saying that I had two fine grandsons who want their Pop around for a long time.  That was all it took for me to make the decision final,” May said early Friday afternoon while sitting at the entrance to the Purple Pounder gymnasium.

“I’ve had a lot of wonderful times as a high school coach and I think I’ve coached just about every sport other than tennis, but I had some outstanding years at Boyd-Buchanan as that’s where I really cut my teeth as a high school coach,” he remembered with pride.

“I decided to make a change in 2006 and that’s when I came to Central.  Rick Rogers was the girls coach, but took over the boys job and that created a coaching spot for me.

“There’s a lot of difference between coaching at a private school versus working in public education, but the game doesn’t change.  Ken Smith has been my assistant coach in recent years and we were really co-coaches, but we had some good years with some really good players.

“I’ve been to the top of the mountain as far as coaching is concerned.  I’m thankful that I won more times than I lost, but it’s the relationships I’ve developed over the years that makes it all so worthwhile.

“I think kids feel safe on a basketball court, but life is so much different for these kids at Central compared to those at Boyd-Buchanan.  I felt like I was in a bubble over there, but I was scared to death when I first got here.  But I just kept moving forward and here I am,” he paused with a smile.

That heart attack in March was a sure wakeup call, but he’s had other medical issues in addition to the heart challenges.  He suffers from kidney disease and he’s also diabetic.  He has high blood pressure and his blood sugar has reached super-high levels in recent months.

The total combination helped him decide that extra stress from coaching wasn’t in his best interest and that now might be the best time to make a change.

“I have always been an emotional guy, so there have been a lot of tears shed over this decision.  I asked for a lot of advice from close friends and family members.  It was not easy deciding to step aside.  It wasn’t something that was taken from me.  I chose the route I’m taking.

“My biggest regret is that I didn’t have a chance to share this with our returning players.  It was a fairly sudden decision, but I’ll be teaching from my computer at home.

“I’ll miss the smell of the gym as I know every soft spot on that floor.  I’m sure that I’ll still support the new coach, whoever that might be, but I don’t walk away with any regrets.  I will miss the wonderful relationships, but not the headaches caused by all the other stuff.

“This is the beginning of a new chapter in my life.  There are days when I feel too young to be this old.  But I’ve had a lot of wonderful memories in my coaching career and wouldn’t take all the money in the world for them.  Now I’ll just move on and enjoy spending time with family and friends,” May concluded.

Hamilton County schools are set to begin later this month.  Applications are being taken for May’s job as the girls basketball coach. 

It was certainly not an easy decision for Rick May to make, but he has a head full of positive memories and that’s the most important thing.

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)

Prep Sports
PREP SCHEDULES
  • 4/30/2024

Prep Schedules for Week of: March 25th All times are local to the event (Coaches/ADs: Please send any schedule corrections or addititions to Dennis Norwood, Prep Sports Editor, at ... more

East Hamilton Tennis Takes The Measure Of Bradley Central
  • 3/27/2024

On Wednesday at Standifer Gap Park, the East Hamilton tennis team took on Bradley Central in a Region 3 show down. The East Hamilton boys led by senior William Harden took the Bears down in a ... more