With the new field, Riordan is honoring members of the community who contributed funds or inspiration.

For 45 years, Ron Isola ’61 contributed time and knowledge to Riordan athletics, and continues to inspire those involved today.

Ron Isola said, “I was a part of the Riordan Athletic program for 45 years. I served as the Athletic Director for 37 years. In those 45 years I was the varsity basketball coach for 17 years and later was the varsity baseball coach for 20 years.”

Described by Thomas Harlan ’08, Varsity baseball coach and science teacher, “He is Riordan. Anyone who has been affiliated with Riordan knows Ron Isola. It was because of how involved he was. There never is a big Riordan High School event that Ron Isola isn’t at.”

The new home baseball dugout is named after Ron Isola.

Coach Brandon Ramsey said, “He is the reason a baseball field exists out there. From my understanding, he built the field from scratch in what was only a football field. It was his visionthat helped create it. He had taken care of that field for years and I think it’s the least we can do for a man that did a lot for all of athletics during his time here.”

Ramsey, who is the Director of Facilities and head coach for Varsity baseball said, “I think it’s a great way to pay tribute to a person who made a great impact on Riordan High School.”

Isola coached baseball when Coach Harlan was a student at Riordan. Coach Harlan said, “Ron Isola coached me for three years at Riordan. He also was the Athletic Director while I was here. He inspired me in many ways, but the one that stuck out was his work ethic. He was always at Riordan helping and giving back. He was the backbone of the Riordan sports program for a long time.”

When Riordan started to think about naming the dugout after Ron Isola, they didn’t tell him and so he was surprised. Isola said, “Let me say that I was very honored when I found out about the naming of the dugout. This was done without my knowledge.”

A couple of years ago, Riordan made a bobblehead of Ron Isola as a tribute, but Isola said, “I think the naming of the dugout is a much greater honor. The bobblehead was a memento to all who attended my retirement dinner in 2012. The dugout area is special in that I coached all those years in that very dugout area. Its naming is really appreciated and very special to me.”