Lewis Henry "Les" Ritcherson

Lewis Henry "Les" Ritcherson was born in Hills County, Texas on April 21, 1926, to James E. and Izora E. Ritcherson. He spent his childhood in Waco, Texas where he attended South Waco Elementary School and graduated from A. J. Moore High School. As a high school student, he was active in student affairs, serving as vice president of his 1943 graduating class, and was a member of the varsity football and basketball teams.

Ritcherson attended Wiley College in Marshall, Texas and was awarded a baccalaureate degree in 1947. He was an All-American end on the Wildcats' 1945 National Champions and was named captain his senior year. Following his graduation, he taught and coached all sports at Carver High School in Midland, Texas.

In January 1950, he returned to his high school alma mater at the bidding of Principal J. J. Wilson to become a teacher and head football coach. This opportunity marked the first of the three distinct phases of his career to date.

While successfully teaching civics, history, and health education from 1950 to 1965, Ritcherson established one of the most illustrious football coaching records in the Prairie View Interscholastic League history. In 16 years, he compiled a record of 132 victories, 38 defeats, three ties; including five District and Bi-District championships, two state and two co-state championships.

His last State championship in 1964 was hailed by all of Texas including the Governor and the State Legislature and was climaxed by a city-wide banquet where he was presented with a new 1965 Ford automobile. The high point of his coaching career at this alma mater came in 1952, when his team had to play three games in eight days. His team not only won all three games, but captured the State Championship in the process.

Ritcherson's distinguished coaching record caught the attention of officials at the University of Wisconsin and he subsequently was launched on the second phase of his career. Named an assistant football coach under head coach Milt Bruhn, Wisconsin's winningest coach, Ritcherson became the first Black coach to crack the racial barrier and serve as a member of the coaching staff at a predominantly white institution.

The decision to leave Moore High School was a difficult one for Ritcherson and involved a major career shift. His decision to accept the Wisconsin assignment was undertaken only after University of Wisconsin president, Fred Harvey Harrington, gave his personal assurance that the University was strongly committed to seeing that Ritcherson received the support he needed to succeed as a full-fledged member of the coaching staff.

After serving four years as a coach, Ritcherson entered the third phase of his career when he was named assistant to the chancellor of university extension. He presently is assistant to the chancellor of the university of Wisconsin-Madison and serves as an important Equal Opportunity Educator for the University.

Ritcherson is married to his college sweetheart, the former Velma Joyce Grace. They have two sons: Lewis, a coach, and Roderick, a vice president of Home Savings and Loan Associations, and two grandchildren.

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