Dave Strietelmeier

   Posted Sat May 05, 2012

Dave and Terri and Family,

I am deeply saddened by Coach's passing. I am honored that I was able to play on his first Southport High School varsity basketball team. Besides my parents, nobody else had more influence on me as a young man growing up than did Coach. He will forever be my mentor, my teacher, my coach. May he rest in peace!

Dave Strietelmeier
SHS 1970

sandy storey-moon

   Posted Sat May 05, 2012

Family, your dad and mom were two special people. Some of my best memories of my childhood are at your home...your dad would make everyone feel important. I saved the card he sent me for my wedding it was some of the kindest words ever written to me...you have been blessed having such great parents...and now he is needed with your mom...words may never express the feelings of the heart and sorrow...thinking of your family with joyful memories and love! Bless you all~ Love, Sandy

Steve Bean

   Posted Sun May 06, 2012

I was saddened to learn of the passing of Coach Theil, and I want to express my deepest sympathy to all of his family and friends. I was a student manager on the basketball team at Southport High School, and I will forever be grateful to Coach Theil for giving me that opportunity. It transformed my high school experience. I came to Southport as a shy kid who was somewhat scared to be going to this big school and was wondering how I was going to fit in. Being a manager on the basketball team gave me a sense of belonging, taught me responsibility, and allowed me to be around the game I loved so much but wasn't talented enough to play at the high school level. Coach Theil was always appreciative of my work, and I look back on those days with great fondness. Thank you, Coach!

Steve Bean
SHS '78

Helen Stephon

   Posted Tue May 08, 2012

Dear Terri, Dave, and family,

I was so sorry to hear of your Dad's passing. He was a wonderful man and a great neighbor. I will forever be grateful for his goodness to my family. May he rest in peace. God Bless the whole Theil family. Helen Stephon.

Jim Hammond

   Posted Wed May 09, 2012

Dear Dave and Terri:

My deepest sympathies and condolences to you on the death of your father.

There is something about being in the basketball community that forges a type of bond that lasts a lifetime. Your father was my first real coach, my high school varsity coach. He invested a significant amount of time in his players to build a program and to build good citizens. I still have the red folder book that he issued in the summer which not only contained play book information, but included good habits for daily living, healthy eating and the admonishment that we should have faith in God. He was intent on molding more than just basketball players.

One of my favorite memories of the daily grind was Thursday night practices where we always had a free throw shooting contest and the winner was allowed to “find a few dollar bills in the corner of the gym somewhere” (sorry IHSAA, the statute of limitations has run on this one!). He taught me perspective in life, reminding the team that we should not be upset over a few lost games of basketball while many have been dying for us in Vietnam. That lecture has stayed with me these many years. It has been helpful in raising my own children.

Even after college he continued to motivate. I still have a letter that he wrote me my freshman year in February 1976, encouraging me as a rookie college basketball player.

However, one highlight occurred after I was out of college and living and working in Indianapolis as a young adult in 1980. For the first time, and considered quite an honor, I was invited to Coach Theil’s “man cave” after one of the weekend high school basketball games that my wife and I happened to be attending to watch him coach and see the team play. What was memorable, in addition to simply having the honor of being invited with the other “adults”, was that this room not only was packed with the SHS “whos who”, but just as my wife and I arrived they were cheering loudly and the TV blaring as the USA hockey team had just defeated the USSR in the Olympics when Al Michaels uttered his famous “Do you believe in miracles?”, with hockey players draped in American flags. Quite a memorable evening that I have not since forgotten - hosted by Coach and lovely wife Pat.

In 1984 I moved to Florida with my family but Coach Theil was faithful to exchange Christmas cards every year and we have had the pleasure of receiving his annual photo with the grandkids and to see your own children progress.

I count it an honor to be part of the basketball fraternity with Coach Theil as he has been one of those who invested heavily in not just myself, but many, many other student athletes over the years and for that (and I think I can also speak for others as well), we are forever grateful!

God bless you Terri and David and your families, and we thank God for your father’s influence, Coach Rich Theil.


Jim Hammond, Clearwater, FL
SHS, 1975

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