ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Many athletes from the area have gone on to bigger careers and recently, it was announced another Liberal native will be joining that list.
Last week, it was announced Rion Rhoades has been selected to be inducted into the NJCAA Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. As Rhoades tells it, his playing career and coaching career took him to multiple corners of Kansas.
“I grew up in Liberal and actually went to elementary school and junior high school in Kismet, and then I graduated from Liberal High School,” Rhoades said. “Coaching-wise, I was the head football coach for Leoti High School in 1999, Fort Scott Community College in 2006, and Hutchinson Community College from 2007 to 2019. I also coached at Fort Hays State University, Northwestern Oklahoma State University (as the defensive coordinator), Coffeyville (also as the defensive coordinator), and Arkansas as the linebackers coach. Prior to all of that, I was an athlete myself and played college football for Hutchinson Community College, Western Illinois, and Northwestern Oklahoma State as a linebacker.”
Rhoades said it was a total surprise to get word of the recognition.
“The athletic director and football coach at Hutchinson Community College are still close friends of mine, and shortly before it hit the official news, they let me know what was going on, and it was very cool to hear about,” Rhoades said. “This was completely unexpected, so I was very surprised and also overwhelmed with gratitude to be even considered for something like this. I was also thinking there were so, so many other people who had a hand in everything I did, including my family, former players and fellow coaching staff and other supporters of the program while I was there. Any team sport, there are always those individual honors given out, but when it comes down to it, it's the entire team that makes everything happen.”
Rhoades added his coaching career was largely inspired by his own past coaches.
“I had some great coaches myself when I was young and still an athlete, and they were all great role models. I love football and the competition side of everything, but all the coaches I had growing up had a big influence on me,” Rhoades said. “Gary Cornelsen and Todd Wilson, two of my coaches from Liberal, probably had more to do with that than anyone especially when I was young, but the coaches I had when I was in college were also good role models for me. The people for sure are the best side of coaching because you get to build those relationships with the players and your fellow coaches, which is REALLY important for a successful program. You also get to build relationships with the supporters and boosters and all of those people, and that's just great.”
The induction ceremony will take place in the future, and Rhoades said he is looking forward to the experience.
“I'm actually not sure what all will be involved with that, but I'm excited for it all. I'm hoping my family and friends and other people who have been part of my journey can be on hand to share that time with me, because I owe so, so much to all of them,” Rhoades said. “I also know all blessings come from above, so I'm grateful the good Lord has given me all of the cool opportunities I've had in my life. If I can be recognized for something like this, so can anyone else. I'm a pretty common man from a rather humble background, and I'm very thankful for everything that's happened and all the opportunities I've had in my career and in my life. Whether you're from a smaller town or a bigger city, if you put your mind to something and work hard at it, people WILL notice.”
Overall, Rhoades said, the future looks bright for him.
“I love what I do now. I transitioned out of coaching and work as a financial advisor with Edward Jones, and I love what I do there for my clients. I love being able to spend time with my wife and grown children, and we've definitely made a good home in Hutchinson. I honestly feel like I'm at about halftime in my life, and I can't wait to see what comes next,” Rhoades said. “Being from Liberal, I'm grateful and thankful to everyone there who supported me when I was growing up. There are a lot of great people in Liberal who had a hand in guiding my life, and I can't thank them enough for what they did when I was there.”
