January 4, 1949 – November 27,2004
Rosemead High School 1967
Colorado State University 1968 – 1969
California Lutheran College
1971 -BA
1972 – MA
As a freshman at Rosemead High School Rick lettered in baseball, basketball, and football. His career in football began as the freshman quarterback, but he was soon elevated to the varsity level, where he quarterbacked his entire high school career setting many records including the all-time Offensive Leader, Offensive Captain and First Team All-League. Rick attended Colorado State University on an athletic scholarship for two years. He returned to Southern California to attend California Lutheran College where he received his Bachelors and Masters Degree in education. He played football both years while attending Cal Lu, graduating in 1971.
Rick began his teaching and coaching career at his alma mater, Rosemead High. He coached at Moorpark College from 1974 until 1977; was assistant football coach at Newbury Park High School from 1978 until 1983. In 1984 he became the head football coach at Hart High School in Newhall, where he led his team to the CIF-SS Northwestern Conference Championship in 1986. In 1988 he became the head football coach at Buena High School in Ventura, where he led his teams to the CIF-SS semifinals in 1988 and 1993. His Buena teams won or shared seven Channel League Championships. At the end of the 2003 season he resigned as head coach at Buena High, but shortly ended his retirement becoming the offensive coordinator at Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard, where his step-son, Bob, was named head coach. During this last season of Rick’s coaching, the Rio Mesa team had a record setting season of 11 wins and lost only one game, the night before his untimely death.
During the years that Rick coached and taught, he also refereed basketball for the Channel Coast Officials Association and was an instructional chairman for many of those years.
He donated many hours to the community, coaching the Ventura County Police team’s Pride Bowl Football Games and continued to support the Pride Bowl games as announcer.
Rick was a key component in founding the Ventura County Football Coaches Association, which has promoted and benefitted high school programs in Ventura County.
In January 2005 Rick’s family was presented The Clare Van Hoorebeke Award from the Southern California Interscholastic Football Coaches Association. “Presented to a coach who has made significant contributions to the sport of High School Football in Southern California.”
Rick spent his life devoted to teaching, coaching and mentoring young people. He will be remembered for his zest for life, his humor and quick wit. He will be dearly missed by his wife, Sherry; daughter and son-in-law, Megan and Chris Ruffinelli; son, Jake Scott; his devoted mother, Gwen Scott.
In honor of Rick’s life and devotion to football his family has established the “Rick Scott Football Memorial Scholarship”. Each year a scholarship is awarded to a Ventura County student athlete to assist in continuing their education.