Goodbye, ‘Glue Guy’
The death of Ricky Haskins, 21st Century's AD and part of a unique coaching trio is a sad turn for the Cougars
For years, I used to dial Ricky Haskins and ask for Rodney Williams.
Haskins was 21st Century’s athletic director, and Williams was 21st Century’s boys basketball coach.
Sometimes, Haskins would answer and give Williams the phone. Other times, Williams would call back on a different line.
Last year, Haskins finally let me in on a secret.
I had thought I was dialing Williams’ number all along, but it was really Haskins’ number.
I’ll never know how I got that wrong, but it didn’t matter.
Like Williams said, if “you were talking to Ricky, you were talking to both of us.” Haskins would just pass the phone to Williams or message him if I called.
Haskins, the only AD that 21st Century has known, died unexpectedly July 4. He was two days shy of his 61st birthday.
It was a devastating loss for Williams, who retired as the coach this spring; for Larry Upshaw, the new boys basketball coach; and for the kids. Especially for the kids.
“It has torn me up,” Williams said.
Haskins was one part of the most unique coaching trio in Northwest Indiana.
Williams was the frontman. He talked to the media and gave the halftime motivational speeches.
Upshaw was in charge of practices. He, not Williams, was the guy standing during the games, pacing the sidelines and coaching the kids.
Haskins did everything else. That meant making sure all the administrative tasks were handled and everything operated smoothly on game day.
All three were on the bench. The chemistry had to be perfect for that to work.
It was.
“He was the glue guy,” Upshaw said of Haskins. “He did everything for us. There was no ego. We did everything for the kids.”
Upshaw wasn’t planning to change the lineup. The only difference was Williams wasn’t going to have the title of head coach.
Haskins’ death has changed the equation.
“It was sudden,” Upshaw said. “It’s sad. I was hoping it would all be the same.”
Upshaw said Haskins was the offensive guru and connected with the players.
“Every set we used was from him,” Upshaw said. “He was old-school. Move the ball. Move your body. The big thing was he could really talk to the kids, and
they’d listen to him.”
Williams had known Haskins for 50 years.
Williams was 4 years older, but both played basketball and graduated from Mann.
The two started coaching the Gary Running Rebels, an AAU team, years ago. The Cougars’ first sectional championship team in 2012-13 was made up of players from the Running Rebels.
When 21st Century got its charter, it hired Williams as the basketball coach.
Williams then recommended Haskins as the AD.
Haskins convinced the principal to join the Indiana High School Athletic Association, according to Williams. The Cougars’ first season playing in the tournament was 2011-12.
The Cougars have won six sectional titles and two regional titles. They had a championship-worthy team this year.
The coronavirus pandemic cruelly ended that possibility.
That makes Haskins’ death even harder for Williams.
“It’s been rough,” Williams said. “A state title would’ve validated everything we had worked for, but it didn’t happen.”
Williams said he talked to Haskins every day, and not just about basketball.
“We talked about everything,” Williams said. “We talked about life. He was one of the best persons I knew.”
Haskins had missed about a week at the end of the season because of a medical issue. Williams said Haskins had just returned from the hospital on July 3 after having a procedure done and was in good spirits.
“I had talked to him, and he was feeling good,” Williams said.
A memorial service will be held for Haskins at 21st Century at 11 a.m. Saturday, according to Upshaw.