Cougar Pride

Four-sport beloved team manager shows true spirit

By Kelsey Baker / Special To The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008

The Cougar may be Clovis High School's mascot, but for 12 years one man has been synonymous with school spirit.

That's Richard Pippig, a 55-year-old volunteer team manager for four sports who has probably seen more Clovis High athletics than most people do in a lifetime.

"I love the kids at Clovis. Everyone is so nice to me," said Pippig, who lives with a disability that keeps him from driving and holding a regular job.

His smile, his shouted words of encouragement and his ever-ready willingness to help are fixtures on the sidelines virtually every time Clovis high football, basketball, and boys and girls volleyball teams play.

"We could not do without Richard. He is the spirit behind the teams," Clovis High athletic director Dave Bens said.

As a beloved team manager, Pippig is known more commonly as "Coach Richard," and he has his own Clovis High letterman jacket covered with patches and pins.

"Every time the girls win an award or even a championship ring, the parents and coaches always chip in to make sure Coach Richard has one," said girls volleyball coach Brenda Read.

Pippig is there for each of the games. He is unable to drive but that is no problem. Parents of athletes provide the wheels for the away games and the Cougar Foundation picks up Pippig's bus fare to home games.

"I have been picking him up whenever I can for the last three years," said Gene Glendenning, a parent of a girls volleyball player.

Glendenning said that Pippig is often called the "institution of Clovis."

"You could ask him the stats on any sport in the school and he would know it all," Glendenning said.

His daughter, Kendra Glendenning, a junior on the girl's volleyball team, has known Pippig for three years.

"Coach Richard gives so much support. He never fails to make us all smile," Kendra Glendenning said.

Maybe Pippig makes everyone smile because he is so happy.

"The kids like me. I give them water, and if it's timeout or something I give them towels. They always thank me," Pippig said.

Although his listed duties are providing water, towels and uniforms, Pippig gives much more.

"He is so motivational and will do whatever is needed. He truly has a heart of gold," Gene Glendenning said.

Although he usually makes all of the games, recent heart surgery had Pippig out for a couple of games.

"We definitely notice when he is not there. He is such a huge part of our team," Read said.

Pippig did not always live in the area. He was born in Sacramento and moved to Central California with his mother shortly after.

"I worked in the Porterville State Hospital as a janitor, and then I switched to Porterville High School in 1976," Pippig said.

For five years Pippig helped out with team manager duties at Porterville football, basketball and baseball.

Pippig and his mother made the move to Fresno in 1995, and he quickly became part of Clovis High, establishing a tenure longer than some of the coaches. He was introduced to Clovis High through a friend at Porterville with Clovis roots.

"He has been the sport manager for as long as I can remember," said John Jones, boys basketball coach of eight years. "I got the job and Richard was just there. He always has been and hopefully always will be."

Pippig's "Coach Richard" persona comes into play when the team is in a bind.

"He will yell out, 'Rebound Danny. Come on guys,' and sometimes I'm about to say, 'Hey now, that is enough,' " Jones said. "But his spirit and heart are in the right place, and it is refreshing to hear the intensity in his voice."

Boys volleyball coach Rich Lake has formed a special friendship with Pippig.

"We met through the school and I got him to be our team manager almost immediately. We have been hooked at the hip ever since," said Lake, who came to Clovis High 12 years ago.

Since Pippig's mother passed away three years ago, his Thanksgivings have been spent at the Lake household.

"I have four kids, and Richard has watched each of them grow up. He is a part of our family," Lake said.

Lake knows he is not the only one to extend a welcome to Pippig.

"Parents are checking all the time to make sure he has a home for the holidays," Lake said.

But that is only natural, since he is like family to all at Clovis High.

"Everyone realizes how important Richard is to the program. We couldn't do it without him," Lake said.

Friendly Faces is an occasional series about people in Clovis who make it a great place to live. To nominate someone to be profiled in this series, please e-mail Patti J. Lippert at plippert@clovisindependent.com.