We Are Saddened at the Passing of Coach Rhinehart

[Infolady]

We are deeply saddened to inform you that Coach Robbie Rhinehart of Jeffersonville passed away Tuesday night.   We have little detail except that it was in his sleep.

For the wrestlers that recently returned from the ISWA Cultural Exchange trip to Japan and for our wonderful hosts in Japan I know this is very difficult news to receive.  I do feel compelled to tell you that he and I talked for over 4 hours this past Sunday about the experiences you all shared.   He was extremely proud of the team and very appreciative of our fantastic hosts.   He was excited about future exchanges and he knew that he played a role in planting good seeds in all who he lead that will lead to more fulfilled lives.  

He has passed us in this life but will always be a part of us and we a part of him.   This is a huge loss for all, none more than for his family for he truly was an exceptional human being.   For those of us who believe in eternity de Chadin's words hold true.

We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin French philosopher and Jesuit Priest

Please inform the wrestling community as soon as you can because my guess is this type of news is better learned when a loved one gives it to us.  

Jeffersonville Head Coach Struck will provide information at a later date.

Ed Wojdyla

[grappler119]

Our prayers are with coach Rhinehart and his family. It was my pleasure and honor to have known you and coached with you. You were truly a great person and coach who always went well above and beyond for the kids. You have touched many lives here in Jeffesonville and beyond and will truly be missed.

Coach Shepherd

[R. Kendrick]

Condolensces and sympathy to the Rhinehart family and the Jeffersonville wrestling Family, from your neighbors at Charlestown. 

[MattM]

He was a great help to the Jeff program and a good influence on its athletes.  His family will be in my thoughts.

[dstruck]

I wanted to pass along the Funeral arrangements.
 
Northside Christian Church in New Albany. Friday viewing 4-8p.m. and Sat at 9:00 a.m. with Funeral Sat. at 10 a.m.    flower info. 812-752-3232  or to donate to a memorial fund that is being set up collinsfuneralhome.net

A scholarship in his name will be set up soon.

The burial will be at Graceland Christian Cemetary in Charleston, West Virginia at 2pm on Sunday.

[dstruck]

“Robby” Rhinehart of Jeffersonville High School Wrestling, passes away last Wednesday morning.

Robert P. “Robby” Rhinehart, III 34, of New Albany, Indiana died Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at Floyd Memorial Hospital in New Albany, Indiana.  He was born March 1st, 1975 in South Charleston, West Virginia, the son of Robert P. Rhinehart , Jr. and Karen (Smith) Rhinehart.  Robby was married Juley 16, 2002 to Melissa M. (Hammon) Rhinehart, who survives. 


Bio
Coach Rhinehart started his wrestling career at the George Washington (GW) High School Junior wrestling program in Charleston, WV at the age of 10.  In high school, Coach Rhinehart was a two time West Virginia state tournament qualifier, as a Junior at 189 pounds (only weighed 161) and as a Senior at 160 pounds.  GW finished 7th in West Virginia both of those seasons.  Upon graduation there in 1993, Coach Rhinehart walked on to the West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) Cross-Country team and was elected Captain as a Senior. After Graduating from WVWC in December 1997, Coach Rhinehart was hired to teach math at Middletown High School in Middletown Maryland.  Coach Rhinehart taught and coached wrestling there for 4 years, while starting a Cross-Country program at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.  Coach then accepted a teaching job at Brunswick Middle School in Brunswick, Maryland, while helping take over a new wrestling program at the high school in its’ 3rd year.  After going 3-23 it’s first 2 seasons, Brunswick High School posted a 12-6 duel record that season.  Then for two years, Coach Rhinehart taught and coached Freestyle Wrestling at Nile C. Kinnick High School in Yokosuka, Japan winning the Far East Championships in his 2nd year there.  Coach Rhinehart found his way back to teaching and coaching at Brunswick High School, while coaching Terry Bartholomew (125 lbs.) to his 4th Frederick County title, 1st Region title and runner-up in the state of Maryland (defeating a 3-time Maryland state champion at regionals).  From there Coach Rhinehart started teaching and coaching in Jeffersonville, Indiana.   Coach Rhinehart served as the Indiana State Wrestling Associations (ISWA) Women’s National Team coach the last 2 summers leading them to a 7th place finish in the nation with 4 all-Americans, and coaching Becky Cissel to a pre-season national championship. As an ISWA member Coach Rhinehart also coached 2 Indiana Folkstyle National teams and a Cultural Exchange team to Japan.  As assistant coach at Jeffersonville High School, they won their first 2 sectional titles in 15 years and their first conference title this past season in over 25 years.  Coach Rhinehart had over 15 semi-state qualifiers and conference champions while at Jeffersonville High School.  He was a Team Jeff wrestling club coach winning club of the year 1 time, and being named a “Gold Medal” Club by USA Wrestling this past season, and coached Parkwood elementary’s team winning the elementary league title. When he left Jeffersonville this past week, they had built the program to over 350 k-12 wrestlers.      A USA Wrestling Bronze Certified Coach, Coach Rhinehart was also a leader in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at all the schools that he worked with, even starting the “W”FCA at Jeffersonville for their wrestling club and high school teams. Besides wrestling Coach Rhinehart also served as the head cross country coach at Jeffersonville High School. 

What the man was about:
Coach Rhinehart believed that athletics were  an avenue to an education and a way for him to promote god’s ministry through the bond you feel as athlete’s.  Coach Rhinehart did not care about awards, or recognition.  The day before he passed he requested to be moved to coach at the middle school so he could make an impact by meeting kids at a younger age for the Jeff Wrestling Program.  Coach Rhinehart had more goals in his life than most men.  Such as coaching a team state title,  riding his bike to work more days than he drove, or visiting all 7 continents, in which he visited 5.  He had a goal of having every kid on the Jeffersonville High School Wrestling team be a multi-sport athlete, which was almost accomplished last season when 13 of 14 starters were.  But his real goal was to spread the word of god to all those he met, as evident by the small gold cross ear-ring that he always wore.  Coach Rhinehart became known as the “Underdog’s” coach, as he chose to work with the beginners, and “not so gifted” creating some of the best wrestlers in school history. But the biggest impact he had was on the number of kids that you would see kneeling down around the mat, and in the locker room before the match.  Not to ask for wins, but to pray for safe competition for them and their opponent. 

“Coach Rhinehart taught me what it means to be a real Christian, to accomplish things with your life daily, and that wrestling is only an avenue to gaining brotherhood with others, said Jeffersonville High School Head Wrestling Coach, Danny Struck.  “At times in my life that I couldn’t tell if we made a difference as teachers or coaches anymore, he made me re-think it.  The hardest thing in my life I have ever done as a coach was tell “the kids” about Coach Rhinehart’s passing.  When you saw the look in their eyes, and the hugs going through the room, you knew that this man’s life, and lives of all teachers and coaches are truly meaning full.”  “Coach Rhinehart accomplished more, and lived more fully everyday in 34 years then most people do in 64.  I will miss my assistant, my morning workout partner, and my friend.  But in his death I have truly now gained a spiritual leader, as he taught me to, and left me feeling god’s presence more than any other person could have.”

Coach Rhinehart was laid to rest this past Sunday afternoon in Charleston West Virginia near his family.  Most appropriately he did as he always did, he honored his wrestlers.  The wrestling community received their biggest honor ever by laying to rest a man wearing a Jeff Wrestling hat, and Jeff Wrestling Jacket.  “That was the biggest honor me, or my athlete’s, have ever received by any man.  Even in his death, he keeps teaching us.” Coach Struck.

 

Scholarship fund:
A scholarship will be set up in his name with the Team Jeff Wrestling Club, for more information you can e-mail dstruck@gcs.k12.in.us or mail contributions to

Jeffersonville High School Wrestling
2315 Allison Lane
Jeffersonville, IN 47130

Proverbs 18:24:  There are friends that pretend to be friends, but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

 

ATHLETE AND STUDENT AND PARENT COMMENTS:

Jessica Anne
You were the one who truly inspired me to become a teacher. I will never forget the time you called my parents after class- to tell them how great I was doing. My parents never had a phone call like that. I decided I wanted to be "that" kin...d of teacher. You will always be an inspiration to me. Thank you so much. God bless you and your family.

Nancy Ross Schremp
Words can't express how much Robbie meant to Jordan and our family. Not only was he a great coach, but a true friend and mentor. What a positive impact he made. I know you'll be in he's corner through he's wrestling career.

Shayla Shepherd
Coach Rhinehart, we are at a loss for words. You were so much more than a coach to Little Alonzo and the rest of us. Your energy was amazing. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family. You will be greatly missed!!

Sean O'Keefe
Robby was my teacher, coach, mentor, and friend. He was truly an incredible person who will be missed by all. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. If you think he has made a positive impact while with us, one can only imagine how great a job he will do serving the Lord now.comes in knowning he is home with he's Lord, and that he watchs over us now. Until we meet again.

[dstruck]

Today’s story in “The Evening News” local Jeffersonville newspaper, about Coach Rhinehart

http://www.news-tribune.net/localsports/local_story_236233401.html?keyword=topstory

 

A coach remembered

By MIKE HUTSELL
Mike.Hutsell@newsandtribune.com

 

Jeffersonville wrestling coach Danny Struck spends weeks on the road, taking kids from his program to faraway locals and promoting his team and sport seemingly 12 months a year.

This past weekend, Struck was on a road trip he would rather have missed.

Struck was present on Sunday as his friend and longtime assistant coach Robert Rhinehart was laid to rest in Charleston, W. Va. after his sudden death last week.

“The hardest thing in my life I have ever done as a coach was tell ‘the kids’ about Coach Rhinehart’s passing. When you saw the look in their eyes, and the hugs going through the room, you knew that this man’s life, and lives of all teachers and coaches are truly meaningful.”

Rhinehart, known to his friends simply as Robby, died unexpectedly last Wednesday at age 34 at Floyd Memorial Hospital.

A teacher at River Valley Middle School, Rhinehart was the boys’ head cross country coach at Jeff High but was perhaps best known for his role in helping Struck build the Red Devil wrestling program and traveling with JHS grapplers overseas.

An accomplished high school and collegiate wrestler, Rhinehart began coaching the sport at the middle school level in Middletown, Mary. in 1997. After four years served coaching there, he began a wrestling program at Brunswick Middle School in Brunswick, Mary. while also taking over a program at a local high school that was in its third season.

After going 3-23 in its first two years, Brunswick High went 12-6 in dual matches in Rhinehart’s first season.

Rhinehart moved from Maryland to begin coach at Nile C. Kinnick High School in Yokosuka, Japan — winning the Far East Championship in his second year there.

After two years overseas, Rhinehart returned back to Maryland before moving to Jeffersonville and eventually taking over as coach of the Indiana High School Wrestling Association’s Women’s National team, leading the group to a seventh-place finish in nationals and coaching four All-Americans during his tenure with the squad.

As an assistant at JHS, Rhinehart helped a program that has won back-to-back sectional championships — ending a 15-year sectional drought in the process — and in 2009 the Red Devils won the Hoosier Hills Conference title in 25 years.

Rhinehart also served as a leader in the Jeff High FCA and was a spiritual advisor of sorts to the wrestling program.

“Coach Rhinehart accomplished more, and lived more fully everyday in 34 years then most people do in 64. I will miss my assistant, my morning workout partner, and my friend,” said Struck. “But in his death I have truly now gained a spiritual leader, as he taught me to, and left me feeling god’s presence more than any other person could have.”

Just as he spent most of his life as a Red Devil, Rhinehart was laid to rest on Sunday wearing a Jeff wrestling hat and jacket.

“That was the biggest honor me or my athletes have ever received by any man,” said Struck. “Even in his death, he keeps teaching us.”



Scholarship Fund

A scholarship will be set up in the name of Robby Rhinehart with the Team Jeff Wrestling Club. For more information, contact Danny Struck at dstruck@gcs.k12.in.us or mail contributions to:

Jeffersonville High School Wrestling

2315 Allison Lane

Jeffersonville, IN 47130