ABOVE VIDEO:Ernie Rosseau, “The Red Rooster,” was inducted in the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. He graduated from Satellite High School in 1969, and after playing baseball at Brevard Community College, played in the professional ranks in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. This year, Rosseau was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association Baseball Hall of Fame.
EDITOR’S NOTE:After a Hall of Fame and distinguished career that spanned parts of five decades, Brevard Community College / Eastern Florida State College icon Ernie Rosseau recently announced his retirement from teaching.
I’ve spent 46 of my 64 years on this planet connected to BJC as a player, BCC as a coach and EFSC as an assistant professor,” said Rosseau.
Ernie Rosseau
I have taught and coached thousands of students and athletes, worked with hundreds of administrators, faculty, staff and coaches, and just as important, met and befriended so many wonderful people in this community, county, state and nation that if I added up the numbers, as a whole, they would be off the charts.
I will continue to follow and stay in touch with as many as I can and hope they will keep me in their loop and thoughts as my last lap in life unfolds. Those that know me realize I will never retire as it is defined in the dictionary.
I’m active and healthy and plan on staying that way by design. I will stay around baseball in one capacity or another, either at the amateur, private or professional level – or all three.
Being a life-long teacher has made me want to be a student again. Teaching has reignited my thirst and quest for more or new knowledge in a wide variety of interests and subjects.
Who knows, one day I may return to teaching in a part time capacity. The e-mails, texts, phone calls, cards, letters, thanks and congratulations I have received since I retired from coaching, and now after announcing my retirement from EFSC and teaching, has made every day I have spent working and preparing for “the rest of my life ” well worth it.
It’s really nice when one can retire under their own conditions and on their own time frame.
So, I’m ready to move forward with no regrets and no looking back.
Thanks to everyone who has made my life, and this time in my life, very special.
– Ernie Rosseau
Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Profile
COACH ERNIE ROSSEAU – 2013 INDUCTEE
Ernie Rosseau
• Record 735 Career Victories
• 29-Year Coaching Career At BCC
• Coached In White Sox Organization
SATELLITE HIGH SCHOOL GRAD
If you know baseball on the Space Coast, chances are you’ve heard of Ernie Rosseau.
“The Red Rooster” graduated from Satellite High School in 1969. After playing baseball at Brevard Community College, he would then play in the professional ranks in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
ERNIE ROSSEAU retired in 2012 after 29 years at the helm of the Brevard Community College Titans baseball program. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com Sports)
After his professional career ended, Rosseau went into coaching where he would then become the head coach of the Brevard Community College (BCC) Titans in 1980.
After “5,000 practices later,” Rosseau would leave as the greatest coach in BCC baseball history. Rosseau, who will be inducted into the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame in May, was initially overwhelmed when he heard of his induction.
“I took one look at the list and thought ‘this is unbelievable’,” Rosseau said. “I was very impressed. To be going into the Hall of Fame with such a prestigious list is a very big honor for me. It’s also pretty cool to be going in with another BCC guy in (San Francisco Giants manager) Bruce Bochy.”
AMONG TOP WINS TOTAL IN JUNIOR COLLEGE HISTORY
Rosseau retired after 29 years at the Titans’ helm in 2012. His 735 wins are the most in school history and one of the top wins total in Florida junior college baseball history. Rosseau led the Titans to the state championships in 1986 and 1989.
The 1986 squad proved to be the most successful in school history as they finished second in the National Junior College Baseball World Series. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com Sports)
The 1986 squad proved to be the most successful in school history as they finished second in the National Junior College Baseball World Series. They finished runner-up to San Jacinto College, the nation’s winningest junior college baseball team in history. According to Rosseau, his 1984 team, which finished fifth in the state, had the greatest collection of talent he’s ever coached.
“We went 39-5 that season and shattered every offensive record we had,” Rosseau said. “It was the most dominating team that I ever coached. We had guys healthy and playing well but just came up short in the end.”
His most inspirational squad was in 2002. That was the year when the program learned it was going to be disbanded due to budget cuts. “That 2002 team was on a mission,” Rosseau said. “When those players learned the program was going to be cut after 40 years, they absolutely banded together. We had major talent on that ballclub.”
Coach Ernie Rosseau was honored for his service when he was presented with a plaque and framed Titans baseball jersey during a meeting with BCC President Dr. Jim Richey. Richey praised Rosseau for his dedication, saying, “the College can never repay you for everything you have done, and for the contributions you have made to the lives of many young men. Thank you on behalf of everyone at BCC.” (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com Sports)
“A lot of people in the community and our school rallied around that club. I feel like it forever changed the landscape of BCC baseball. It was a legitimate, loaded ball club with four guys hitting over 10 homeruns. At the time, it was unheard of to have the program being cut. To see the kind of support we got that season really captivated the junior college baseball landscape.”
Rosseau also coached in the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs organization, and spent a two-year stint in the 1990s with the Cubs organization as its roving minor league hitting coordinator.
Coach Ernie Rosseau coached in the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs organization, and spent a two-year stint in the 1990s with the Cubs organization as its roving minor league hitting coordinator.
Titans practices proved to be legendary under Rosseau. He pointed out that it wasn’t uncommon to have a six-hour practice, hammering the basics into his players. Rosseau also was quick to point out how lucky he was to have such great assistant coaches by his side.
“I was very lucky and fortunate to have really great assistant coaches,” Rosseau said.
“A lot of our baseball team’s success goes back to the Coach Plecks, Tysons, Colemans and Rahals,” who were with me over the years. They knew how to coach these guys if I was having a bad day.”
‘IT WAS A GOOD RUN’
Timothy Poydenis, now a lawyer in Santa Monica, California played for the Titans 2004-2006 before transferring and starring for Villanova University’s baseball team. He calls Rosseau the best coach he’s ever had.
Titans practices proved to be legendary under Rosseau, above left. He pointed out that it wasn’t uncommon to have a six-hour practice, hammering the basics into his players. Rosseau also was quick to point out how lucky he was to have such great assistant coaches by his side. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com Sports)
“Coach Rosseau taught me more about the game of baseball than I thought possible,” Poydenis said. “More importantly, however, Coach also instilled certain values and traits that have helped shape the person I am today.”
Since retiring from coaching, Rosseau has stayed busy. He follows the college and pro game every day. While he doesn’t miss the coaching aspect as much, it was the daily interaction he misses dearly.
“I still keep in contact with a lot of my former players, which is very important to me. As I look back now, it was a good run. This is a first for me, being inducted into a Hall of Fame. You’ll always remember your first. Now I’m just along for the ride.”
THE 2015 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME Banquet and Induction Ceremony will take place at the Cocoa Beach Country Club on Friday, May 8.
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