Rykovich was impacted by DeBerry > High Schools > Stories > Manitou Springs

YourHub.com \\ Manitou Springs - Ute Pass \\ Stories \\ Sports \\ High Schools

Rykovich was impacted by DeBerry

e-mail to a friend | print this | link to this

Contributed by: Joe Paisley on 12/22/2006

MANITOU SPRINGS-- George Rykovich might understand Fisher DeBerry's decision to leave Air Force better than most.

Rykovich retired this fall after 46 years of coaching, including 36 at Manitou Springs High School. De-Berry announced his retirement Friday after 23 years as Air Force's coach.

"You don't coach forever," Rykovich said. "You just get to that point where you just feel sure in your heart.

"Just this past fall was my last year and I have no regrets, absolutely none."

Whether DeBerry will have any regrets remains to be seen, but Rykovich and St. Mary's coach Matt Walter will have a hard time separating DeBerry from Air Force football.

"He was just synonymous with Air Force football," Walter said. "If anyone around the country thought of Air Force football, they thought of Fisher DeBerry."

Both agreed DeBerry's retirement is a loss for the academy.
Walter said DeBerry's departure is similar to Bill Snyder's retirement at Kansas State in November 2005.

"I would suspect coach DeBerry made his decision in the same manner, what was best for the academy, not just was best for DeBerry," Walter said.
Rykovich said the impact of DeBerry's tenure will be felt for a long time. \

"You guys go out and ask (College Football Hall of Famer) Chad Hennings, other players, what impact DeBerry had on their lives," Rykovich said. "They'll find another coach but I guarantee you the young men at the Air Force Academy will remember what he has done for them, probably for the rest of their lives.

[Report this as objectionable content.]

SUBMIT COMMENT

Rate the above story

Talk Back : submit comments to the story

*Note: you need to log-in to add a comment or rating.

Thank you! Your comment has been updated.