Ad Rutschman was among those honored during the McMinnville High School Sports Hall of Fame banquet, May 8, 2010, in the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville.See May 12, 2010, McMinnville News-Register article here for coverage of the event.
He was one of five individuals and one business receiving Distinguished Service Awards from McMinnville High School Athletics saluting their support and service to Mac High student athletes.
Among six inducted into the “Hall” were Linfield grads Gene Carlson, Luke Buchheit and the late Jeff Durham. Also inducted were Ron Kam (a former Linfield assistant swim coach), Shana Ball and Melissa Bogh.
Sean Burke, Mac High athletic director, provided Wildcatville with the Rutschman award citation:
Coach Ad Rutschman
“McMinnville High School has had the privilege of having one of the greatest coaches in the game of football donate his time to work with our student-athletes. His list of accomplishments as a college football and baseball coach is well-known in our community. But, what many may not be aware of is that Coach Ad Rutschman has volunteered the last sixteen years working in the McMinnville HS football program sharing his knowledge and expertise.
“In 1994, shortly after retiring from Linfield College, Coach Ad Rutschman became the unofficial offensive coordinator for Head Coach Don Rutschman and the varsity football team, a position that he maintained until 1998.
“Coach Rutschman has also volunteered every summer at our football camps working mostly with our quarterbacks and even served four years with his wife Joan, and daughter MaryJo working in the softball concession stand. I am confident that as our student-athletes look back at their high school football experience they realize that they had an opportunity to work with someone special.”
Rest of the story – Joan Rutschman told Wildcatville the rest of the story concerning concessions supporting Mac Hi softball. Joan, Ad and their daughter, MaryJo Nichols, took care of concession sales at McMinnville High School home softball games and McMinnville elementary school home track meets 2006-2009, the four years Alyssa Nichols, Joan and Ad’s granddaughter/Mary Jo’s daughter, was starting infielder for the Mac Hi Bears.
“Mary Jo did all the work,” said Joan.” She picked up items to be sold and the three of us sold them.” All profits went to the softball program. “Working together on this was such fun and good for the softball program, too,” she said. “MaryJo, and I really liked doing it.”
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As this is written (June 2009) Alyssa has completed her freshman year at Linfield. “She really enjoyed it,” said Joan.
See “Recruit a Wildcat” graphic – featuring Alyssa (Linfield Class of 2013) and Ad (Linfield Class of 1954) -- with this article which appeared on page 27 of the Fall 2009 issue of Linfield Magazine
