Hall of Fame
J.C. Riekenberg became Northwestern’s first NAIA All-American in 1957 when he earned third team honors as a senior. The halfback from Fairmond graduated in 1958 and began a long, storied career as a high school coach and athletic administrator.
His first position was as head coach at Okeene High School, followed by a move to Dalhart, Texas, in 1960 as an assistant. In 1964, Riekenberg became the head football coach at Dodge City (Kan.) High School. During the next eight seasons, he guided the Red Demons to five league championships and a state title in 1970. He coached two undefeated teams during his tenure at Dodge City.
He became the athletic director at DCHS in 1971, also assuming the task of organizing and administering one of the country’s premier prep basketball tournaments, the “Tournament of Champions.” Riekenberg served as the tournament director for 28 years before he retired in June of 1999.
Riekenberg was widely resprected by his peers. He served as president of the Kansas Coaches Association from 1974-75, and was selected as the state’s top athletic director from the 1976-77 school year. That same year he was recognized as the National Athletic Director of the Year. In 1999, he capped his career with induction into the Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Fame.
