Friends of Basketball

Dr. Rodney D. Merkle

Year Inducted: 2011

Category: Friends of Basketball

Schools / Organizations: Cissna Park-Crescent Iroquois High School

Biography: Rodney has been a supporter of Cissna Park High School and Cissna Park-Crescent Iroquois High School.  As a student at CP from 1977-80, he assisted the varsity coach by audio tape recording the play-by-play of every game and videotaping some games for the coaches to review.  Rodney, who has a PHD and is a professor at Heartland Community College in Normal, has collected programs and artifacts from games throught the years of his attendance.  He estimates that he has attended basketball games in 150+ gymnasiums throughout Illinois.