Fall 2006

Former runner, physics prof remembers his coach

Donald Kelly ’55 says that legendary Miami coach George Rider had “a lasting influence on me,” so he is helping to fund a track scholarship in Rider’s name.

Kelly, who taught physics at Miami until his 1993 retirement, said the legendary coach was an “outstanding person” whether he was athletic director, baseball coach, football coach (with a 1917 season of 202-0) or track coach – as he was for Kelly.

In his own college days, Rider was an all-around athlete at Alma College in Michgan. At age 60, he still could not only explain technique to his athletes, he could demonstrate it “wearing a shirt, tie and spit shined leather shoes,” Kelly recalled. Kelly said he wanted to remember Rider for his commitment to excellence. “He was a stickler for toeing the line,” Kelly said.

The high personal standards Rider set for himself and his athletes and Rider’s skill at building a team consensus combined to make him a legendary coach, Kelly said. “There were never any morale problems among the ‘Ridermen,’” he said.

Kelly said he and his wife, Jane, are proud to help fund a scholarship which will benefit athletes through the years. “We are just trying to do our part,” he said.