La Crescent-Hokah Baseball HC Rick Boyer Dies

By Adam Roberts – 3/1/2021

News 19’s Scott Emerich has reported that long-time La Crescent-Hokah baseball head coach Rick Boyer has passed away.

As a coach, Rick was a staple of the community, with years of success for the Lancers highlighted by a 2009 Class AA State championship followed by a third place finish the following year and second place finish the year after that. He also played for the summer league La Crescent Cardinals and La Crosse 35ers, and coached the Loggers for two seasons as well.

With me, though, Rick made his biggest impact with how respectful and personable he could be with anyone, inside or outside of baseball. Many people are familiar with Boyers Budger Furniture at the West Ave-South Ave intersection. It was here that I made two of my first major purchases as a young adult: a large black coach with a pullout mattress and a regular queen, both of which I still use today. I can be a difficult person to sell to, just as the car dealer when I took forever to decide on my first car. But Rick was the perfect person to sale a young, cynical adult exactly what I needed.

And for the baseball community, Rick was exactly what we needed as well: a person that other coaches could feel comfortable spit-balling ideas off of (no pun intended), and someone to gauge their own programs against. His presence will be greatly missed in the Coulee Region. A tribute is being planned at La Crescent High School for tonight’s game against Caledonia.