KSU Tuscarawas Men's Head Basketball Coach Richard Tharp was honored at the 2022 Annual Spring Awards Ceremony on Friday, April 22 in the Performing Arts Center.

Tharp was the recipient of the Exceptional Community Engagement Staff Award, as part of the special recognition and dean's academic excellence awards that were given to student honorees on Friday evening.

Under his direction, the Golden Eagles men's basketball team hosted a Tuscarawas County Rockets Special Olympics basketball game in Founders Hall Gym and painted positive messages on a Buddy Bench that was placed on a local school playground. The team will also host a basketball skills camp for the Rockets in May, as well as two basketball fundamentals camps for local children during KSU Tuscarawas' first-ever "Summer of Fun" celebration this summer.

Also of note is the fact that Tharp often makes sure his players do not go hungry and they have a ride back and forth from practices/games. He has also been known to drive players home for weekend and holiday visits.

In presenting the award to Tharp, KSU Tuscarawas Athletic Director Rob Brindley referenced the coach's service to others with a quote from legendary UCLA Coach John Wooden by saying, "'You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.' And those are words for us all to live by and those that best describe Coach Tharp's life compass."

Coach Tharp just completed his sixth year at the helm of the Golden Eagles men's basketball team. The team made it to the USCAA National Basketball Championships and won a first-round game before bowing out of the tournament with five-point losses to the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams on back-to-back days.

Coach Tharp escorts Kyle Shockley to the sideline after a hard fall.                                                Photo by Rob Brindley