WATCH: Robert Anderson Was Coach, Principal, Superintendent, Sports Official and Public Servant For Over 40 Years

2019 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: 2019 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT – Robert “Bob” Anderson was a coach, principal, superintendent, sports official and served as a Rockledge City Commissioner for 20 years, including as Chair and Vice Mayor.

THE 2021 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME Banquet and Induction Ceremony will take place at the Cocoa Beach Country Club on Friday, May 7.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECOGNITION

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA (Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame) – Robert “Bob” Anderson was a coach, principal, superintendent, sports official and served as a Rockledge City Commissioner for 20 years, including as Chair and Vice Mayor. The City of Rockledge dedicated an 80-acre recreational and dog park in his honor.

Anderson graduated from Winfield High in W. Virginia in 1945 where he was an outstanding football player. His freshman and sophomore years he played for legendary Coach Wallace Wade lettering his sophomore year.

He was drafted into the U.S. Army and was able to continue playing football with the Abilene Army Base Bombers for a year. He returned to college at Marshall where he lettered three years as a lineman.

After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in 1951 in Education and a Master’s Degree in Administration in 1954 he worked one year at B. F. Goodrich Corporation.

Anderson accepted the athletics director, head football, basketball and baseball coaching positions at his high school alma mater Winfried and taught social studies. He served there from 1951-1955.

Anderson’s football teams won two Putnam County and Southwestern Conference Championships and his 1952 team played for the WVHSA Class “B” State Championship.

He then assumed the athletics director and head football coach at Nitro High for two years, 1955-1956). His career won-loss record was 46-13-1.

In 1957, Winfried hired him as principal where he served until 1961. He then became an assistant principal at Stonewall Jackson Jr. High in Charleston for two years

Anderson departed West Virginia in 1962 to assume the position of assistant principal at Cocoa High School. He became principal from 1964 to 1966 and then moved into the position of Brevard County Assistant Superintendent for Maintenance and Transportation Operations.

He was a football referee for the Central Florida Officials Association, the Brevard County Officials Association and the Mid-Coast Officials Association, working athletic contests all over Central Florida.

He then was hired by Brevard Junior College as director of admissions.

During the next 33 years at what was to become Brevard Community Colleges and then Eastern Florida State College, he served in positions of dean of students, director of security and vice president of student affairs and athletics director. He earned his Doctorate in Higher Education from Nova Southeastern in 1979.

As athletics director, he oversaw 18 sports including men’s basketball, baseball, track, cross country, wrestling, golf, tennis, swimming, fencing and archery; and women’s volleyball, basketball, softball, fencing, archery, tennis, swimming and gymnastics.

Under Anderson, his programs won 44 Conference Championships, 15 State and NJCAA Region VIII Championships and nine National Championships.

He was a member of the Council for Athletic Affairs, Council for Student Affairs, and was a charter member of the Florida Junior College Athletic Conference and the FCCAA Executive Committee.

Anderson’s extensive public service includes serving on the school board for 12 years, and Chair for eight years; Rockledge City Commissioner for 20 years, serving as Chair and Vice Mayor; Wuesthoff Hospital Board of Directors for 33 years, Chair four years; Space Coast Hospital Services Board for 20 years, Chair four years; United Way of Brevard Board for 22 years; Brevard County Library Foundation Board for 20 years; Cocoa Play House Board for 12 years; Cocoa ELK’S Club Member for 27 years; Rockledge Presbyterian Church Board of Elders for and Deacon for nine years.

His honors and awards include Distinguished Alumni Marshall University 1982; Brevard Community College Athletic Hall of Fame 1990; Florida Community College Activities Association Hall of Fame in 1992; Florida 4-H Hall of Fame in 2002; Brevard Community College Distinguished Service Award in 2006; and Council for Athletic Affairs Outstanding Recognition Award. The City of Rockledge dedicated an 80-acre recreational and dog park in his honor.

THE 2021 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME Banquet and Induction Ceremony will take place at the Cocoa Beach Country Club on Friday, May 7.

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT the 2021 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME, call 321-615-8111 or e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com

CLICK HERE TO SEE MEMBERS OF THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS

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