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Rohlin Reaches Coaching Win 200

Rick Rohlin celebrates his 200th career basketball coaching win with his International Sports Academy team Tuesday night. Photo by Rachel McEntire

Rick Rohlin reached a coaching milestone Tuesday night when he guided the International Sports Academy Ambassadors to an 81-46 basketball victory over Gow, a New York high school.

For the Russell resident, it was his 200th career win.

“I’ve been blessed by the influence of basketball coaches during my playing career,” said Rohlin, who began his coaching career in 1993 as the Eisenhower junior varsity girls coach. “It has given me the drive and training to not want to let them down. A couple of them actually hired me to be on their staff early in my coaching career.”

A coach of boys and girls basketball during his 13 years on the bench — he took 10 years off to raise a family — Rohlin said he has enjoyed both opportunities.

“I like them both equally,” he said. “There are different aspects to both and I enjoy the differences. I coach people, not players. I believe it is the job of any coach to get their players to do something they don’t think they can do.”

The Ambassadors program began when Rohlin put together a boys club basketball team and it has grown into a partnership with Chautauqua Christian Academy in Lakewood, New York.

“The relationship between ISA and the school is truly unique and it has enabled the school to maintain its basketball program during the current COVID crisis. ISA has actually partnered with the school and its girls basketball program as well. The relationship has allowed the basketball programs to grow as both teams have a total of 36 kids.”

Chautauqua Christian Academy principal Scott Stutzman said that the reciprocal relationship has “allowed us to put the interests of our student-athletes first.”

“I really enjoy watching the family-first atmosphere that surrounds the basketball programs,” Stutzman added. “Rick does a great job and we congratulate him on reaching this milestone.”

Rohlin certainly has had success along the way. In fact, in the last four years, his current team is 78-8.

“By not being attached to a public school entity, it allows us to play a lot of games during the season as well as participate in tournaments that may restrict some public schools,” he said. “There is no doubt that I’ve been blessed throughout my coaching career. I’ve had some great ballplayers who have worked extremely hard. Many have gone on and played in college. I’ve also had great assistant coaches who give countless hours to our success.”

Currently the president of ISA, which creates opportunities for young people throughout the world to participate in sports that can provide a positive influence on their lives, Rohlin said is secret to success is “pretty simple.”

“I’ve always been blessed with great shooters, great defenders, great ball movement and great families,” he said. “I’ve never tried to fit kids into my program. Kids have to have confidence. I try to give them that by coaching confidence with the freedom to fail.”

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