Wade Hampton cross country coach Rick Zeller will join 36 other coaches from the state Saturday at the Coaches Classic meet as the newest inductee into the South Carolina Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Zeller, who started coach in Virginia, is in his 21st year as a coach at Wade Hampton. The inductee has coached track and field for 23 years. He served as an assistant for football for the first four years as a coach.
Video: Zeller talks about the sport
"I've known Rick since he started coaching cross country at Wade Hampton," said longtime Eastside coach and hall of fame member Ed Boehmke. "His induction is another milestone in the impact that Greenville County has had on the state in the sport of cross country. He joins a fantastic list including Delmer Howell at Mauldin and Willie Wooden from Riverside."
Video: Generals talk about their coach
"It really means a lot," said Wade Hampton senior runner Grace Smoak of Saturday's induction. "The whole team knows how great of a coach Zeller is."
Zeller will be inducted following the meet Saturday during the awards ceremony.
Zeller's resume includes six state cross country championships, five state runner-ups in cross country, 14 region championships (12 in cross country, two in track and field), 14 county championships (10 in cross country, four in track).
Boehmke added Zeller's teams have always generated stellar athletes that he has "nurtured and trained."
Andrew Spencer, who is in his sixth season on the Generals' team, considers Zeller a second father to him. "He means a lot," said Spencer.
"Any success I've had is because of parents and kids that we've had at Wade Hampton," said Zeller. "It's more about them then about me."
He has coached 54 all-state selections in cross country with two state champions in the group (Jeff Crane and Andy Goodwin). State champions in track and field under Zeller are Matt Goodwin in the 3200-meter run and Jake Smith in the 800-meter run.
"He puts more into this than anyone I know," said senior General Sara Webb.
Zeller has a cross country dual meet record of 548-47 for the boys and 312-193 for the girls. Zeller has been named SCACA men's cross country coach of the year twice, SCTCCCA Class AAA men's cross country coach of the year six times, both Shrine Bowl Run head and assistant coach, region coach of the year 15 times and Greenville County coach of the year 14 times.
"I still think there are people who are probably more deserving than I am of the honor," Zeller said.
"I have been very fortunate and blessed to have really fine young men and women running for me over the years, from Caroline Bolt and Zack Southerland to Jessica Kirkus, Kyle Keene and C.T. Crook this past year," said Zeller. "They have as much or more to do with the team's success as I have."
"I believe I am a better person just being on the team with coach Zeller," said Smoak.
Zeller believes cross country is a team sport and he believes in having all members participate on his team. "I never cut kids, I just get extra uniforms and we transport them and get them there some how," he said.
"His longevity of excellence shows that good can coaching can keep teams at the top of the sport," Boehmke said. "The members of Wade Hampton's teams have always carried themselves with the utmost dignity and respect for their school, coach and the sport. They have always been the model of the sportsmanship and dedication that is not often seen in sports. I give the credit to coach Zeller for working with all of his athletes to be good people first and good athletes next."
He added that veteran runners have a role with the young runners. "I really push my older kids to make it like a family for the new kids coming on the team," Zeller said. "I want it to be a family more than anything else."
"It is always good to have others join the hall of fame," Boehmke said. "It shows that there are still people working hard and that others recognize their efforts."
Full list of hall of fame members (Source: sctrackworld.us).