GREEN COVE SPRINGS – In 1966, he was the first Black teacher to integrate a school in Florida. Still, since his first day as a physical education teacher at Clay High as a physical education instructor, Ron Riddle has done much more.

During the 37-year stint that the larger-than-life community figure at Clay and the sidelines of C.B. Bowles Stadium, Riddle has been driven by one overriding force: an ever-present and powerful feeling of self-worth.

“My self-worth was probably the greatest thing because I gave it everything I had in coaching and teaching. I’ve really been blessed,” he said.

During the onset of Riddle’s career at Clay, times were different, and segregation-related tensions were a reality. Any newly-hired employee needed to make a good impression, but since he was the first Black teacher in the state, Riddle especially needed to perform.

“When I first got here, I had to impress the school board, the administration, and the faculty,” he said. 

Riddle not only taught physical education but several sports: boys’ and girls’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ track and field, weightlifting (which allowed his student-athletes to continue their training regiment to grow their skills needed for a possible a college scholarship) and of course, football.

“I did just about everything,” Riddle said.

Riddle was part of a Blue Devils’ coaching staff that won the state championship in 1967. He still dons the ring today.

Riddle said his greatest impact from his long and tenured career was the fingerprints he left on his students.

“My greatest impact was on the students. You have to give it all in order to teach these kids. I was considered a role model. If they watch you and trust you and you can build a relationship with them, they will run through a brick wall for you. That just happens to be what I was blessed to do,” he said.

Riddle’s impact transcended far beyond his student-athletes.

The role model and local figure even went to feed the entire community before food banks existed in the county through a program he created via the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

“I used to have a food program until all of the (food banks) opened. FCA made sure that all of the students had something for Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Riddle said.

The program was popular. It spread like wildfire.

“After that, we did 200 turkeys and hams for Thanksgiving and Christmas. A lot of people were needy, and it was a lot of work, but we made sure that everyone had something to eat,” Riddle said.

The longtime leader retired from football and other regular coaching duties in 2003. Still, he continued coaching track and field until 2020, finally retiring after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I coached until COVID came by. Then, I came home,” the offensive lineman-sized man said while cracking his signature laugh.

Before entering the teaching and coaching profession, Riddle desired to play professional football.

“All of my life, I wanted to play football. God says that he will give you the secret desires of my heart. Mine was to play pro football, but I got hurt, so I said, ‘I’m going to call it quits. I’m not taking an operation.’ So the Lord said, ‘I’ve got something else for you.’ If that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have been this successful, going to these places and doing these things. It means a lot,” he said.

Now, Riddle has accomplished what he now knows was more gratifying: helping his students get a full-ride scholarship out of high school and doing whatever it takes to reach that goal.

Among several others, two of those athletes were Charles Clark, who earned a full-ride football scholarship to the University of Mississippi, and Jennifer Charles, who earned a volleyball scholarship at Georgia Southern. 

“I took so many kids to West Virginia State that all I had to do was call them. I didn’t have to do anything after they were (academically) accepted. At that point, they knew that everybody that I sent was a good kid,” Riddle said.