Rick Spooner devoted 47 years to Rumsey Hall School in Washington, Connecticut, where he served as an educator, administrator, mentor, and one of the state’s most respected scholastic volleyball coaches. Arriving at Rumsey Hall in 1969 after earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, Rick began a distinguished career that included serving as a history teacher, Dean of Students, Academic Dean, Dean of Faculty, Director of Residential Life, dorm parent, and Associate Head of School until his retirement in 2016. A native of Bristol, Connecticut, and graduate of Bristol Central High School, he later earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, Connecticut in 1992, further strengthening his lifelong commitment to guiding and supporting young people.
At the conclusion of his career, he was honored as a Master Teacher and awarded the prestigious Rumsey Medal of Honor. Following his passing in 2019, Rumsey Hall honored his extraordinary contributions by dedicating Spooner House Dormitory, Spooner Field, and Spooner Pond in recognition of his family’s enduring legacy. In 2026, the school also dedicated the boys’ varsity hockey rink locker room in honor of his son, Stephen Spooner ’94, and Rick’s devotion to Rumsey Hall continues to be recognized through an annual endowment established in his name by the Ehret Family.
Rick possessed a lifelong fascination with the heritage and culture of Japan. During the early 1980s, he created a Japanese History course for ninth-grade students that remained a popular part of Rumsey Hall curriculum until his retirement. He incorporated Japanese philosophy and traditions into both the classroom and athletics, where students affectionately addressed him as “Sensei,” while he warmly referred to them as his “grasshoppers”. Quiet by nature and thoughtful in his approach, Rick was known as an exceptional listener whose door was always open. His calm demeanor, practical wisdom, honest advice, and unwavering encouragement earned the respect of generations of students and athletes who viewed him as both mentor and confidant.
Rick’s greatest contribution to Connecticut volleyball began in 1975 when he founded the girls’ volleyball program at Rumsey Hall and became the varsity head coach for nearly five decades. Under his leadership, the program developed into one of the region’s most successful and respected scholastic programs. His varsity teams achieved undefeated seasons in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005. Those accomplishments were especially remarkable because Rumsey Hall’s varsity roster-comprised primarily of eighth- and ninth-grade students-consistently competed and defeated high school programs made up of older athletes.
The inaugural Rumsey Hall Volleyball Tournament was also established in 1975, and through Rick’s dedication it grew into one of the school’s signature athletic events. In recognition of his exceptional leadership, the tournament was officially renamed the Rick Spooner Classic in 2002, and its 50th anniversary was celebrated in 2026. Coach Spooner’s teams captured tournament championships in 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005-2015, for an impressive total of 20 titles. His teams also won the Upland Volleyball Tournament in Pennsylvania in 1999, 2001, 2004, 2006, and 2009. Following Rick’s retirement, his daughter Allison Linley ’89, a former player, teacher, and junior varsity coach at Rumsey Hall, continued his legacy as varsity head coach for more than a decade.
An accomplished player himself, Rick competed for many years in Connecticut men’s leagues as a setter for both the Litchfield County Volleyball Club and the New Milford “Big T” team, which he also captained. Through his leadership as an educator, mentor, and scholastic coach, Rick Spooner left a lasting impact on Rumsey Hall School and on generations of student-athletes whose lives were shaped by his guidance. His unwavering commitment to excellence, quiet wisdom, and enduring love for the game established a tradition of success that continues to inspire the volleyball community today.