Frank Trotman
Dedication to coaching takes many different forms. Many coaches are known for putting in countless hours preparing for practice and games. Frank Trotman was known to go much further. Insisting that his teams compete on the best surface possible, Frank became legendary for his early morning activities on his tractor on the Hawk baseball field grooming the field, sometimes removing excess water bucket by bucket. Described by a colleague as having a quiet, businesslike style, he combined this strong work ethic with an encyclopedic knowledge of his sports. He began his coaching career assisting legendary coach Russ Spicer in both football and baseball in Haddonfield. In 1970 he came to Haddon Township as head football coach and went on to coach varsity teams in three additional sports for the Hawks. While each of his team’s experienced successful seasons (including a sectional Group II championship for the 1976-77 girls basketball team), it was in baseball that he achieved most of his notoriety. His 1979 team was the most accomplished of his tenure capturing the Colonial Conference title and achieving the ultimate prize of a State Championship. Following that season, he was honored by his SJBCA colleagues as the Coach of the Year. His teams continued to be dominant winning two more conference titles in 1980 and 1981, including a Diamond Classic championship in 1980. Later in his career, he coached baseball for Rutgers University (Camden) and in 1987 was also honored there as the coach of the year. Frank now lives in Bradenton, Florida with his wife Dorothy. They are the proud parents of Karen, Rusty, Tom and Sam and are blessed with seven grandchildren.
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