The untimely death of Coach Richard Plummer has many of us reminiscing about all the memories and life’s lessons that “Mr. Plummer, Coach, Dick” taught us over the years. All of his quick witted remarks and funny sayings I can still hear today and call on often while telling a favorite funny story of old times at Scarborough High.

   If you were ever a student, player, or friend of his you could always count on a good laugh in his company. If you were a player of his, that laugh was most often at your expense, but always in good fun. I can remember waiting for the bell to ring after his gym class and betting a Pepsi on best out of 10 free throws. You could shoot nine for 10 and he would shoot 10 for 10. You could never beat him. Looking back I must have known that ahead of time, I didn’t even like Pepsi. It was the respect we had for him and the challenge of trying to beat him that made it so fun.

   Some of the best memories of Mr. Plummer were his favorite sayings and life’s lessons. At practice after school we knew we had better finish our mile run before his truck or as I teased him, his Trans AM, made it down over the hill. You knew to pick up the pace when you heard it coming, the blue Chevy pickup with the big gold eagle on the hood, the water cans and barrel of sawdust for the goalie box rattling in the back. You knew you had either screwed up or weren’t trying hard enough when you heard “Take a lap or give me 20!” Before the game it was “No talking to Lovely Lena” (your girlfriend) before or during a game. On the field or court it was things he said to you like “Time your jump, practice your foul shots, whatta you doing? Screw your head on straight, go to the ball, get goal side, cover down, pull up, play the whistle, shoot with your left. Hey ref you’re missing a good game here.” And if you gave it your best, on your way off the field for a break you’d get the head nod and “Atta boy, good job, now get a drink and be ready.” And the best and most practical lesson — “Wear your jock.”

   Coach Plummer was old school. He expected more out of you as a student or player. He demanded that you give it your best and he always set the standard for you. If it wasn’t what he wanted or what he knew you were capable of you ran laps or the dreaded hill! Up, down, up, down, up backwards, down backwards, until you reached your potential! He taught us how to be better people, the best we could be. How to dig deep and find the motivation it took to perform well on the field or in the classroom. He taught us pride. Not just pride, Scarborough Redskin pride.

   I was lucky enough to have visited with Coach Plummer in the hospital just a few days before he passed. We joked and laughed even though he wasn’t feeling well. We talked about what a great job Coach Diaz has done with the soccer program and the team’s amazing undefeated season. Marc, he truly admired what you’ve done with the program. What I remember most of my visit with him was when a relative of his entered the room to visit, he introduced me as his friend. I will always take pride in that. To be considered a friend of Mr. Plummer is about as high on the totem pole as you can get.

   Mr. Plummer always preached timing is everything, ironically, I found myself traveling home from my hunting vacation in Northern Maine to attend his memorial service. He no doubt would have understood had I decided not to leave the woods and attend, after all he was from the county. (Up Home) I remember how proud he was of his hometown and he would always share stories of the summer vacations he took up home and come this time of year frequently asked “You get your deer yet?” However, given the chance to pay tribute to a man that was a legend in the high school sports community, a respected teacher, proud father, grandfather and most of all my friend, there   is no place I would rather be.

    Although we will miss him dearly, I know I will take some comfort knowing that up there where there is nothing considered offensive or politically incorrect there is a proud Redskin watching over all of us, keeping the grass cut and trimmed to perfection on all the ball fields.

  Rest in peace Coach. Thank you. I’m going to grab a drink and I’ll be ready to go in for you when I get there. 

We’ll miss you!

Jeff Greenleaf

Scarborough High School class of 1989

A Redskin Forever