Dick Fisher
Dick Fisher has been the face of Chestnut Ridge athletics since 1970, serving as the athletic director and a coach for many different sports over that span.
He was a 1958 graduate of Bedford Area High School and he lettered in three sports for the Bisons. He was a four-year letterwinner for the baseball team, three-year letterwinner in football, and two-year letterwinner in basketball. He was an All-Bedford County selection in football both his junior and senior years.
Fisher played baseball throughout the summer from 1952 to 1962 in the Bedford County League. He played American Legion baseball for Everett and Bedford in 1957 and 1958, and he tried out for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Fisher attended Juniata College from 1958 to 1962 before transferring to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he received a degree in Comprehensive Social Studies and History in 1964. At Juniata, Fisher played baseball for the Indians all four years.
He also participated in county fast-pitch leagues as a player and/or umpire from the 1960s to the 1980s.
He was hired as a teacher and coach at Chestnut Ridge High School in 1964 and stayed there until his retirement in 2002.
During his coaching tenure at Chestnut Ridge, Fisher coached football and baseball each for eight years. He coached football from 1965 to 1970 and in 1977 and 1978. He coached two 9-1 football teams in 1966 and 1967, while winning league titles those two years as well as in 1977. Fisher coached baseball from 1965 to 1972 as well. During various times over his career at Chestnut Ridge, Fisher also coached wrestling, boys basketball, and track, while also taking Chestnut Ridge s first tennis players and golfers to district competitions.
However, it is as an athletic director that Fisher has made his name know across the state. He had memberships in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Directors Association (PSADA), the Executive Council of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Directors, National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), Pennsylvania Central-Western Athletic Directors Association, PIAA District 5 Committee, PIAA Athletic Directors Steering Committee, PIAA Track and Field Steering Committee, and PIAA Board of Directors.
As a member of the PIAA District V Committee, he was the secretary for the last 17 years and the District V Track and Field Chairman from 1983 to 2004. He was the Custodian of Awards at the state track and Held meet.
In 2003, Fisher was elected to the PIAA Board of Directors for a two-year term as the state Junior High / Middle School Representative on the board.
Fisher was instrumental in the formation of new sports programs at Chestnut Ridge including golf, boys soccer, girls soccer, and cross country.
For his work as an athletic administrator, Fisher earned several area, state, and national recognitions. He was the PSADA Region 3 Athletic Director of the Year in 1994 and PSADA Pennsylvania State Athletic Director of the year in 1995, and the NIAAA National Award of Merit winner in 2001.
In 2006, the Chestnut Ridge School District named the Chestnut Ridge High School gymnasium the Richard W. Fisher Gymnasium in his honor with the dedication to come after the current high school renovations are completed.
Fisher is still busy working on the Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame Committee as well as various other athletic, community, and church activities.
His wife is Linda (Woodle) Fisher.
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Dick Fisher has been the face of Chestnut Ridge athletics since 1970, serving as the athletic director and a coach for many different sports over that span.
He was a 1958 graduate of Bedford Area High School and he lettered in three sports for the Bisons. He was a four-year letterwinner for the baseball team, three-year letterwinner in football, and two-year letterwinner in basketball. He was an All-Bedford County selection in football both his junior and senior years.
Fisher played baseball throughout the summer from 1952 to 1962 in the Bedford County League. He played American Legion baseball for Everett and Bedford in 1957 and 1958, and he tried out for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Fisher attended Juniata College from 1958 to 1962 before transferring to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he received a degree in Comprehensive Social Studies and History in 1964. At Juniata, Fisher played baseball for the Indians all four years.
He also participated in county fast-pitch leagues as a player and/or umpire from the 1960s to the 1980s.
He was hired as a teacher and coach at Chestnut Ridge High School in 1964 and stayed there until his retirement in 2002.
During his coaching tenure at Chestnut Ridge, Fisher coached football and baseball each for eight years. He coached football from 1965 to 1970 and in 1977 and 1978. He coached two 9-1 football teams in 1966 and 1967, while winning league titles those two years as well as in 1977. Fisher coached baseball from 1965 to 1972 as well. During various times over his career at Chestnut Ridge, Fisher also coached wrestling, boys basketball, and track, while also taking Chestnut Ridge s first tennis players and golfers to district competitions.
However, it is as an athletic director that Fisher has made his name know across the state. He had memberships in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Directors Association (PSADA), the Executive Council of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Directors, National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), Pennsylvania Central-Western Athletic Directors Association, PIAA District 5 Committee, PIAA Athletic Directors Steering Committee, PIAA Track and Field Steering Committee, and PIAA Board of Directors.
As a member of the PIAA District V Committee, he was the secretary for the last 17 years and the District V Track and Field Chairman from 1983 to 2004. He was the Custodian of Awards at the state track and Held meet.
In 2003, Fisher was elected to the PIAA Board of Directors for a two-year term as the state Junior High / Middle School Representative on the board.
Fisher was instrumental in the formation of new sports programs at Chestnut Ridge including golf, boys soccer, girls soccer, and cross country.
For his work as an athletic administrator, Fisher earned several area, state, and national recognitions. He was the PSADA Region 3 Athletic Director of the Year in 1994 and PSADA Pennsylvania State Athletic Director of the year in 1995, and the NIAAA National Award of Merit winner in 2001.
In 2006, the Chestnut Ridge School District named the Chestnut Ridge High School gymnasium the Richard W. Fisher Gymnasium in his honor with the dedication to come after the current high school renovations are completed.
Fisher is still busy working on the Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame Committee as well as various other athletic, community, and church activities.
His wife is Linda (Woodle) Fisher.
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Class of 2007
Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania