Donations may be made to The Clarkston Foundation, for Coach Himburg Scholarship Fund, P.O. By Wendi Reardon on October 13, 2021No Comment, BY WENDI REARDON PRICE Unlimited access to subscriber only articles on desktop, tablet and mobile web. /SA true I love him to death, hes a great coach, an old-school type of coach, Spindler said. w !1AQaq"2B #3Rbr In 2017, the Wolves won their third state title. In fact, he never thought too far ahead. Volunteer Roster last updated on Feb 7, 2023 @ 6:20pm (GMT) Print Roster Correction All-Time Roster Faculty & Staff - Clarkston High School Faculty & Staff Meet Our Team Click on a name to open an individual directory listing featuring links to email and teacher websites. Obviously, we tweak things from year-to-year, Richardson said. Well, its something Ive contemplated, Richardson said. /Length 7 0 R << After 35 years as the Clarkston head football coach and 45 total years with the program, Richardson announced on Monday that he has decided it is time to step away and move on to retirement. w !1AQaq"2B #3Rbr Clarkston went back to the title game one final time with Richardson in 2018, but lost to Clinton Township Chippewa, 31-30, on a failed two-point conversation attempt in the final seconds. Clarkston - Team Home Clarkston Wolves Sports Oakland Activities Association BLUE A Andover High School Avondale High School B Berkley High School F Ferndale High School G Groves High School H Hazel Park High School L Lahser High School Rochester High School R Royal Oak High School S Seaholm High School RED Clarkston High School Lake Orion L I cant say enough about the community and the people I work with, coached with. endobj All three graduated from Clarkston High School and are coaching the Clarkston Hockey team. Clarkston News Staff Writer. You know, it isnt about the wins and losses, the championships and that kind of stuff, Richardson said. Kurt Richardsons love for Clarkston High School, the community and definitely the football program continues to grow with each year. Since he was five years old, he went to school every day, Mary said. He never employed that more than around the grandkids. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Richardson, 67, is set to begin his 34th year as head football coach. Steve will be remembered for never allowing a give up attitude and encouraged everyone to find something special in themselves they often didnt know they had. Steve was a lifelong athlete. He was preceded in death by his parents: William and Lillian Himburg and by his nephew Ryan Madden, and beloved godson John Ivkov. The memories, the relationships I take with me will certainly last me a lifetime.. The other guys and I had a deal where we said, OK, if were going to go, were going to go together. Its something we talked about. Tom Bass, a 30-year . Ralph Munger, Frankenmuth, Rockford 332, 7. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Richardson has a career record of 259-95 with his best work coming last decade when Clarkston was 94-26, making four trips to Ford Field to compete for the Division 1 state championship. (r=(t=s[n]).getAttribute("data-secret")))r=Math.random().toString(36).substr(2,10),t.src+="#?secret="+r,t.setAttribute("data-secret",r);if(a||i)(e=t.cloneNode(!0)).removeAttribute("security"),t.parentNode.replaceChild(e,t);t.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:r},"*")}}}}(window,document); Clarkston won the OAA Red in 2020, but finished second in the league race last season. %PDF-1.4 Of course, when you are a marathoner, that is pretty impressive when you do 50 marathons in a wheelchair, people really notice. Clarkston defeated Detroit Catholic Central (32-14) in 2013, Saline (33-25) in 2014 and West Bloomfield (3-2) in 2017, and lost to Chippewa Valley 31-30 in the 2018 championship game when he went for a two-point conversion after a late TD and came up short. Team arrival times Ice Hockey: 3:00 p.m. - 3:20 p.m. Wrestling: 3:20 p.m. - 3:40 p.m. We embrace that grind and everything thing that comes with it., Clarkston football coach Kurt Richardson steps down after 35 seasons, three state titles. << The official staff directory for the Clarkson University Golden Knights Skip To Main . Close friends and defensive assistants Steve Pearson, Phil Price and John King will be departing along with Richardson, who everybody around town and in the Metro Detroit coaching fraternity simply refer to as K.R. This content is only available to subscribers. Rick Bye, Sterling Heights Stevenson 268, T21. He spent a year in and out of the hospital and in rehab. PHOTO:Coach Steve Himburg has a moment with Rocco Spindler at Ford Field after the Wolves won the 2017 MHSAA Division 1 Football State Championship. Richardson made his head coaching debut at Clarkston in 1987, then earned a 73-25 record in the 1990s, 77-32 in the 2000s, and that 94-26 showing in the 2010s. With the legendary Kurt Richardson's glowing endorsement, Clarkston High School has hired Justin Pintar to be its next head football coach. Bill Maskill, Sheridan, Galesburg-Augusta 273, 17. 7) CLARKSTON The letters K.R. will echo on the football fields of Clarkston for now until eternity. Upload it Ways you can help Make an impact on this team, and help keep MaxPreps up-to-date. Trust me, it was the hardest decision Ive ever made, Richardson said. 5) ", Clarkston hires longtime assistant Justin, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Clarkston hires longtime assistant Justin Pintar as head coach, replacing Kurt Richardson, Prep roundup: OLSM baseball sets new state record for consecutive wins, Muslim students embrace challenges of fasting for Ramadan during school and sports, Lessons learned for local girls lacrosse powers at East vs. West Play Day, Photo gallery from Detroit Country Day vs. GR Forest Hills N/E girls lacrosse at East vs. West Play Day, Photo gallery from Birmingham United vs. DeWitt girls lacrosse at East vs. West Play Day, Iconic Clawson chicken to preside over Biscuits and Gravy, Stingers Bar and Grill owner dies unexpectedly, BOYS GOLF PREVIEW: Oakland County returns plethora of talented individuals in 2023, Commerce man facing charges in babys death, Portion of I-696 closing in Oakland County, Oakland County home sales slow, outlook still good, Driver dies several days after 3-car crash in Pontiac, Oakland County Earth Day event coming to Royal Oak, Oakland County community calendar April 16 and beyond, Gunmen storm Mexican resort, kill 7 people, including a child, California is changing how it goes after illegal cannabis farms, Caught off guard: How South Floridas rare storm compares to others, and where it sits in history, The final encore for Phantom: What the show means to one New Yorker who saw it dozens of times, For Varland brothers, now both in the MLB at same time, a dream come true, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Pintar sensed he was always destined to be a coach in his adult life. CLARKSTON - Coach Kurt Richardson held a disdain for kickers. Justin Pintar. Its more about the relationships and the great families weve had and how lucky weve been to coach here.. You dont tear down a million-dollar house just to put up your own. 1 2 . endobj Its just a feeling -- a gut feeling. Division I college recruits Ethan Clark (running back) and Cole Dellinger (lineman) lead Clarkstons class of 2023. 2023. ATHLETIC STAFF DIRECTORY . endobj /Producer ( Q t 4 . He teaches social studies at the school and has been teaching in the district since 2007. Its something at all level of athletics and its something that we constantly have to talk to them about. George Porritt, Orchard Lake St. Marys 271, 18. Clarkstons last losing season was 2002 (4-5). You have sad feelings, but Im going out with a good taste in my mouth, Richardson said. Twitter Loading. Im confident this thing is built to last, he said. I think any head coach who has a program that has been successful will tell you that too.. Tony Miller stepped down as the defensive coordinator and has been replaced by Phil Price, who has been alongside Richardson for 28 years, coaching linebackers in previous seasons. Latest news, updates and scores emailed to you daily. /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . As Richardson looks back, he leaves knowing he did everything he could for the kids, family, program and community. He led the Wolves to three state titles during his legendary tenure. We broke up a few times. Its just the right time. * Herb Brogan, Jackson Lumen Christi 368, 5. Investigative reporting that looks out for you, gives voice to the voiceless and holds the powerful accountable in Detroit and Michigan. I want to make sure theyre still going to be pretty good next year. Richardson retired in January after three and a half decades and three state championships heading the Wolves suburban powerhouse program. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz Coach Breen has been a part of the running program in Clarkston Schools since 1995 when he first competed on the 7th grade Track team. Clarkston head coach Kurt Richardson during Clarkston's 3-2 win over West Bloomfield in the MHSAA Division 1 championship at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017. It was everything you would expect caring, loving and so generous. /Title ( C l a r k s t o n h i g h s c h o o l f o o t b a l l) Thats huge for me, said Richardson of working with players who have grown up in the community. stream /BitsPerComponent 8 [/Pattern /DeviceRGB] At 69 years old, he is stepping away from the game after guiding the program to five state championship games. Clinton High School Theresa Shultz, Principal 817 8th Ave S Clinton, IA 52732 563-243-7540 . Volunteer Roster last updated on Mar 10, 2023 @ 6:50pm (GMT) Print Roster Correction All-Time Roster Legendary Clarkston football coach Kurt Richardson announced his retirement Monday, bringing an end to an elite career on the sidelines that spanned four decades. Clarkston is a family. My freshman year, first day of camp he gave me an opportunity; he threw me in and I took full advantage of it. Your email address will not be published. 7) But I think its time to bring some blood in here and start a new era.. Hes had a lot of coaches who have actually played under him and a lot of others who coached with him since he started and thats tremendous to have because they know how to run an offense, how to run the defense and how to win games. 12 Who is the head football coach for your school? Its something that he took to heart and is a piece of wisdom he has adapted as a high school football coach at Clarkston High School. He led Clarkston to its first state title in 2013, and went back-to-back in 2014 with a perfect 14-0 record. He has also caught 11 passes for 319 yards and four more scores. 6 0 obj Some school districts don't have the funds to hire full-time professional staff for a football coach, so they rely on high school academic teachers to fill the void. Steve had an impact on everyone especially his years as a teacher and as a coach, especially as the head coach for Clarkston Eighth Grade Football. /Width 625 /Producer ( Q t 4 . His volunteering turned into a full time position and he was a special education teacher from 1986 to 2017. More:Starting football practice on time Aug. 10 a top priority for MHSAA. Those are the terms I set myself out for. Richardson has been a teacher in Clarkstons school system for more than 40 years and is still a physical education teacher, saying he will retire from that job when it stops being fun.. We just had great kids and great relationships Everything is positive right now. << "I grew up with a coaching mindset, even when I was an athleteI always knew this is what I wanted to do," he said. However, there are several courses of action that might increase the . /Height 155 Justin Pintar takes the reins of the Clarkston football program from longtime head coach Kurt Richardson, who retired. And then theres Luke Denver, the wide receivers coach. Access to exclusive sports reporting on your local teams from USA TODAY Sports+ at no additional cost. Richardson made his head coaching debut at Clarkston in 1987, then earned a 73-25 record in the 1990s, 77-32 in the 2000s, and that 94-26 showing in the 2010s. (11/18/2017) Clarkston rushing attack too much for Catholic Central, again. /CA 1.0 Richardson said the respect and support he has received from opposing coaches makes him feel even more grateful, naming former longtime Troy coach Gary Griffith and former Farmington Hills Harrison coach Jon Herrington as two coaches among many he was privileged to know over the years. He is who taught me you can always go beyond your preconceived limits and thats really what was in the context of athletics thats what champions did; if it was the context of school and education it was what the most conscientious learners did; if it was in conscientious learners did; if it was in the context of your personal life it was what a best friend, partner, father, husband did. As you are building your team, the next team in the offseason, the one thing you try to build your team for is to compete with Clarkston. The eNewspaper, a digital replica of the print paper, every day. Photo by Renee Weaver-Wright, An amazing coach and teacher added by Wendi Reardon on October 13, 2021View all posts by Wendi Reardon . 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays Not only is he this accomplished wheelchair racer, but by pursuing it and going for it he introduced that into my life and its been one of the cornerstones of my life for over 40 years. She added they were also fortunate Steve was working at the Clarkston Vocational School on Big Lake Road at the time. I feel like Im moving into a million-dollar house, said Pintar, 39, of inheriting the coveted post from Richardson. I had known him from grade school, Mary shared. Clarkston football coach Kurt Richardson steps, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Clarkston football coach Kurt Richardson steps down after 35 seasons, three state titles, Lake Orion vs. Clarkston football photo gallery, Davison vs. Clarkston football photo gallery, West Bloomfield vs. Clarkston football photo gallery, Prep Notebook: Clarkston continues to thrive on the basketball court, Prep roundup: OLSM baseball sets new state record for consecutive wins, Muslim students embrace challenges of fasting for Ramadan during school and sports, Lessons learned for local girls lacrosse powers at East vs. West Play Day, Photo gallery from Detroit Country Day vs. GR Forest Hills N/E girls lacrosse at East vs. West Play Day, Photo gallery from Birmingham United vs. DeWitt girls lacrosse at East vs. West Play Day, Iconic Clawson chicken to preside over Biscuits and Gravy, Stingers Bar and Grill owner dies unexpectedly, BOYS GOLF PREVIEW: Oakland County returns plethora of talented individuals in 2023, Commerce man facing charges in babys death, Portion of I-696 closing in Oakland County, Oakland County home sales slow, outlook still good, Driver dies several days after 3-car crash in Pontiac, Oakland County Earth Day event coming to Royal Oak, Oakland County community calendar April 16 and beyond, Gunmen storm Mexican resort, kill 7 people, including a child, California is changing how it goes after illegal cannabis farms, Caught off guard: How South Floridas rare storm compares to others, and where it sits in history, The final encore for Phantom: What the show means to one New Yorker who saw it dozens of times, For Varland brothers, now both in the MLB at same time, a dream come true, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. I never knew anyone who had the wit and quick humor that he did. . The Wolves team heard the news straight from the old ball coach himself Monday morning. Linebackers coach Steve Pearson and running backs coach Jeff Long are also Clarkston grads, as is John King (defensive line/special teams), who played for Richardson in 1989 before playing running back at Central Michigan, helping the Chippewas win the MAC championship in 1994. Tom Mach, Detroit Catholic Central 370, 4. He was 76. You have to be fundamentally sound, you have to be disciplined and most importantly you have to be tough, said Bellamy of facing Clarkston. Website by LINQ. Some school districts don't have the funds to hire full-time professional staff for a . Im pretty much year-to-year. Clark also has a 3.9 . I always evaluate myself as hard as I evaluate the kids at the end of the year. I just felt that this is the time. Ive always felt that theres been great respect. Richardson explained it was a combination of different things including stepping down with assistant coaches Steve Pearson, Phil Price and John King. School: Clarkston High School Address: 401 Chestnut St Clarkston, WA Mascot: Bantams State Association: Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Notable Alumni: Jamie Weisner, Josh Heytfelt, Kellie McCann Smith, Joel Dahmen, Kristin Wilson How many state championship has your school won?