Ric Cavicchia, former Big Walnut boys varsity basketball head coach, was inducted into the District 11 Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on April 10 at Clover Valley Golf Course near Johnstown.
Cavicchia was presented a plaque by Bob Shoemaker, former Big Walnut and Heath High School boys basketball coach and District 11 Hall of Fame coordinator.
He was recognized along with Steve Blackledge, high school sports writer for 30 years at the Columbus Dispatch; Jerry Groves, coach at Bishop Hartley, Pickerington North, Pickerington Central and Mount Vernon high schools; Mike Hoyng, coach and administrator for 30 years at Highland-Morrow High School near Sparta; and Bill McElroy, girls varsity coach for 25 years at Marion Elgin High School.
Cavicchia graduated from Bellaire St. John High School in 1973. He graduated from Ohio State University in 1978 with a degree in education.
Cavicchia, known as “Mr. C” by his students, began his coaching career in 1980 at Delaware St. Mary’s where he met and was mentored by Ron Walters. He served as a varsity assistant under Walters at Big Walnut for five years before being named head coach in 1988.
During his tenure over the next nine years, Big Walnut won 144 games, five league championships and three district titles with two 20-win seasons. Individual awards include assistant coach of the North/South All-Star game, four-time district coach of the year and membership in the Big Walnut High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
After 14 years away from coaching, Cavicchia rejoined the Big Walnut staff as an assistant coach in 2011 and plans to continue assisting next season under second-year coach Brett Barlett. He is finishing his 33rd year at Big Walnut Middle School as a school counselor this spring.
