001Welcome hot dogs to the April Community Schools of Frankfort Town Hall. The Superintendent Town Hall focuses on programs that and people who are moving the academic, behavioral, staff student retention, athletic, and facilities needle. This month, I wanted to invite Frankfort High School varsity volleyball coach and the newly named girls varsity basketball coach, Kye Rushton, to share with the community how her volleyball program has been moving the needle in the win column consistently year after year. Coach Rushton, welcome to Town Hall today. >> Thank you. Great Great to come. Thank you for coming. It's been a fun week with the board meeting on on Tuesday. You were named basketball coach, too. So, we're excited to have you doing both. Excited for our girls. Thank you. Well, let's get into it with questions. And And the first
002one I have is give us some background information about you. Where did you grow up? Where did you go to high school? And did you play sports in high school and/or college? >> Yep. I grew up here in Frankfort. And we lived on the grid in the neighborhoods. Had a lot of fun growing up here. It's a great community. And I went to Franklin College to get my bachelor's. I also played volleyball there. So, in high school I played basketball and volleyball, but just volleyball in college. Okay. Tell us a little bit about your family. This is the big one. My family is everything to me. I don't make decisions without them. My husband, Jeremy, is a resource officer here and he's also a sergeant for the police department. Both of my parents have been
003lifelong hot dogs. Well, I'm sorry. Not Debbie. She was a bulldog. But We'll forgive her for that, right? Yeah, maybe. They both lived in Clinton County their whole life. And my whole family works and lives here. We have three children, Jeremy and I do. Lucas is a sophomore here. Avery's an eighth grader and Bradley's a fifth grader at Green Meadows. And that's not where it ends. My sister is also a part-time nurse here and she works at the emergency room. So I always hear people saying, "Oh, I saw your sister at the emergency room. Did you tell or did she tell you?" And I'll be like, "No, >> No, she can't she can't share that, can she?" And even my brother-in-law Aaron, he's an FHS alum and he is very supportive of what we do
004and my niece and nephew can often be found here with me at school. So >> Well, well, tell us your your family's very important to you and I think that probably has kind of helped shape who who you are today. Tell us a little bit about how what your role is here at the high school and what you do here as your day job. >> Ooh, my my real job. I've been teaching English for 20 years here. This well, in 5 weeks it'll be 20 years. >> Wow, congratulations. >> Thank you. I am currently the department head but I'll be easing away from that a little bit and leaving that in great hands with Marie Shafer. I'm actually almost done with my master's degree so that I can teach a lot more dual credit classes.
005So I finished that next week. Okay. >> So I'll be graduating and I'm ready. And you know, that's just so important for us to be able to offer dual credit to kids and give them opportunities to get college out of the way in high school. So thank you for doing that cuz that's been a that's been a load on you too to be able to take those classes. >> It's been interesting but it's worth it and it's fun being a student. I love the things they have us read and and those things have been Okay. Glad you've enjoyed that. So talk to our viewers a little bit about how long you've been the the volleyball coach here at the Frankfurt High School and did you have any other coaching roles before you came into this
006role here? Oh, yep. So this was season 14. I'm entering into season 15 as the varsity volleyball coach. Um, just work in reverse because out of the 20 years I've coached 19 of them in some form. So, before that I was the varsity girls assistant under Andy Ross. >> Okay. And before that I coached eighth grade basketball for several years. Okay. Um, and then before that I was a JV coach under Heather Hayes who's being inducted into our Hall of Fame this year. So. >> She is. She is. But my original came from college. My college coach got me coaching and then Heather Hayes again got me into Frankfort juniors as a college player kind of helping out with one of the teams and it stuck. I loved it. >> right. So, you've had some
007good mentors along the way. >> Absolutely. And my dad of course has been a coach forever. So, I Yes. And coaches your kids too, doesn't he? Coaches your yeah your kids teams. Well, uh, I'd like to take a little commercial break for Eric Farley's Frankfort Fun Facts and then we'll come back and hear more from Coach Rustin. Welcome back to another episode of Farley's Fun Facts. The month of May is here, which means another class of students will walk across the stage and begin their journey as Frankfort graduates. This year's commencement marks a historic milestone for this particular class of Frankfort High School as this will be our 150th commencement ceremony. The very first graduation was held all the way back in 1876 making the class of 2026 the 150th graduating class in Frankfort school's
008history. Frankfort's first commencement took place on Monday evening, June 19th, 1876. The theme for the commencement was in limine, which means at the threshold or at the beginning. We look forward to this special graduation that will be held on Saturday, May 30th at Frankfort High School. A legacy 150 years in the making. It's pretty special to be a part of it. That's all I have for Frankfort's Farley Fun Facts. Have a great day, hot dogs. Welcome back, hot dogs. I hope you enjoyed that Farley Frankfurt fun fact. Today I'm talking to coach Kier Rushton, Frankfurt High School varsity volleyball coach, and as well we will get into this segment, newly named girls varsity basketball coach. So, coach Rushton, what are the key factors that have led to your winning records with the girls volleyball team?
009Um, three things: consistency, culture, and youth. Um, we, for example, have been building the senior class since they were third graders. So, that started in 2018. >> Wow. And we've known who they are, who their parents are, their strengths, their weaknesses, their personalities, so how to really get them engaged in the game for many, many years now, eight years. >> Mhm. Um, and I just feel like when they when they know us, when they get to know us as elementary kids, they're comfortable, they play, they're committed, um, and it forms them into a good team, too, a good unit coming in. It's why it's so important for the the varsity coaches to be able to have an impact from the elementary level all the way up to be successful. Thank you for Thank you for
010sharing that piece. What goals do you have for your volleyball team next year? As you have As you talked to the kids who were once upon a time third graders, you've got a lot of talented kids coming back and will be seniors this upcoming year. So, kind of bittersweet year coming up, right? Yeah. >> I hate that they're going to be seniors, actually. I love this class. Um, we always have a few base goals, and that's, you know, ABC, always beat the county schools. Um, and, you know, we want to come in the top half of the conference, usually have a winning record, compete well in the tournaments on Saturdays. Um, but this year our goal is bigger. We want to win the conference. Greencastle lost a lot of kids. Webo's in transition. A lot
011of our main competition was right there last year, and I think we can do it, and they think we can do it, so that is our major goal. Okay. And with our new sectional, um our goal is to at least be playing on Saturday night for a championship. We really have to get it in our head that we can do it, and I think we can. It's all mindset. I I think you guys will win it. I I was uh talking earlier this year to one of your Lily, one of your volleyball before you guys were heading down to uh your sectional this year, and I think your kids they they know that they can do it. It's just It's all about some swagger and getting a little confidence, isn't it? Absolutely. So, I I
012think I think you guys will do it this year. So, that's my prediction now on Town Hall. So, I'm letting I'm letting I'm letting you know. You were just board approved this month uh to take on the additional uh role of varsity girls basketball coach here starting next year, and I'm sure you've got many thoughts and emotions about that, but uh just why did you add this to your daily responsibilities? You talked about just finishing up your dual credit and being a and you're a great English teacher here. I've seen you in your classroom and how you engage kids, and you do the same thing on the court with volleyball. Why did you decide to pick up basketball, too? What made you decide that? >> Well, okay. When I met with Mr. Irwin about this,
013um I kind of got re-energized. It's very similar to what Mr. Dudley will tell you about when he took on football. Um just a new energy came around, and I thought, "What an opportunity to help our school?" Basketball is so important to a school's culture, especially here. Um Frankfort's known for our facilities. Um we're known for basketball, and you know, the program was in great hands last year with Bethany Neecham. Um and you know, her her needing to move on, it felt right for me to step into that role and and help give the girls some consistency and try to create that culture of working hard and putting team first in everything we do, everything we say, every decision um in the classroom or outside of here. We actually just had our call-out meeting and
014we talked about that. You know, don't let your team down is our major team expectation and just put your team first. Okay. >> So. Wow. >> We're going to get it. >> Look looking forward to that. So, what are what are your goals for the basketball team next year? You kind of alluded to the one goal that's that's it that that starting with culture probably, right? Okay. Um well, I'll tell you that the book study the male athletes are doing right now, Carry Water and Chop Wood, talks about loving the little things, loving the details that will lead into the bigger successes. So, first, we want to create a culture of positivity positivity and relentlessness in our athletes, never giving up, always putting your team first. Um and we want them to come to practice
015every day excited to get better and to compete with each other and to be good teammates. Okay. Well, thank you for sharing that. Is there anything that you want to add that I may have not asked you already about your your coaching or or teaching? Um I'm looking forward to getting the youth program going here soon. I know that those leagues are already being planned. So, I'm starting to put some plans in place as well for the incoming fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth. Um my eyes on them already. So. Now, I didn't ask you this question. I usually there's a usually a question that I think of as we're talking, but what do you think the new weight facilities is going to How is that going to have an impact on your on your
016players, both volleyball and basketball? I think that the leadership being shown out of that department is incredible right now. The new weights, um they're going to go in and be proud of where they're working out. They're going to feel like it's a privilege to be in there, not just an afterthought. You know, those weights, most of them were there when I was here in high school. So, I think it's going to make a big difference in our work ethic and I think that the people running weights and conditioning, Mr. Dudley and his team, it's going to make a huge difference. >> Okay. All right. Well, thank you. Why have you commit the last question? Why have you committed your professional career to Frankfort High School both teaching and coaching? Well, that is that's the one
017people ask me often actually. Um I've been raised here. I have some of my first memories are in Case Arena. There's a picture with me and the old big blue that was kind of creepy. You know, and I'm I was at all of the games. I've watched a lot of things. I caught net from sectional championships that the players would throw out. Um I love this place and teaching here has been rewarding because the staff kind of becomes like family and the kids they need us as mentors. They need us to help them grow and succeed and the mentorship I've been able to do with the community has been great. So, I can't imagine working anywhere else. Well, thank you. Thank you for coming on today to Town Hall Hot Dog Nation. I hope you
018enjoyed learning about how the Frankfort High School volleyball team is moving the athletic needle for the hot dog students. Bringing Coach Rushton on board to coach basketball will now translate into more wins in the win column for girls basketball. Thank you Coach Rushton for sharing with the viewers the commitment you have made along with your coaching, your staff, your players to put in place systems and programs to develop high performing volleyball players and soon to be basketball players too. Good luck to you and your students as you as you move forward into next season. I I can't wait. It's exciting. I think for me, thank you for investing in Frankfort kids and investing in this community. It just goes a long way. That's why I love that question last because it just shows how you're
019investing in kids and and you can say it, but your actions show that you mean it. So, thank Thank much for your All right. You're welcome. Thanks for coming today. >> I hope you uh uh going to sign off today from Hot Dog Town Hall at the uh Hot Dog Network. Have a wonderful day and enjoy Roaming with Rhoda. Welcome hot dogs to this April session of Roaming with Rhoda. I'm at Frankfort High School once again and today I'm going to ask kids what their favorite superhero is and I look forward to hearing their responses today. Enjoy. So, you're on Roaming with Rhoda. What is your favorite superhero? Probably Iron Man. Mainly because he's more technical and technology and he's fairly smart and he learns from every mistake that he makes. All right. Hey, good
020life lessons. I'd say Batman cuz he's more like disciplined. He he worked hard to get where he's at. Great. Thank you. I want to say Spider-Man. Spider-Man. All right. What is your Uh Spider-Man as well. Spider-Man as well. Thank you guys. Um I like Batman cuz he is discreet like me. Okay, discreet like you. Oh, Spider-Man cuz of the you know. I like Spider-Man. >> Spider-Man. And why? I don't know. He just looks cool. I like his outfit. >> Like his outfit. All right. Superman. And why? Cuz he flies. Cuz he flies. All right. I was going to say the same thing. >> Hey, that's fine. Same thing. Super- Superman cuz he flies. Uh Spider-Man. Spider-Man. And why? Cuz he has webs. He's got webs. >> Batman. Batman. And why? Cuz he's always got a
021plan for everything. >> He's got a plan for everything. What is your favorite superhero? >> Like DC-wise, Marvel-wise, or just any Any of them. Yeah, just pick one. Probably probably the Thing from from the Fantastic Four. All right. And why? Uh I don't know. He just represents me. He represents you. Thank you very much. Spider-Man. Spider-Man and why? Cuz I just always liked him from when I was little. >> Just liked him from the time you were a little kid. Thank you. Uh Invincible. Invincible. Why? >> Uh uh because uh he uh he's a warrior and he never like uh gives up. Mr. Hoffman, who is your favorite superhero and why? The Hulk. >> The Hulk and why? Because he smashes stuff. I respect that. >> Okay. All right. Thank you very much. Wonder Woman.
022>> Wonder Woman and why? She's just has a lot of power. >> Has a lot of powers. All right. Say Spider-Man. >> And why? After everything he's been through, he still fights. It's just motivation. >> I love it. All right. Thank you. Always been Spider-Man. >> Always been Spider-Man. Why? It's Spider-Man. What's there not to love? >> [laughter] >> Thank you. I'd have to say Superman. Superman. Why? Symbol of hope. I have to say he always saves people. >> All right. I love it. Thank you. Uh Spider-Man. He actually protects his people and he risks his own self to not risk his super Awesome. Thank you very much. Appreciate you. Yep. Spider-Man. I don't know. He's just cool. Superman. Superman. Why? Cuz uh I like how confident he is and uh he's a superhero. >>
023He's a confident man. Favorite superhero? >> Um probably Thor. And why? I just like the lightning. Okay. All right. Thank you. >> My favorite superhero. >> Yeah. My dad. >> Your dad and why? >> Cuz he's your dad. >> Cuz he's my dad. >> He's a superhero. Thank you very much. I got to say uh Spider-Man. Spider-Man. Why? Cuz I like you know he he climbs walls and saves many lives. >> Climbs walls and saves lives. Favorite superhero? >> know. Spider-Man. >> Spider-Man, you too? Yeah, I mean he's the best. You already know. Okay. And how about you? >> The Flash. The Flash. Why? >> He's pretty safe. He runs really quickly. He runs I'm surprised that isn't yours. The Flash. >> I think that's that's my second that's my second best. All right, guys.
024Thank you. Spider-Man. >> Spider-Man and why? >> Yeah. Uh very cool. Like he's he's just a teenager and he like fights these like superhumans and monsters. >> Okay. All right. Great great explanation for him. Favorite superhero? Do you have a favorite superhero? >> I I do. Got to be honest, the whole family's DC but I was a Marvel kid growing up. It's Hawkeye. >> Hawkeye. All right, and why Hawkeye? He brings that sort of edge to it. Little little mouthy, little worry, little bit of smart alec. >> Okay. That appealed to me as a kid and it stayed with me. All right, love it. Thank you guys. Appreciate it. >> Probably the Incredible Hulk. Incredible Hulk. That was mine growing up, too. Why? Um, he's just strong. Probably Superman, honestly. Superman. Why Superman? >> Uh,
025cuz he he shows that anything's like possible. All right, thank you very much. All right, hot dogs. I hope you enjoyed this April session of Roaming with Rhoda asking kids their favorite superhero and a couple adults, too. Just amazed at some of their answers about the reflection about how those heroes reflect some of the characteristics they aspire to be. So, hope you enjoyed this session and have a great rest of your day.