IBCA E-Newsletter

2020 PGC Transformational Coach Award

RaNae Isaak of Columbus North and Jim Merlie of Speedway are winners of the Point Guard College Transformational Coach Awards as presented by the IBCA.

This is the fourth year for these awards, which are presented annually to coaches who have impacted the lives of their players, fellow coaches and others within their community. The recipients are coaches who are respected by their players and fellow coaches for their dedication, positive approach and integrity on and off the court.

Previous winners – 2017, Gary Cook, North Decatur; 2018, Chris Buggs, Gary West, and Adam Dennis, Switzerland County; 2019, Travis Hannah, John Glenn.

RaNae Isaak, Columbus North

RaNae Isaak recently completed her 14th season as a girls basketball assistant coach at Columbus North, helping guide the Bull Dogs to a 16-9 record and third-place finish in Conference Indiana. The fact that Isaak was able to coach at all during 2019-2020, however, in many ways was a miracle.

In the spring of 2019, Isaak suffered from repeated muscle-tensing episodes in her left arm and leg that ultimately were diagnosed in May as result of a brain tumor. She continued to work with the Columbus North program through the June summer workouts before having brain surgery to remove the tumor on July 12 at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital.

The surgery left Isaak with no ability to move her left side and an initial prognosis that she may be unable to walk for an extended period. However, thanks to her perseverance in a rehab program at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, Isaak walked out of the facility on Aug. 3 and returned to her life as an engineer at Cummins, Inc., a basketball coach at Columbus North, an MBA student at Indiana University and a wife and step-mother to two college-age women.

She was honored by the Indiana Pacers for her recovery on Jan. 17 at halftime of the Pacers’ 116-114 home victory against Minnesota at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

“When you learn you have a brain tumor, it’s quite amazing what goes through your head,” Isaak said during an interview on WRTV-Channel 6. “You don’t know if things are ever going to be back to normal or how long it’s going to last. I mean, everything is so dependent on the situation. Having the trust in the people (working with you) helps you make it through.”

Dr. Charles Kulwin, a neurosurgeon with Goodwin Campbell Brain and Spine, described Isaak’s recovery as remarkable.

“When RaNae woke up and was having trouble as expected (after surgery), she believed in us when we told her it’s all going to get better,” Dr. Kulwin said. “Most importantly, the strength and will she had from Day 1 when she woke up, to say, ‘I’m going to get all of this back,’ it’s just been amazing.”

Isaak, 38, has been a coach in the Columbus North girls program since 2006 when she moved to Indiana after earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering at Idaho State University. She coached four seasons with CN coach Debbie Marr, then has remained on staff for the past 10 seasons with CN coach Pat McKee.

Columbus North has posted a 274-78 record during Isaak’s 14 seasons on staff. In the past 10 seasons, the Bull Dogs have gone 217-50 with seven Conference Indiana championships, six sectional titles, four regional crowns, three semi-state trophies and the 2015 Class 4A state championship. The Bull Dogs also were Class 4A state runners-up in 2012 and 2016 and a final four team in 2017.

McKee knew quickly that Isaak was someone he wanted to retain in the Columbus North program when he was reforming the Bull Dogs’ coaching staff in April 2010. Isaak is the lone holdover from the previous staff.

“RaNae brings a passion and focused intensity to everything she does,” McKee said. “I felt that instantly when I met her, and I knew we not only wanted to have her stay in the CNHS program, we wanted her to have an expanded role. Ever since, I have seen the energy and perspective she brings to our players virtually every day. We have had many successes over the past decade, and RaNae has been an integral contributor to all them.”

Emily Kim has known Isaak throughout her tenure at Columbus North, dating to when Kim’s sister Betsy also was a Bull Dogs’ player. Betsy Kim is a 2008 CNHS graduate, and Emily Kim is a 2016 CNHS graduate.

“I have watched RaNae coach and been coached by her at many levels,” Emily Kim said. “Although her coaching roles have changed over the years, one thing has remained constant – her ability to push players toward the greatness she knew each of us had. RaNae set high expectations for us as player and even higher expectations for us as young women.

“RaNae’s coaching help me accomplish great things on the court. More importantly, her coaching made me a better person off the court.”

A 2000 graduate of American Falls High School in Idaho, Isaak was a starter on a basketball team posted a four-year record of 90-16, placed third in the Idaho state tournament her first three seasons and won the Idaho Class A-2 state championship with a 23-5 finish when she was a senior.

Isaak also played golf and volleyball in high school, and she later was a four-year NCAA Division I golfer at Idaho State. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Idaho State in 2004 and 2006, respectively. She also served as a graduate assistant coach for Idaho State women’s golf in 2005-06. She is on track to receive her master’s in business administration this spring from IU.

Isaak and her husband, Ron Patberg, live in Columbus. She is the step-mother to Ali and Kenzie.

Jim Merlie, Speedway

Dedicated. Unselfish. Energetic. All three qualities accurately describe Jim Merlie, who has served as an assistant coach for the past seven seasons in the Speedway High School boys basketball program.

Beyond the typical tasks such as helping with the Sparkplugs’ practices and games as well as camps, clinics and a youth program, Merlie also created the school’s Student Athletic Leadership Team. And that group, which has become to be known as SALT and annually sends students to the IHSAA Youth Leadership Conference, organized Speedway’s first unified basketball contest this past season in conjunction with Cascade High School. That came after the SALT group organized unified kickball games for three years.

Speedway athletic director Brian Avery offered this evaluation of the unified basketball event.

“To say the event was a success would be doing it an injustice,” Avery wrote in an event summary. “I can honestly say that in the 37 years I've been involved in secondary education, (the unified basketball) event will forever rank in my top five positive memories. Our student body as well as the Speedway and Cascade communities came together to create an unforgettable evening for many people, most notably for a group of students who rarely is the recipient of much fanfare or acclaim.”

Varsity coach Charles Bennett said Merlie – who has specialized in overseeing the Speedway youth program – has impacted the Sparkplugs’ boys basketball program with knowledge and enthusiasm.

“Coach Merlie is a true role model in promoting our program’s main three tenets of ‘being a good person, being a good student and then being a good player,’ ” Bennett said. “He is an outstanding teacher and a true leader in our building. His example as a father and husband makes him a pillar in his church and community.”

A 1998 graduate of Schlarman High School in Danville, Ill., Merlie competed in basketball, cross country and track & field. He earned three varsity letters in basketball, and his team won an Illinois Class A regional when he was a senior. He then went on to Marian University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 2003 in elementary education and special education.

Merlie began his coaching career as the Cardinal Ritter freshman boys basketball coach in 2005-06. He then moved to Indianapolis Manual High School, serving as a boys basketball assistant for three seasons and then becoming the Redskins’ varsity coach from 2009-12. His Manual teams posted a 26-43 record, highlighted by a 12-11 mark and sectional championship in 2011-12.

Merlie then accepted a position at Speedway, where he has been a key support person for the past seven years.

“Coach Merlie's dedication, positive approach and integrity all speak for themselves through his daily actions as a coach, teacher, father, husband and leader of young student-athletes,” Bennett said. “While Coach Merlie will be irritated that we nominated him, he deserves to be recognized for his hard work, dedication and selflessness.”

Merlie and his wife, Tina, are the parents of two sons – Kyle, 10, and Max, 8.