On June 12, veteran coach of McDevitt boys basketball Mike Gaffey was named the new coach of Mechanicsburg boys basketball. A huge shift in the Mid Penn, as Gaffey has been a notable name in the area for a while.
The news was most important because it meant that Mechanicsburg will have an opportunity to be a very special team this next coming year, but it the shift from Gaffey also opened an opportunity for someone to now coach McDevitt basketball, and the hiring process has come to a close for the McDevitt Athletic Department.
Mark Risser, an assistant under coach Mike Gaffey for 8 years, is expected to be named as the head coach for the coming 2022 season.
When I spoke to Coach Risser earlier today about his new role, he said "Getting the call today was unreal. I told Coach (Tommy) Mealy that I finally know what it feels like to be the first pick in the draft." When speaking about predecessor he said "I'm just thankful to Coach Gaffey. I've known him for over 30 years. I'm confident I'll be successful because I learned under one of the best and a hall of Famer!".
Risser is more than deserving of the coaching job at McDevitt. He's been learning and playing a key role in the team's success over the years. Risser, in addition to coaching at McDevitt, helped with Coach K's final camp at Duke basketball. He also teaches at Lebanon Middle School.
He'll start his duties July 6th running the McDevitt basketball camp, which will include speeches from players like John Harrar of Penn State, Milik Gantz of North Carolina A&T, and more.
Comments