Let's meet the 2002 Russellville Golden Tigers
Let’s meet the 2022 Russellville Golden Tigers.
It’s hard to be disappointed with success, and that’s exactly what John Ritter has brought to Russellville. The Golden Tigers head coach has taken his team to the playoffs every year and never finished with fewer than eight wins.
“That’s the standard that we set,†Ritter said. “We expect to play for region championships every year. We expect to make a push in the playoffs and go as deep as we can go.â€
Last year, Ritter’s team made it to the second round of the playoffs. They look to build on that this year with a group that includes just 15 seniors.
“While we’re smaller in our senior class, I think this is probably the most talented senior class that we’ve had at Russellville," Ritter said, "and I would be willing to say, in the 10 years I’ve been a head coach, this may be our most talented group.â€
While the record books will show four consecutive playoff appearances for the Golden Tigers, Ritter said the only real measure of success is whether or not his guys played to their potential.
“And if that's eight wins, hey, that's eight wins. If it’s 12, it’s 12. If it's 15-0 — we don’t ever talk about wins and losses. We don’t ever talk about playing this game and that game," Ritter said. "It's always maximizing our potential, and if we do that, then no matter when the season ends, whether it's the state championship or the first round, you can’t be disappointed in the outcome.â€
We’ll see what Year 5 has in store for Ritter and Russellville when the Golden Tigers hit the field against Grissom on Aug. 19.
