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DAYTON — Work ethic and competition.
They were the common denominators around the Daugherty household, where sisters Kristin and Kari balanced tending to the family farm with playing a lot of pickup basketball.
It was the groundwork of development for two of the best athletes Coshocton County has produced. Together, they played on teams that won two girls basketball titles and reached a state volleyball tournament while at River View High School.
Kristin, now Kristin Ronai, recently became Ohio High School Athletic Association Associate Executive Director after thrice being named All-Atlantic 10 during her hardwood playing days at Dayton.
From the archive: Fresno dairy farm keeping pace with rising prices on both sides of the industry
More: River View's Caroline Daugherty reflects on latest accolade
More: Coshocton's Conkle, Ridgewood's Kelley highlight All-Tribuneland Winter squads
Kari, now Kari Pickens, twice was named Division II Player of the Year in basketball at Ashland and is now the Eagles' head coach of seven years. Her program remains one of the nation's elite, as she is the only person in Division II history to win a national title as a player, assistant coach and head coach (2022-23).
Their careers were recognized by the OHSAA last weekend, where they were enshrined into the prestigious Circle of Champions during halftime of the Division VII state boys basketball championship game on March 22 at University of Dayton Arena.
The Circle includes prodigious figures such as LeBron James, Clark Kellogg and Jim Tressel. Kristin and Kari joined their mother and former coach at River View, Caroline Daugherty, in the Circle.
"It's a true honor," Kristin said. "We're very proud of the community where we grew up an the life lessons that we learned, just to shine a light on how hard work, and trying to be a good person and where that can take your life."
In this case, it took them to center court at the state tournament with Findlay Liberty-Benton and Ohio State point guard Dr. Aaron Craft, Dover High grad and U.S. Olympic gold medalist Hunter Armstrong, Dublin Coffman and Ohio State star women's basketball player Jacy Sheldon and longtime Cleveland-area basketball official Phil Bova, who were also were enshrined with the sisters.
Kristin called the experience "humbling."
"And the fact we get to go in together, Kari and me, it's really a testament to our family and we just do things together," Kristin said.
Case in point: Those pickup games. When asked who usually had the upper hand, Kari, who is 6-2, said it "was pretty mutual."
"We had to stop keeping score in our 1-on-1 games when when we got into high school because had about killed each other," Kari recalled. "My dad (Bill Daugherty) would get out there quite a bit. Growing up on a farm, I think absolutely it shapes work ethic, toughness — all of it.
"Our parents did a tremendous job of making sure that we did learn how to work," Kari added. "They showcased that for us every day, too."
Kristin, now part of the OHSAA contingent that introduces champions and runner-ups at the state basketball tournament, said being at the championship makes her think of her playing days.
She was a first-team All-Ohio wing player for a tall and talented River View squad that featured three 6-footers in the lineup. She won titles in 2006 and 2007.
"It's really cool to be, you know — you see it from the administrator's perspective, and all of the work that goes in to putting on these events for these high school kids and their lifetime experiences they are never going to forget," Kristin said. "To have the opportunity to impact in this small way in my role (with the OHSAA) is pretty special."
Kari looks back on those playing days with great honor. She played in four state tournaments between basketball and volleyball and now shares plenty of those lessons with her current players.
Her Eagles just missed a Final Four berth in 2024-25, a game that would have landed the weekend of the Circle enshrinement. That would have meant delaying the induction for a year so she and the family could attend.
That wasn't going to happen.
"I have to constantly remind people that winning is really hard," Kari said. "And even though we have been able to have a lot of success in high school, it never took away from everyone that contributed. It took so much from all of the players, coaches, community. To be able to even have those opportunities. Just to look back at them, I look back on those opportunities with such fond memories."
Caroline echoed that.
"They had a good supporting cast with them," Caroline said. "Several girls played AAU. I didn't know they would win two in a row, but I knew there was a chance we could do it.
Caroline and Bill, an assistant under Caroline on those River View teams, were in attendance with son Kyle and youngest daughter Andi for the induction. All of their grandchildren were also in attendance.
Caroline, the Mid-American Conference's Player of the Decade in the 1980s, said it "was really special" that the girls were enshrined together.
"That is the one thing about family, we always show up for each other," Caroline said. "We're always supportive of one another. Andi had a baby a week ago and she was there with her husband. Kyle and his wife were there."
It's an honor she said was well deserved.
"They put the work in," Caroline said. "It didn't just happen. Hours upon hours they put in to it."
[email protected]: X: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Why the latest OHSAA honor for the Daugherty family meant so much
Continue reading...
They were the common denominators around the Daugherty household, where sisters Kristin and Kari balanced tending to the family farm with playing a lot of pickup basketball.
It was the groundwork of development for two of the best athletes Coshocton County has produced. Together, they played on teams that won two girls basketball titles and reached a state volleyball tournament while at River View High School.
Kristin, now Kristin Ronai, recently became Ohio High School Athletic Association Associate Executive Director after thrice being named All-Atlantic 10 during her hardwood playing days at Dayton.
From the archive: Fresno dairy farm keeping pace with rising prices on both sides of the industry
More: River View's Caroline Daugherty reflects on latest accolade
More: Coshocton's Conkle, Ridgewood's Kelley highlight All-Tribuneland Winter squads
Kari, now Kari Pickens, twice was named Division II Player of the Year in basketball at Ashland and is now the Eagles' head coach of seven years. Her program remains one of the nation's elite, as she is the only person in Division II history to win a national title as a player, assistant coach and head coach (2022-23).
Their careers were recognized by the OHSAA last weekend, where they were enshrined into the prestigious Circle of Champions during halftime of the Division VII state boys basketball championship game on March 22 at University of Dayton Arena.
Joining special company
The Circle includes prodigious figures such as LeBron James, Clark Kellogg and Jim Tressel. Kristin and Kari joined their mother and former coach at River View, Caroline Daugherty, in the Circle.
"It's a true honor," Kristin said. "We're very proud of the community where we grew up an the life lessons that we learned, just to shine a light on how hard work, and trying to be a good person and where that can take your life."
In this case, it took them to center court at the state tournament with Findlay Liberty-Benton and Ohio State point guard Dr. Aaron Craft, Dover High grad and U.S. Olympic gold medalist Hunter Armstrong, Dublin Coffman and Ohio State star women's basketball player Jacy Sheldon and longtime Cleveland-area basketball official Phil Bova, who were also were enshrined with the sisters.
Kristin called the experience "humbling."
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"And the fact we get to go in together, Kari and me, it's really a testament to our family and we just do things together," Kristin said.
Case in point: Those pickup games. When asked who usually had the upper hand, Kari, who is 6-2, said it "was pretty mutual."
"We had to stop keeping score in our 1-on-1 games when when we got into high school because had about killed each other," Kari recalled. "My dad (Bill Daugherty) would get out there quite a bit. Growing up on a farm, I think absolutely it shapes work ethic, toughness — all of it.
"Our parents did a tremendous job of making sure that we did learn how to work," Kari added. "They showcased that for us every day, too."
Memories that last a lifetime
Kristin, now part of the OHSAA contingent that introduces champions and runner-ups at the state basketball tournament, said being at the championship makes her think of her playing days.
She was a first-team All-Ohio wing player for a tall and talented River View squad that featured three 6-footers in the lineup. She won titles in 2006 and 2007.
"It's really cool to be, you know — you see it from the administrator's perspective, and all of the work that goes in to putting on these events for these high school kids and their lifetime experiences they are never going to forget," Kristin said. "To have the opportunity to impact in this small way in my role (with the OHSAA) is pretty special."
Kari looks back on those playing days with great honor. She played in four state tournaments between basketball and volleyball and now shares plenty of those lessons with her current players.
Her Eagles just missed a Final Four berth in 2024-25, a game that would have landed the weekend of the Circle enshrinement. That would have meant delaying the induction for a year so she and the family could attend.
That wasn't going to happen.
"I have to constantly remind people that winning is really hard," Kari said. "And even though we have been able to have a lot of success in high school, it never took away from everyone that contributed. It took so much from all of the players, coaches, community. To be able to even have those opportunities. Just to look back at them, I look back on those opportunities with such fond memories."
A family affair
Caroline echoed that.
"They had a good supporting cast with them," Caroline said. "Several girls played AAU. I didn't know they would win two in a row, but I knew there was a chance we could do it.
Caroline and Bill, an assistant under Caroline on those River View teams, were in attendance with son Kyle and youngest daughter Andi for the induction. All of their grandchildren were also in attendance.
You must be registered for see images attach
Caroline, the Mid-American Conference's Player of the Decade in the 1980s, said it "was really special" that the girls were enshrined together.
"That is the one thing about family, we always show up for each other," Caroline said. "We're always supportive of one another. Andi had a baby a week ago and she was there with her husband. Kyle and his wife were there."
It's an honor she said was well deserved.
"They put the work in," Caroline said. "It didn't just happen. Hours upon hours they put in to it."
[email protected]: X: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Why the latest OHSAA honor for the Daugherty family meant so much
Continue reading...
