Ralph Rabago Says Goodbye to Crafton Hills College

Publish Date: July 26, 2023

Ralph Rabago knew he would be a coach and teacher back when he was an elementary school kid in Whittier, California, and began to appreciate sports competition. After completing high school, he attended Rio Honda College and then the University of Redlands, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He then moved on to the University of Idaho, where he completed his master’s. 

In 1989, Rabago began his tenure as a full-time physical education instructor at Craton Hills College and taught a wide variety of activity classes, including basketball, volleyball, hiking, weight training, tennis (competitive and noncompetitive), golf, and – most recently — pickleball. Ralph introduced pickleball classes at CHC before most of us knew anything about this oddly named sport. Ralph has been a mainstay in teaching academic classes as well, teaching Introduction to Kinesiology, Introduction to Health & Wellness, and Nutrition for Fitness and Performance. 

Ralph has also served Crafton Hills College in many key leadership positions: Kinesiology & Health Department chair, faculty senate president, district assembly chair, lead CTA negotiator, CTA grievance representative, Planning and Program Review committee co-chair, Distance Education committee chair, and Curriculum committee co-chair. Rabago’s colleagues have recognized his contributions by twice awarding him the Professor of the Year award. He has also won the prestigious WHO (“We Honor Ours”) Award, which the Community College Association (CCA) of College Teachers Association (CTA) awards to members who have made a significant contribution to their local faculty association. Ralph also leaves the legacy of leading a six-plus year effort to develop and implement intercollegiate athletics at Craton Hills College. We now have intercollegiate swimming and water polo teams and have begun a cross-country running team.

Although Ralph is retiring as a full-time faculty member, he is looking forward to leading pickleball coaching workshops for the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR) and offering private pickleball lessons.