Meet the Coaches: Victoria Rodkey - Dance

How long have you been coaching dance, including your time at Plainfield?

I have been coaching dance team for 2 years at Plainfield High School.

Why do you coach dance?

I coach dance because I grew up dancing for Avon High School's Dance Team and loved it. I wanted to continue being part of the dance world, but from a different perspective. It is amazing being a coach of something I have loved all of my life.

What has been your proudest or most memorable coaching moment?

There are so many memorable moments that I have had with dance team that it is hard to pick just one. My favorite moments are when the dancers come off of the field with huge smiles on their faces knowing that they had an incredible performance. It makes me proud to know that they are proud of themselves and their hard work!

What has support from the Red Pride Booster Club meant to your program?

Red Pride Booster Club has been an amazing support to ALL programs at Plainfield High School. The Red Pride Dance Team is so grateful for all of the support that the Red Pride Booster Club provides. 

What does success look like for the dance team this season?

Success for the dance team means the dancers being proud of themselves and their performances. I want each dancer to grow individually on their technical skills and team work skills.

Congratulations Hall of Famer Del Harris

 

Delmer “Sonny” Harris graduated from Plainfield in 1955, completing a high school career that included competing on the basketball, baseball, and cross-country teams, as well as several other school clubs and activities. Del went on to play basketball at Milligan College before starting a long and storied career in coaching.

After several successful years in the high school and college coaching ranks, Del made his way to the ABA/NBA in 1975 where he would coach until 2012. That span included time as the head coach for the Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Lakers, in addition to a number of assistant coaching roles. Throughout Del’s professional coaching career, he had the opportunity to help develop legendary talents such as Moses Malone, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal. Today, Del serves as Vice President for the Texas Legends of the NBA G-League.

Honors earned during Del’s career include induction into Plainfield High School’s inaugural Hall of Fame class, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, the Milligan College Hall of Fame, and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame. He is a three-time Puerto Rican League champion as a coach, 1995 NBA Coach of the Year, 2014 Coach Wooden “Keys to Life” Award winner, and 2020 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award winner.

This weekend, that list of accomplishments grows when Del is enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022.

Please join the Red Pride Booster Club in saying congratulations to Del Harris for this well-deserved recognition. Thank you, Del, for your many contributions to the game of basketball. Plainfield is honored to call you one of our own.

If you have a Del Harris story or memory, please feel free to share in the comments.

Meet the Coaches: Mitch Holden - Girls Varsity Soccer

How long have you been coaching girls soccer, including your time at Plainfield?

This season will be my 7th Season coaching High School Girls Soccer. I spent 2 years at Mooresville, 3 years at Lawrence North, and will be entering my 2nd season at Plainfield.  I also was an Assistant coach for Marian University Women's Soccer for 4 years, and have coached club soccer for the Girls program at Indiana Fire Academy for 6 years as well.

Why do you coach girls soccer?

I started coaching Girls Soccer because thats where the coaching opportunities arrose for me when I first started coaching.  Having done it for 7 years now, I would not trade it for anything.  The girls work their tails off and will run through a brick wall for you if you ask them too. They are great at creating a culture of family, and are incredible athletes as well.

What has been your proudest or most memorable coaching moment?

3 big moments come to mind.  1- When I won my first sectional title as a coach with Lawrence North in 2018. 2- Being on staff at Marian for their 1st ever National tournament appearance, as well as on staff for their run that took them to the national championship game 2 years later.  3- Leading Plainfield to 14 wins last season, and watching a group of girls fully buy into the mindset that they could be one of the very best teams in the state of Indiana.  It was also the first time I have had a team finish the season ranked in the top 20, at #15.

What has support from the Red Pride Booster Club meant to your program?

We just love support from the community in general! Having people come out to our games (We would love to have a wild, packed house for our home games!!!), the team recognized on social media etc.  We love the engagement and the girls definitely appreciate being recognized. 

What does success look like for the girls soccer team this season?

We want to win a Sectional Title.  We were inches away from winning last season, and had to deal with some major adversity in the Sectional Championship game last season.  We feel like we have the team that can compete with anyone in the State, and look forward to competing with and challenging anyone and everyone!

Meet the Coaches: Drew Sheppard - Boys Varsity Soccer

How long have you been coaching boys soccer, including your time at Plainfield?

This will be my 10th year coaching boys' high school soccer. I was an assistant coach at Avon High School for 4 years, and this will be my 6th year as the head coach here at PHS.

Why do you coach boys soccer?

I chose to coach soccer because I love the game and the opportunity it gives me to positively influence young men. I also love that it allows me to compete. 

What has been your proudest or most memorable coaching moment?

My most memorable coaching moment was when we won sectionals in 2020 and to see the joy that my players had in that moment. There was a time when winning our sectional seemed impossible so to see my players' hard work pay off in that way is something I'll never forget. 

What has support from the Red Pride Booster Club meant to your program?

The Red Pride Booster Club has done so much to benefit our program and Athletics as a whole. We are very grateful for all the time and energy they invest to help support our program and contribute to its success. 

What does success look like for the boys soccer team this season?

Most importantly, I want to see growth in my players on and off the field, and I want to see their passion for the game continue to grow. In terms of results, I have high hopes for our boys and expect to compete for both conference and sectional titles.