CINCINNATI -- Summit Country Day athletic director Greg Dennis announced two new varsity coaches for the 2016-17 school year.
Justin Isaacs will serve as the interim football head coach. Brooke Thomas was named volleyball head coach. Both coaches have years of experience in coaching high school teams.
Entering his eighth season as assistant football coach for the Silver Knights, Isaacs most recently has been offensive coordinator at The Summit. Previously, he owned a minor league Cincinnati football team, the Tri-State Sharks, for which he also coached and played running back.
Joining his coaching staff will be Keith Rucker, a former lineman for the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals for eight years. He will be The Summit’s defensive coordinator.
Rucker is a three-time All-American in football, seven-time All-American and four-time national champion in shot put and discus. Most recently, he has been defensive line coach and director of football operations at Ohio Wesleyan University. Returning to the coaching staff will be associate head coach Ken Minor, who has 45 years of coaching experience.
“We have a new team motto of ‘All in… One team, one voice, one family.’” Isaacs said. “We are motivated and are looking forward to this season and getting back to the playoffs.”
Thomas, who joined The Summit in 2015, has coached and taught in the Cincinnati area since 2005. She was the junior varsity boys volleyball coach and assistant boys volleyball coach at Lakota West High School.
Thomas also coached the girls’ middle school team at Lakota Ridge Junior School, where her team won a Greater Miami Conference title in 2012. She also served as assistant varsity coach at Bishop Fenwick High School. In high school, she was a varsity member of the St. Peter Chanel volleyball team outside Cleveland for four years as a middle blocker.
“Much of our volleyball season's success will come from a strong preseason conditioning and practice schedule,” she said. “This summer, players are planning to take advantage of opportunities to become involved and refine their skills through open gym, team workouts, tournament play, team camps and coaching days. The volleyball program will be focused on continuing a winning record and competing at a high level.”
