Sunday Chat is a weekly feature appearing in The Blade's print and digital platforms each Sunday.
There are many aspects of high school sports, and Rick Kaifas has been involved with most of them.
Kaifas, 74, is a retired teacher, a former coach and athletic director, who these days serves as commissioner of the Toledo Area Athletic Conference. He has not seen it all, but he has witnessed prep sports from just about every perspective.
A 1966 graduate of Central Catholic High School, Kaifas earned an undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State University (1970) and a master's in education from the University of Toledo (1974).
He began teaching English and Latin at the former Libbey High School in 1970, and moved over to Washington Local Schools in 1973, where he taught English through 1981, when he became assistant principal in charge of athletics and activities.
At Libbey, he was a boys basketball and football assistant coach, as well as head baseball coach. After time as a basketball assistant at Whitmer, he was the Panthers' head coach for 12 seasons (1977-1989, overall record 187-85). That tenure that was capped by a three-season run in which Whitmer went 68-8, reached the Division I state semifinals in 1987, and the D-I regionals in 1988 and ’89. In Whitmer’s seven years in the former Great Lakes League, Kaifas guided the Panthers to five league titles.
In 1988, Kaifas began his 16-year stretch as Whitmer's athletic director. During that time, he also switched gears on the basketball court, starting a 28-year run as a basketball official, eventually working 12 City League boys championship games and 11 CL girls finals. He also officiated in six Ohio state final fours (four boys, two girls).
He has been inducted into the Northwest District's halls of fame for both coaching and officiating and for 12 years has been the TAAC commissioner.
The Blade: When did you decide to blend coaching with teaching, and who guided you?
Kaifas: “As a first-year teacher and a lifetime sports enthusiast, I jumped at any open position to coach at Libbey – freshman football and basketball, and baseball. I had three major influences in coaching – Crystal 'Boo' Ellis at Libbey, and Jim Kubacki and Jack Mattimore at Whitmer. They all shaped me as a coach and organizer.”
The Blade: How would you assess those final three seasons coaching Whitmer?
Kaifas: “Success breeds success. Some of the earlier teams set the standard for those outstanding last three years.”
The Blade: Why did you stop then, and how was that transition?
Kaifas: “My last season as coach I was also the full-time AD with one full-time secretary — who was awesome — and it was a bit overwhelming. Also, it was taking a toll on my health. Therefore, a decision had to be made and I chose the full-time AD's position.”
The Blade: What were the highs and lows as athletic director?
Kaifas: “There were definitely more ups than downs. I inherited an outstanding coaching staff from my mentor, Frank Erme, so not much needed to be done in that area. The lows centered from 'outside influencers,' who wanted to help the coaches and me do our jobs.”
The Blade: Why did you decide to become a basketball official?
Kaifas: “I would officiate inter-squad scrimmages as both an assistant and head coach and I really enjoyed it. I felt I had a knack for it and decided to pursue it after coaching.”
The Blade: What was it like being on the other side of those heated in-game disputes?
Kaifas: “The transition from coach to official was easier than expected. Many of the earlier games in my officiating career were games in which I had coached against the coaches involved. I had always said that every coach should officiate and every official should coach. That way there would be a better understanding as to the difficulty of both jobs.”
The Blade: What was the most memorable game you officiated?
Kaifas: “A game I will never forget was the [2005 D-II state] semifinal boys game with Dayton Dunbar and Upper Sandusky. Those were two great teams in an unbelievable atmosphere. There were several D-I [college] players in that game. [Upper Sandusky, with future Ohio State star Jon Diebler, won 95-90].
The Blade: How did you become TAAC commissioner?
Kaifas: “In 2011, one of my former players, and the AD at Toledo Christian, Ron Rightnowar, approached me about the position. I interviewed with the ADs and the principals, and we struck up a great working relationship that has lasted 12 years.”
The Blade: Describe the current state of the TAAC, and of its teams?
Kaifas: “At this time, it’s sort of in a state of flux. We have six full-time members and five football members. We are always looking to add schools. We have one of the best boys basketball leagues in the Northwest District – comparable to other [top] Division III-IV leagues in the state. We just need to find schools comparable in size and philosophy to join us. On the girls side, Toledo Christian has been dominant over the past few years and has added to the reputation of the TAAC.”
The Blade: How would you summarize your diverse involvement in prep sports?
Kaifas: “I have pretty much run the gamut — teacher, assistant coach, head coach, athletic director, official, commissioner. That seems like a road well traveled.”
First Published August 20, 2023, 12:00 p.m.
