MINNEAPOLIS, MN – April 5, 2016 - Grady Rostberg, a Hall of Fame coach who led decades of successful Hutchinson High School seasons, has been named the recipient John Gagliardi Legacy Award. The Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation will present the award at the 9th Annual Minnesota Football Honors on April 17 at the Hilton Minneapolis.
Rostberg compiled a 277-89-1 career record in 34 years of coaching. He guided Hutchinson to back-to-back state titles in 1983 and 1984, and closed out his head coaching career with a third championship in 1998. The Tigers made 11 state tournament appearances under Rostberg. They rattled off 50 straight regular season wins between 1976 and 1981. Rostberg’s squad put together a streak of 38 consecutive victories from 1983-85. He was named conference coach of the year 10 times and section coach of the year five times.
Rostberg coached at Brownton before his 1969 arrival at Hutchinson. His first coaching job was with the basketball team in Hatten, N.D., where he taught for a year. This came after his his graduation from Mayville State University with math and physical education majors. At Mayville State, Rostberg was a running back on three championship teams, an all-conference basketball player and a member of the baseball team. He continued his education at the University of North Dakota, earning a master’s degree in 1963.
The Mayville State Hall of Fame, Minnesota Football Coaches Hall of Fame, Minnesota Coaches Hall of Fame and Hutchinson High School Hall of Fame have all inducted Rostberg into their ranks. Rostberg’s leadership roles in addition to coaching his own teams have included serving as president of the Minnesota Football Coaches Association and starting a Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Hutchinson.
Rostberg and his wife, Sharon, have a son, two daughters and eight grandchildren. Rostberg’s son, Andy, has continued the family coaching legacy. He took over as Hutchinson’s head coach upon his father’s retirement and led the Tigers to state titles in 2012 and 2013.
The 9th Annual Minnesota Football Honors event is presented by the Minnesota Vikings. College and professional football Hall of Fame inductees are scheduled to attend, and WCCO-TV news personality Frank Vascellaro will return for his ninth year as Master of Ceremonies. The event is open to the public. To register or for additional information about this year’s Minnesota Football Honors, please visit www.minnesotafootballhonors.com. For sponsorship information, please email lindsay@nffmn.org.
About the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation
The Minnesota Chapter of The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a local non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and develop the power of amateur football in developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive spirit and academic excellence in Minnesota’s young people. The MN Chapter recognizes legendary football icons, college football Hall of Famers and Minnesota’s top high school and college football scholar athletes. For more information, visit www.minnesotafootballhonors.com, Facebook or Twitter.
Contact:
Lindsay Lommel, Event Manager
MN Chapter of The National Football Foundation
lindsay@nffmn.org