Spanish River High School Recognizes Retired Cross Country Coach with Lifetime Achievement Award

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Oct. 30, 2014 - PRLog -- Award-winning high school cross country and track coach Rick Rothman is about to get the recognition he deserves. The former high school teacher and coach at Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton stepped down last year after 31 years of coaching the girls and boys distance running programs. During that time he racked up countless coaching awards, including National High School Athletic Coaches Association girls cross country coach of the year, and built the Spanish River program into one of the most successful and dominant in the state. Now, Spanish River will celebrate him with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

What: Coach Rick Rothman will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton. Additionally, the school’s athletic director Kevin McEnroe and department will host a social gathering in honor of Rothman at Boston’s On the Beach the day after. Current Spanish River teacher Randy Weddle and the “Amber Leigh Band” will also perform. Both are open to the community and friends of Rothman.

Who: Award-winning Coach Rick Rothman, former cross country and track coach at Spanish River High School in Boca Raton.

When: Award will be presented during Spanish River home football game half-time celebration on Friday, November 7, 2014. The game kicks off at 7:00pm and half-time should start at around 8:00pm. The celebration will continue on Saturday, November 8 from 2:00 to 5:00pm at Boston’s On the Beach.

Where: Football Game to take place at Spanish River High School, 2100 Jog Road, Boca Raton, FL 33496; Social to take place at Boston’s On the Beach, 40 South Ocean Blvd, Delray Beach, FL 33483.

About Rick Rothman
Coach Rick Rothman has coached for a total of 38 years (31 at Spanish River High School). His teams have won 151 major championships, including Seven State Championships, and finished runner-up in 45 other major championships. His record includes: seven State Titles in Girls Cross Country; two runner-up in girls and boys Cross Country; 12 Region titles, and 25 District titles. His athletes have received over 1000 post-season honors in Cross Country. He has been selected Coach-of-the-Year 117 times, including State Girls Cross Country Coach-of-the-Year in 1999 2002, and 2003 along with the Florida Track and Field Hall-of-Fame State Girls Cross Country Coach of the year in 2009. He has been a Finalist for the NHSACA National Coach of-the-year in 2006 and 2012, being named National Coach-of-the-year for Girls Cross Country in the latter. Coach Rothman was the FACA State Cross Country chairman-1997-2005, as well as being the organizer of the FACA All-Star Cross Country meet, and the Cross Country All-State award coordinator. He has served as district chairman in Cross Country and Track, and been on the FHSAA advisory committee for Cross Country and Track. He is USA Track and Field Level One, Level Two, and Level One Instructor certified, as well as a former National Track and Field official. He is also been elected USA Track and Field-Florida association-South Vice President-serving 1998-2002, and was the head of Cross Country for USATF-Florida, and is currently the USATF-Florida coaching education Chair.

He has served on the processing staff of the 1991 Pan-Am team, the 1992 Summer Olympic Team, and the 1996 Summer Olympic Team, and was named US Men's team Coach for the International Ekiden In Chiba, Japan in November 2000 and the 2014 USATF Men’s Senior and Junior Cross Country team competing at the NACAC meet in Tobago. He also was the Head Coach for the United States Junior Track-and-Field teams for the 2009 and 2013 Maccabi Games in Israel. He was the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Chairman for Cross Country, and was inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall-of-Fame and the FACA Hall-of-Fame, as well as the FHSAA and Florida Track and Field Hall-of-Fame. He has an A.A degree from Miami -Dade Junior College-South Campus and a B.S. degree in Biology from Florida State University, and has taught Biology, and Anatomy and Physiology. He is retired from teaching Honors and Regular Marine Science after 33 years. He is now a Volunteer Coach for Cross Country and Track at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.