Oct. 13, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; - The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced it will honor Frank Rocco, a former Penn State Director of Football Operations and assistant coach, for his efforts with the NFF's Central Pennsylvania Chapter.
Rocco is one of five individuals from across the nation who will receive a 2010 NFF Chapter Leadership Award. A member of the Penn State staff from 1982-2000, Rocco is the recipient for the East Region.
The Chapter Leadership Awards, first presented in 1993, annually recognize five individuals, one from each region, for their commitment, generosity and leadership at the local level in fulfilling the NFF's mission of developing leaders through football. Each of the five leadership award winners will be honored during the NFF's Chapter Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, December 7, 2010, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
"These five honorees represent the best of our efforts by all our chapter presidents to engage supporters at the grassroots level," said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. "The success of our chapter network could not survive without the commitment and leadership of these individuals. It's our honor and responsibility to properly thank and honor them."
The Chapter Leadership Award recipients have spearhead their chapter's efforts securing funds for scholarships, selecting the honorees and staging events to help benefit the young people who play football. Their efforts ensure that future generations of players are inspired to achieve on and off the field. Also at the NFF Annual Awards Luncheon five student-athletes, selected from the more than 400,000 covered by the NFF Chapter Network, will be honored as the 2010 NFF National High School Scholar-Athletes.
Rocco has been instrumental in helping the NFF's Central Pennsylvania Chapter expand its impact. In 1997, Rocco played a significant role in founding the chapter, which covers 44 high schools and seven colleges. In the 13 years since, the chapter has awarded $129,000 to 450 student-athletes. Led by eight previous presidents, the chapter has developed key relationships with all of the pivotal constituencies in the region, including players, parents, coaches, athletic directors and sponsors.
A native of Ellwood City, Pa., Rocco has spent over 50 years in amateur football. He played at Ellwood City High School and at Juanita College, earning his degree in 1960. Rocco compiled an outstanding record as a Pennsylvania high school coach, including three seasons at Altoona Area High School. He also coached at Great Valley, Easton, Allentown-Allen, Penn Highlands and Fox Chapel high schools.
In 1982, Rocco matriculated to Penn State as an administrative assistant and coached the tight ends and passing game in 1985. In 1986, Rocco became the Director of Football Operations, where he stayed until June, 2000. He then took the same position at Liberty University, where he joined his son, Frank, a member of the Flames' coaching staff, from 2000-03.
Rocco and his wife, Ann, reside in State College. They have three sons, all of whom are all football coaches, and one daughter.
With more than 12,000 members, the 120 NFF chapters reach more than 4,800 high schools and 400,000 football players each year. Collectively, the NFF chapters stage more than 1,000 annual events in 47 states, celebrating the game and its unique ability to teach values of leadership, teamwork, and the drive to compete. The events include coaching clinics, leadership conferences, college nights, media days, and local awards banquet that recognize more than 3,300 scholar-athletes and distribute nearly $1 million in scholarships.
2010 NFF Chapter Leadership Award Recipients
Stanley Cohn - South Region from the Allstate Sugar Bowl (La.) Chapter
Tom Ferguson - Midwest Region from the Wistert/Toledo (Ohio) Chapter
Dave Parks - Northeast Region from the Rochester (N.Y.) Chapter
Frank Rocco - East Region from the Central Pennsylvania Chapter
Mark Zeug - West Region from the Hawaii Chapter