It speaks volumes about Rich Penick that I was flooded with responses to an email seeking reflections and stories about him after three decades at MYAS.

Many know Rich as a "scheduling savant" but those of us privileged to work with him and know him on a deeper level profoundly understand that he brings so much more to his job and his relationships.

Rich joined MYAS in 1995, coming off an extremely successful collegiate hockey career at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, where he was part of the 1984 national championship team. Though a hockey guy at heart, Rich’s path took an ironic and impressive turn: he became one of the most respected and effective basketball administrators in Minnesota youth sports!

When you’re talking about events like Grade State, you're facing massive logistical and scheduling challenges. There are upwards of 1,800 teams, dozens of venues, and countless constraints, such as travel distance, blackout dates, and competitive fairness.

There's no magic button or app.

But Rich got us as close to an optimal solution as possible. His ability to balance hundreds of variables, honor special considerations, and keep host teams close to home was nothing short of remarkable. He approached scheduling like a giant, living puzzle — and he always got it done.

That’s who Rich is: A get-it-done guy with a work ethic that never wavered. He just put his head down, checked the boxes, and delivered. Internally, his leadership over inventory, operations, and organizational systems helped MYAS run more smoothly year after year.

Beyond basketball, Rich’s impact extended deeply into youth football, where he served as a liaison for Lake Minnetonka Athletic Association and South Metro 6, servicing associations across the South and West Metro. He navigated scheduling challenges shaped by tryouts, weather, travel, blackout dates, and fall conflicts with the same steady expertise he brought to basketball. He continues to serve on the South Metro 6 board, which is yet another example of how much organizations rely on his judgment and experience.

Rich is also a Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Honor inductee, with long-standing relationships across the state’s coaching and youth sports communities. Many of those peers have retired, but the respect for Rich endures.

When Rich joined MYAS, the organization was in its infancy — just four years old, still fighting to survive. He helped build the foundation that allowed MYAS not just to endure, but to grow, modernize, and thrive. Alongside Dan Klinkhammer and a small group of early believers, Rich helped shape what MYAS is today.

For more than 26 years, Rich has been a colleague, a partner, a steady right-hand man, and a friend. Going to work alongside him—day after day, year after year—has been an honor. His institutional knowledge is immense. His commitment never wavered. And his legacy, particularly in scheduling, will be nearly impossible to replace.

To that end, Rich isn't disappearing. He'll be shifting into a part-time consulting role over the next year.

Thank you, Rich, for the many ways you blessed your peers and colleagues, and, most importantly, the countless youth athletes who have benefited from your care and expertise. 

Here are some more tributes to Rich:

"Wow! Thirty years of banging the keyboards at the MYAS is quite an awesome accomplishment! His service to the MYAS and the Minnesota youth sport community has benefited HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of kids, coaches, officials and parents. His "behind the scenes" efforts to create the best playing schedules possible was an everyday challenge that he wore like a badge of honor. I sometimes wonder how many pencils he went through, as he created and modified those schedules until they were the best they could be? Most of our participants don't realize the tedious process it takes to schedule a 300+ team tournament.  Rich always created those schedules as if every team was HIS team... trying to keep teams as close to home as possible and having them play games at reasonable intervals. His personalized scheduling was a unique talent and one of the biggest reasons that so many teams decided to participate in MYAS events. I personally witnessed his "mad scientist" approach to getting the job done. While creating some of the most complicated playing schedules, he only had one request... "Leave me alone!"

"In addition to his savant scheduling abilities, Rich also served as an integral part of the MYAS leadership team in most every facet of the MYAS operations. I would often lean on his assessment of troublesome situations and was anxious to hear his solutions. It was my privilege and honor to have worked with Rich for 24 of his 30 years of service. He is truly "one of a kind," and he will be sorely missed.  Now, my wish for Rich is that he can put the pencil down and enjoy his retirement. He has earned it."  

Dan Klinkhammer- MYAS Co-Founder, Secretary of the MYAS Board of Directors, and former MYAS Executive Director (1994-2019)

"Rich’s legacy at MYAS is his belief in and efforts on behalf of the MYAS’s mission and goals throughout his 30 years of service. He had a longstanding commitment to the betterment of the youth sports community around the state, including his efforts to extend opportunities for the underserved outstate communities. Rich didn't tolerate BS, and – for better or worse – won’t hesitate to call someone out." "He adores his family, especially his grandchildren, and he’s no doubt looking forward to being able to spend more time with them."

Siri Forde- 1st employee hired at MYAS in 1991, Office Manager/HR Coordinator

"I admired Rich's no-nonsense approach. When a problem would arise, he was the first one to roll up the sleeves and find a solution. The moment was never too big for Rich."

Eric Rathke- MYAS Program Director

"What I admire most about Rich is that he built and ran a highly successful basketball program, despite coming from a hockey background, something that speaks to his adaptability, curiosity, and willingness to immerse himself fully in whatever challenge was in front of him. He didn’t just learn the landscape; he mastered it. I also admire the way his mind worked. Rich had a unique ability to see all the moving parts — people, schedules, facilities, constraints, opportunities — and make them fit together like a cleanly solved puzzle. His ability to connect the pieces in a way that felt seamless to everyone else is something rare, and something I’ve deeply respected in him. I believe Rich's legacy is on MYAS's Mount Rushmore."

Jeremy Innes- MYAS Associate Director

"Among the many things that Rich brings to the table, I can say that his unwavering attention to detail and fair play has to top the list. I also always admired the backbone that Rich displayed in the many difficult situations involving youth sports.  The MYAS isn’t where it is today without the commitment to doing the 'right things for the right reasons.' 

"I have too many of Rich to count. But the 12U AAU National Baseball Tournament will forever be one of my core memories and all the shenanigans that ensued over multiple years of that nine-day day event in Burnsville and Lakeville. It’s probably best not to go into specifics."

"Rich was an asset from day one and was asked to do just about anything and everything for the start-up fledgling organization. In fact, Rich was the MYAS’s first accountant! I can’t speak for anyone else but I will tell you that without Rich – especially in the early days – there is very little chance that the organization looks the way it does today."

"I also want others to know that when you got in a tough situation and want an ally, you call Rich. This is a guy you want on your team because of his commitment, dedication, loyalty, and his convictions were always well-thought."

Adam Klinkhammer- MYAS Associate Director

What I admire most about Rich is his ability to grind through the difficult tasks. Some of my favorite memories go back to the 12U AAU National Baseball Tournament days, and I’ll never forget him handing out the Valley Trophy phone number during Grade State seeding meetings. Rich’s legacy at MYAS is being the steady rock in basketball — the guy who always got the job done. In youth sports, his legacy is that of a true scheduling wizard whose knowledge and understanding helped grow programs and create new opportunities for so many youth athletes. And above all, people should know this about Rich: he’s one tough SOB.

Lance Klinkhammer- MYAS Associate Director

"For three decades, Rich has been a pillar of MYAS. He leaves behind a legacy that will be felt across every program, every schedule, and every department he touched. His program innovation helped shape MYAS into what it is today — an organization that continues to grow, evolve, and lead because people like Rich had the creativity and courage to try new things.

"And what can we say about his scheduling brilliance? Many of us have joked that Rich didn’t just make schedules—he performed scheduling miracles. When others saw conflicts, he saw possibilities. When the rest of us were scratching our heads, Rich would quietly work his magic and come back with a solution that somehow made perfect sense. That talent has supported thousands of young athletes, coaches, and families over the years."

"But perhaps the most defining part of Rich’s legacy is his willingness to help wherever he was needed. It didn’t matter which department asked, what time it was, or how busy he already happened to be — Rich stepped in,,rolled up his sleeves, and got to work. He has been the person we could all count on, day after day, year after year."

"Rich, your dedication, your work ethic, and your humility have set a standard that will inspire this organization for years to come. You’ve been a mentor, a problem-solver, a teammate, and a friend. While MYAS will miss your presence, we know you leave behind systems, ideas, and memories that will continue to guide us. As you move into this new chapter, we hope it brings you the same joy, fulfillment, and adventure. You’ve earned every minute of it."

Dara Northfield- MYAS Board of Director and former MYAS Accountant/CFO (1998-2025)

"Rich’s willingness to help out other programs, such as helping form teams for the Fall Baseball League and being apparel organizer for the GSTC, really helped us out in busy times. I always appreciated how thorough he was with his work."

Bobby Strickland- MYAS Program Director

"If you don't know Rich, he can come off as being this kind of rough and tumble guy with a big attitude. But underneath all that is a guy who really cares about people, kids, youth sports, community, and doing things the right way. I will never forget Rich running the MYAS Grade State Seeding meetings back in the day at the hotels, when everyone would try to position their teams to a lower bracket. Rich used to just call those coaches out right in front of everybody in the whole room. There might sometimes be 100 coaches in there, and Rich never took any crap from any of them. These guys would argue and argue, and Rich would just call them out. Man, that was a great show back then. I wish we had popcorn!"

"No one can do brackets like Rich. I mean, the guy can look at a tournament that has 450 registered teams and have the grid figured out in 5 minutes. Beyond that, you have a guy that is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge that is going to be missed and I'm not sure can ever be replaced not matter how much you can write down." 

Tom Kuykendall- President,  MYAS Board of Directors

"When I think of Rich, I am in awe of his ability to schedule. When I tell people he does it without any computer program, they are stunned. I appreciate his commitment to cleanliness here at the MYAS offices. I know he's been jokingly referred to as 'Merry Maid.' "

"In terms of legacy I really think of him as the face of MYAS basketball, which is pretty funny given his disdain of the sport as a hockey guy."

"Also, he made the greatest birdie on a par 3 I’ve ever seen! It was at Majestic Oaks. He chunks his drive about 30 yards, and then proceeds to hole out from over 100 yards away for the craziest two you’ll ever see.

Dan Craighead- MYAS Business Development Officer

Starting at MYAS as a young 22 year old, Rich was a great influence and a lot of fun to work with. Playing golf with Dawson and Rich were some of my best memories.  I thought I was still good at golf, but playing with Rich reminded me that I wasn’t...

Rich’s influence on youth sports of Minnesota is undeniable. The people who know him and have seen the work that he has done understand this. The parents, fans, athletes and even some of the coaches will never understand the time and effort he has put in over the years. They go to the events, the games are played and they leave, never knowing everything Rich has done to make their experience the best it could be. It is a very thankless job, and the MYAS will miss him greatly."

"My hope is that Rich truly enjoys retirement. No more phone calls about officials or unfair rules. No more complaints about schedules. It’s time for Rich to find new hobbies and things to do."

David Espelien- former MYAS Baseball Coordinator (2000-2006) and current Senior Account Executive, Taho Sportwear

"Rich cares about people, and he cares about kids and how they grow up and how they use the experience of sports to learn valuable lessons to live a good life. To be sure, he’s been a reliable, competent, diligent, and effective representative of MYAS.

But, more so, he’s been an effective agent of positive impact and positive influence on others. I love the guy, and I cannot imagine dealing with MYAS without him. I wish Rich Penick the happiest life for whatever number of years God gives him. He deserves it."

Tim Herman- Head Boys Varsity Coach, Heritage Christian Academy

"Working with Rich in the South Metro 6, we have learned to appreciate what Rich brings to the table: Years of experience working with youth sports! Rich has helped bring us to a higher level and the finer detail thinking that has allowed us to effectively run a youth sports league. Our football league would not be what it is without Rich’s insights and involvement. Rich believes in community accountability, player development, and sportsmanship. With MYAS’s guidance, we have setup our league in a manner that requires each community to take responsibility for our league activities. Rich presides over our monthly meetings with the clear expectations that each community provide input to the discussions and to provide resources when required. For player development, well thought out schedules have been put together from the beginning to the end of the season. From the preseason grade wide scrimmages to the postseason games, Rich has helped us provide a compelling product for our youth that delivers a great experience. From a sportsmanship standpoint, Rich has helped us develop the preseason league wide coaches meeting. We have used this setting to help bring maturity to our youth coaches and explain the importance of modeling their behavior for our players. I am so thankful Rich will continue to help our league for its third year. I truly believe that together we can provide the framework and partnering to make SM6 the best youth football league in the state."

"What others should know about Rich is that he understands what it means to walk the talk. Youth sports is more than just playing a game. Our task is to provide experiences for young people that can help them in all facets of life and give them memories that endure. Rich understands this and helps us carry out our activities with that in mind. Adults need to act like adults, then the kids can just play ball. Rich has taught me it can really be that simple if we are all focused on the same goals. 

Scott Cariolano- Farmington Football Association and South Metro 6 Youth Football League Director

What I admire most about Rich is his willingness to help and make things work, no matter the situation. Some of my favorite memories are the times I had gym issues—Rich was always calm, steady, and found a way to make it work. His legacy at MYAS is that he consistently had everyone’s best interests in mind and always found solutions. In youth sports, his legacy is his drive to provide opportunities for all kids.

Kent Hamre- Head Girls Basketball Coach, St. Michael/Albertville HS

Talking about Rich Penick is easy!  I have worked with Rich for many many years in organizing tournaments and there are 2 words that come to mind: Caring and Consistency!  His dedication and loyalty to MYAS is rooted in the Youth of today.  Trying to educate and develop young people through the sport has always been at the forefront of Rich's journey. 

 I always knew there were times when we weren't able to have a tournament due to location/numbers, Rich would genuinely feel bad that it didn't work out.  I was just grateful to have had the opportunity to host, and when we did, it was always rewarding and the communication in organizing each event, was wonderful!

Our fundraising efforts assisted in sending the St. Olaf men's basketball teams to different parts of the world to enhance their educational experience.  Starting and 2010 and traveling every 3 years to Italy, Greece, and Spain.  

I know that Richie and I shared a common health thread in understanding with 100% clarity, how great it was to wake up each day and enjoy the gift of life the Good Lord has given us and to make a difference in the lives of thousands of youth throughout his Journey!

It was a privilege and honor to call Rich Penick my friend!  Congratulations Rich for all you have done for so many--that is your legacy!

Dan Kosmoski "Koz"- Men's Basketball Coach, St. Olaf College