Track and field assistant coach Dick Booth named to USTFCCA Hall of Fame

He has coached 49 individual NCAA Champions, 153 All-Americans and now he can add another personal accolade to his growing list of accomplishments.

Alabama track and field assistant coach Dick Booth was named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Booth was one of five people to be selected to the 2012 Hall of Fame class, and the group will be enshrined when the USTFCCCA holds its annual convention in December.

Booth has spent nearly 40 years as a coach and just finished up his first season as an assistant coach at the Capstone. Before that, he coached at Florida for two seasons and spent a total of 27 years at Arkansas. During his time at Arkansas, the Razorbacks became the NCAA’s winningest men’s track and field program. He was also the head coach of Louisiana-Lafayette’s track program before returning to Arkansas as an assistant coach.

“An honor like this doesn’t sink in for a while. But I’ve been extremely blessed in my career to work with tremendous athletes that possess great work ethic,” Booth said in a press release from the University of Alabama.  “That’s what my career has been, coaching great athletes who are willing to work hard. I’ve always aimed to build a culture where athletes are willing to work hard, whether it be at Alabama or during my time at Arkansas and Florida. You obviously can’t coach talent, but it’s a nice combination when you have exceptional talent and exceptional work ethic. That makes coaches look good.”

Booth is a graduate of Ottawa University in Kansas where he earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1966. Four years later, Booth graduated with a master’s degree in physical education from Kansas State University in 1970.