The cross country course at Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park in Boca Raton now carries the name of the man who designed it. Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation unveiled the sign for the Rick Rothman Cross Country Course on Saturday, September 19, in the middle of the 44th Spanish River Invitational, the meet Rothman founded.

He built the course he dreamed about

Rothman came to Palm Beach County in 1981 with one goal that took more than two decades to reach: a permanent home for cross country. In 2004 he got it, and he designed the course himself. In the years since, it has grown into one of Florida's premier cross country venues, hosting high school meets, college races and USA Track and Field events, along with regional and national championships brought in through the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.

That last part matters for the county as much as for the runners. Visiting teams and their families come from around the state and beyond, and the county credits the course with a real boost to the local economy through sports tourism.

For the thousands of runners who have raced it, though, the course is simply where the season happens. Rothman has said publicly that having it named for him is the greatest honor of his career, and that he hopes it keeps producing great performances and good memories.

Seven state titles and a hall of fame shelf

Rothman, a Delray Beach resident, spent close to four decades coaching high school cross country, most famously at Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton. What he built there became one of the strongest programs in the country:

  • Seven Florida high school girls cross country state championships
  • State runner-up finishes for both the girls and the boys
  • More than 150 major championships
  • 117 Coach of the Year honors

His reach went well past Boca. He held leadership roles with USA Track and Field, coached U.S. national teams in international competition, coached at Florida Atlantic University and mentored a long line of younger coaches. In 2025 he was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame, joining his spots in the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame and the Florida Track and Field Hall of Fame.

The meet that started it all

The county timed the dedication to the Spanish River Invitational on purpose. Rothman started that meet 44 years ago, and it has become one of the longest-running traditions on the Florida high school calendar. The September 19 race drew current Spanish River runners and coaches, alumni, parents, former athletes, rival coaches from around the county, county commissioners, parks staff and friends.

Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Cirillo framed the naming as a thank you on two levels: for the coaching career, and for the vision of building a venue that has become a destination in its own right. The county noted that generations of runners will now race on a course that carries the name of the person who imagined it.

Go run it

You do not need a varsity jersey to see what the fuss is about. The course sits inside Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park, a public county park, and fall is cross country season. If you catch a meet, stand near the start for the stampede, then walk to the final stretch to see who has anything left.

If you would rather run than watch, an early morning loop gives casual runners a taste of real cross country, a nice change from Boca's sidewalks. Check Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation for park hours and any event closures before you go, then look for the new sign with Rick Rothman's name on it.