Bio

Starring as a linebacker and offensive guard for the Arkansas City High School football team, Ron Schuchman continued his success on the gridiron by becoming an All-American football player at Arkansas City Junior College, while playing on both sides of the ball. His athletic accomplishments have led to his selection into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame.

As a senior at Arkansas City High School, Schuchman anchored a Bulldog defense that shutout four of its five conference opponents and finished the season with a record of 10 wins, no losses and one tie. With no playoff system back in 1960, Ark City finished ranked second in the state behind only Lawrence High School. For his efforts, Schuchman was named All-American.

Having played for then assistant coach Ben Cleveland at Ark City High School, Schuchman followed Cleveland to Ark City Junior College as Cleveland took over as head coach of the Tigers in 1960. In their first season together at ACJC, the team went 4-5-1. Four of the team’s five losses were by six points or less. Just like at Ark City High School, Schuchman and Cleveland brought a strong defense to ACJC as the Tigers allowed only one opponent to score more than 13 points in a game.

In year two, the 1961 team had a season to remember as they went 7-4. The Tiger football team had not won seven games in a season since 1939. “Ben had pretty good luck recruiting that year,” Schuchman said. “He got a bunch of boys that played good together.” With Schuchman again anchoring the defense, the Tigers shutout three opponents and allowed only a total of 12 points during a three-game winning streak to finish the season.

“I enjoyed being a part of those teams,” Schuchman said. “We had a lot of fun in practice and the games. Coach Cleveland made the work enjoyable.”

Recognized for his stellar play on both sides of the ball, Schuchman was named an NJCAA All-American. Following graduation from ACJC, Schuchman went on to sign to play football at New Mexico State University. Working his way up to the No. 1 inside linebacker position at NMSU during the spring practices, Schuchman was poised to have a big season for the Aggies. However, due to some unfortunate circumstances, he was never able to suit up for his new school. Thus, Schuchman decided to forego his football career and returned to Arkansas City.

After a couple years back home, Schuchman was drafted by the Army National Guard and spent six years in the guard. He eventually went on to take a job at the Conoco refinery in Ponca City, OK, where he would be employed for 30 years before retiring in 2000. He retired as a senior production superintendent.

In the mid 1980’s Schuchman would make several trips back to the college, which was then known as Cowley College, as his daughter, Kim, was a standout member of the Lady Tiger softball team. Kim was an All-American shortstop for the Lady Tiger softball team during the 1987 season, making her and Ron the first and only father-daughter combinations to earn All-American honors at Cowley. The pair will now become the first-ever father-daughter duo inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame.

“That is a point of pride, her and I being inducted together,” Schuchman said. Schuchman is looking forward to returning to Arkansas City for the induction ceremony. “There has been an awful lot of changes to the school since I was there,” Schuchman said. “There was only one building when I was a student there.”