In October of 2013 our Dad, Dick Read, died at the age of 84 from complications related to diabetes. We, his 5 children, continue to celebrate his life and mourn his death. Dad loved watching and talking about sports until the end. Whether it was coaching the young men on his college football teams or the neighborhood children on his kids’ teams, Dad found joy in sharing his insights about sports and people. We dedicate this website to his memory.

In looking through the many boxes that contain the memories of Dad’s life, we have been amazed at the sheer volume of articles about him, both as an athlete and as a coach. There is more material than we could ever upload to a website and so we have selected the highlights. There are many articles that make us proud of the way Dad conducted himself on and off the field. What emerges is a picture of a man happy and grateful for the opportunity to play and coach sports.

Family and athletics determined the trajectory of his life. He was raised by his devoted parents Brick and Emily Read. He felt blessed by by his lifelong friendship with his two loving brothers Don and Len Read. He respected and admired his brothers who became coaches as well. We, his children, feel grateful that our Dad was kind, warm, supportive and loving. His quick wit, contagious charisma and positive energy made any family outing an exciting adventure.

When Dad was in high school he played all sports with joy and ease. With fast feet, a quick mind and big strong hands, he was a natural. He was a standout athlete at Santa Rosa High School in baseball (3rd Base and Pitcher) and football (Left End). He also played on many regional all-star teams. He continued his football career at St. Mary’s College. After two years, he was drafted into the United States Army where he played on the 12th Regiment’s Squad during the Korean War and was selected for the All-European Service Team. When he returned to the United States, St. Mary’s had dropped its football program. Dad transferred to Tulsa University where he suffered a serious shoulder injury that ended his football career. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in 1955. In 1959 he received his Master’s Degree and Teaching Credential from San Francisco State University

Family and athletics determined the trajectory of his life.

Our dad felt blessed to have been given the gift of athleticism. He worked hard to develop his gift. He was dedicated, focused and coachable in every sport he played. It was because of sports he was able to attend college and pursue his dream of being a coach. In his middle school yearbook, each 6th grader wrote what he or she hoped to be when he or she was older. Listed next to Dad’s name is “Coach”. It gave him great satisfaction and joy to be a coach. We called him Dad but most people called him “Coach”.

Though Dad coached tennis, golf and baseball, football was his favorite. He started his football-coaching career as the Junior Varsity Coach at San Francisco State University. Then he taught and coached at Pleasant Hill High School, St. Mary’s High School in Berkeley and San Rafael High School. In 1961 he was named Head Football Coach at the College of Marin in Kentfield, California. In hiring Dad, the athletic director said,

“We are delighted to have Dick join us. He has demonstrated an unusual ability to work with and win the respect and confidence of young people. The College is lucky to have one of the outstanding young coaches in California.”

He loved the complexity and unpredictability of football.

Like a military general, he delighted in devising a specific strategy for each opponent. Yet he never stopped exhorting his players to implement the essential tasks of the game: blocking and tackling. He thought carefully about how each player and each group of players contributed to the effort of the entire squad. He studied the game and read about the coaches he admired: Paul Brown, Knute Rockne, Bill Walsh, and Vince Lombardi. He expressed gratitude for his dedicated assistant coaches, especially Pete Limm and Ed Grimm.

He believed that football taught important values and could help develop strong character. He understood that being part of a football team helped young athletes learn about teamwork, effort and focus. He believed his players needed these character traits for success on the field and then later in their lives. He respected the young men that played on his football teams and was grateful for their dedication and commitment to the football program.

Soon after we 5 children were born, we would attend Dad’s games wearing College of Marin black and gold. Win, lose or tie, we stood with our mom, Barbara, by the locker room to greet our Dad and either congratulate or console him. Dad had a cheerful and upbeat personality. He possessed a quiet confidence and valued tenacity, hard work and preparation. He asked his players to respect one another, the other coaches, their opponents and the referees.

Dad didn’t give long lectures but rather taught by example. In 1963, Marin lost to Santa Rosa Junior College and the opportunity to play in the Lettuce Bowl. The Santa Rosa newspaper noted that after talking to his team, Dad went to the locker room and congratulated the Santa Rosa team. Our Dad possessed good character; he was honest, thoughtful and principled. He also knew football well. The local press agreed. Jim Gilmartin of the Marin Independent Journal wrote an article titled “Coach Read Deserves Plaudits and a Raise For His Great Job with Marin Tars”. He said,

“Coach Read’s clubs show imagination and a tremendous spirit. It’s his personality, keen knowledge of the game and organizational abilities that his teams exude on the field of battle.”

Dad’s teams had winning seasons and losing seasons. His 1967 and 1968 squads won the Golden Valley Conference and competed in the California Junior College playoffs. Yet as the decade ended, the demographics of Marin County changed and Dad’s teams had fewer wins. The College decided to tear down the lighted football field to make way for a new science center which diminished the fan base and the football program went declined too. In the following seasons, there were some bright moments and some difficult times. Yet Dad persisted in making the best of the changing landscape. He retired from coaching at College of Marin in 1977 after 17 seasons. He continued to teach in the physical education department at the College until his retirement in 1987.

He often said, “I am a lucky man. I have a wonderful family and the best job in the world.” Our Dad was appreciative of the friends, fellow coaches and dedicated players he was fortunate to know during his coaching career.

We have an abundance of personal memories stored in our hearts and in other family scrapbooks. Yet, we developed this website to share the more public, athletic career of our Dad: Richard Gene Read.

Thanks for visiting.

The Read Family

You can email us at coachrichardread@gmail.com!