Coaches
The athletic staff at St. Richard's Episcopal School is a key to the success the school has enjoyed for many years. Led by co-athletic directors Jay Sherrill and Mary Helen Peoni, St. Richard's Episcopal School has not only significantly expanded its competitive athletic teams but has also led the IISL tournaments in several sports. Because of the mutual love and respect they received at the school, St. Richard's alumni often return to the school to visit Mr. Sherrill and Ms. Peoni.
Jay Sherrill - Co-Athletic Director
Mr. Sherrill has been a fixture of St. Richard's Episcopal School for over 25 years. A native of Noblesville, Jay Sherrill graduated from Noblesville High School and attended Huntington College on a baseball scholarship. He served as the coach for Huntington's girl's softball team his senior year, and tried out for the Kansas City Royals. Following graduation, Mr. Sherrill ran the athletic program at the Noblesville Boys and Girls Club for three years before St. Richard's Episcopal School recruited him.
When Mr. Sherrill joined St. Richard's in 1986, the school sports program included kickball and soccer. Twenty years later, St. Richard's Episcopal School is competitive in soccer, basketball, tennis, lacrosse, and volleyball and conducts intramural sports in basketball and soccer.
Jay Sherrill is a jewel in the crown of St. Richard's Episcopal School. He models leadership and sets high standards for sportsmanlike behavior for his athletes and students. He says, "I am where I am supposed to be. I love the students, their willingness to participate with sportsmanship and positive attitude, and the parental support at the school is significant. The kids keep me young, especially the Early Childhood children."
Mary Helen Peoni - Co-Athletic Director
Family is the name of the game for Mary Helen Peoni. The youngest of five children, Mary Helen was born in Indianapolis and educated in the Catholic school system including Roncalli High School. While only five feet tall, Ms. Peoni was offered full basketball scholarships to both Indiana Central (now the University of Indianapolis) and Hanover College. Because of her devotion to her family, Mary Helen selected Indiana Central as her college of choice. Mentored by Dawn Patell, Ms. Peoni was encouraged to run track during the basketball off-season, and held several individual records at the school. In doing so, she discovered the love of coaching and the confidence that comes with individual and team success. A significant knee injury ended Ms. Peoni's competitive athletics but not her love of physical fitness and teaching others about healthy life choices.
Following college, Ms. Peoni was the assistant track coach for Roncalli High School and the Head Coach for Cross Country. She worked several entrepreneurial jobs before her sister-in-law asked if she would volunteer to coach basketball at St. Richard's . Once there, Jay Sherrill encouraged her to pursue a full-time position. Ms. Peoni is now in her 13th year of teaching physical education. She is Co-Athletic Director with Mr. Sherrill.
When asked about St. Richard's Episcopal School, Ms. Peoni beams, "I love the family atmosphere of St. Richard's. The kids and the parents come together with different ideas and backgrounds and work toward a common goal, excellence in education. While we are a small school, we are quite competitive in athletics, academics, music, and the arts. I love our no-cut policy with regard to athletics. It means that everyone is able to achieve their personal best."
Rick Parker - Coach, Track & Field and Cross Country
Rick Parker was one of the founders of the St. Richard’s Track and Field Team in 1998 and except fora brief hiatus between 2000 and 2002 has been a coach for the school ever since. In 2007, he worked with Gene Lausch to establish the St. Richard’s Cross Country program that has been flourishing ever since. Rick’s love of running stretches back to his days in middle school and he has actively competed as a runner ever since—through high school, college and as an adult. At Ice Miller LLP, where Rick retired as a Partner in 2007, he coached the Corporate Challenge team from 1991 through 2006. He has also participated in several “Masters Track” events for competitors over 40 since 2000, taking part in the short dashes—from 50 to 400 meters. Rick is a past winner of several Indiana Senior Games and Indiana USATF Outdoor Masters Championships in his age group in the 100 meter, 200 meter and 400 meter events. In 2010, Rick placed fourth in the 60 meter dash at the National Indoor Masters Championships.
A native of Lafayette, Indiana, Rick graduated from Purdue University, where he was Student Body Vice President and proudly voted as the second ugliest man on campus in addition to earning a BS in Chemistry. These days, when Rick is coach Cross Country or Track and Field for St. Richard’s, he spends his time training and competing in Masters Track events all over the country. He also plays the euphonium in two local bands.
Rick’s objective as coach is that each team member develops to the utmost of that child’s ability, without regard to whether that means first or last place in a particular race. He wants track to be a fun body and spirit building activity and he aims to spend as much time and effort helping the slowest member of the team as the fastest.
Gene Lausch - Coach, Track & Field and Cross Country
Gene Lausch began working with the St. Richard’s track and field team in 2003 and the cross-country program in 2007, its inaugural year. He has been an active runner since the 7th grade, running track in middle school and both track and cross-country in high school and college. Gene’s running continued after graduating from school. He has competed in track competitions (including the Hoosier Games and Indiana Senior Games), road races, half marathons (including every Indianapolis mini-marathon), and marathons (including the Boston Marathon).
Gene was born in Indianapolis and lived here before moving to the Kokomo area at the age of 12. After graduating from Northwestern High School in Kokomo, Gene went on to earn an undergraduate degree from the University of Indianapolis and a JD from the University of Michigan. Gene is currently retired after a successful career as a lawyer, local government employee and a public official working in the fields of planning, land use, redevelopment, construction regulation and historic preservation.
Gene was first drawn to St. Richard’s though his wife, Carolyn, who retired in June 2010 after nine years as a teacher and administrator at St. Richard’s. He appreciates the school’s values and philosophy and enjoys being around the school’s students. His life long love of running seems to be the perfect avenue through which to be involved with the school.
Dan and Jill Deak - 7&8 Volleyball Coaches
Sam Deak - 5&6 Volleyball Coach
The Deak family has coached volleyball at St. Richard’s Episcopal School since 2009. Dan and Jill Deak coach the 7&8 team while Sam Deak, their daughter, coaches the 5&6 team. The Deaks were asked to coach volleyball at St. Richard’s because of their past experience coaching in both the middle and high school levels. They are able to give the girls a first hand account of what volleyball is like at the high school level and better prepare them to compete if they choose to continue playing at the next level.
Dan and Jill began playing competitive volleyball in 1980, competing throughout the Midwest in Men’s, Women’s and Co-ed tournaments. Both began coaching at the grade school level in the 1980’s before going on to coach at Beech Grove and Roncalli High Schools. Most recently, Dan was an assistant coach for Varsity and head JV coach for boys’ volleyball at Roncalli High School. His three-year record as JV head coach was 58-12 and included a Marion County Championship. Jill assisted Dan with the JV at Roncalli.
Sam began playing volleyball at the age of eight and has been in love with the game ever since. She competed on several club teams, traveling to tournaments around the country, and played at Roncalli High School. Prior to coaching at St. Richard’s, she coached at St. Mark Catholic School.
Their philosophy as coaches is simple: teach every child the basics of volleyball and strive to provide every member of the team with the opportunity to feel like an important part of the team’s success. For all the girls they try to teach the necessary skill sets that enable competition for a spot on a high school team while exposing the girls to high school style offenses and defenses. The volleyball program is designed to teach the girls that effort, commitment and focus is required during practice and game preparation to be successful. They encourage the girls to move beyond their individual comfort zones and challenge them to reach their potential as players and individuals. The girls are encouraged to support each other in both successful and challenging times. And, in concert with SRES policies, the girls are required to be respectful and responsible for their actions both on and off the court.
The Deaks are Indianapolis natives. Dan earned a degree in engineering from Purdue University and a degree in business management from Northwood University. Sam attended the University of Southern Indiana and Paul Mitchell, The School, earning a License in Cosmetology. Dan works professionally as a Consultant Engineer in Process Analytics at Eli Lilly and Company. Jill is a Florist in the family business known as Jockish Flowers, LLC. Sam is an Associate at Transformations Salon and Spa.
