Rusty Riner was born in Oak Hill, West Virginia and moved to Oceanside, California in 1956. He attended San Clemente High School, Mira Costa College and Linfield College in Oregon.. He has a daughter, Jennifer, a granddaughter, Emily, and a son, John. He is currently married to his wife of three years, Sheila, and has a stepdaughter, Alissa.
Rusty’s officiating career started at Linfield College in Oregon in 1968, officiating intramural football. After leaving Linfield College and returning to Oceanside, he umpired softball for the City of Oceanside, then the ASA and the ISC (International Softball Congress). He also was a player in the ASA and the ISC, and was drafted in the first ever professional fast pitch league, although the