Fort Belvoir issued the following news release:
If you've ever had a child in a sport on Fort Belvoir, chances are you know who Richard Herman is. Herman has been volunteering his time to the youth of Fort Belvoir for the past 14 years, and on March 11 was honored by Fairfax County Basketball as the 2007 recipient of the Harry Barton Community Service Award.
'To be honest, it's probably one of the things that I really hate to do, go to banquets and get up in front of everyone,' Herman said. 'I don't do it for accolades; I do it because it's in my heart.'
That being said, Herman is thankful that his peers honor him.
'It's just something I'm not that keen on, getting the attention,' he said. 'I'm more of a behind-the-scenes kind of guy most of the time.'
Herman retired from the Air Force in 1992, and currently serves as the Fort Belvoir Youth Basketball Barracudas commissioner, as well as the Sonic Boom Youth Track commissioner and Fort Belvoir Youth Football commissioner. He also is a head coach for the Anklebiters football team, and has coached teams in the Fort Belvoir Little League program.
'Ever since I've been here the guy's been doing triple sports -- he's non-stop all year,' said Youth Sports Assistant Director Rashawd Pope, who came to Fort Belvoir in 2004. 'He pretty much does what we do without getting paid. Without him, a lot of stuff wouldn't get done.'
After retiring, Herman moved to Lorton with his wife, Beatrice, who is a government worker.
'I'm a military person and it was the logical place to be,' Herman said of coaching on Fort Belvoir. 'I live in Lorton so it's my neighborhood.'
In 1993 Herman founded the Barracudas, a select basketball program for 10 to 18 year olds on Fort Belvoir that competes in the Fairfax County Youth Basketball League. Herman also founded the Sonic Boom Track Club in 2000 for 5 to 18 year olds on Fort Belvoir.
'We don't have to do much of anything for track,' Pope said. 'They have such a core group over there, they're like a family.'
'Track and field has always been my first love,' Herman said. 'It still remains today.'
Herman, a North Fort Myers, Fla. native, went to college on a track scholarship after lettering in football, track, basketball and baseball in high school.
At Lake City (Fla.) Community College Herman was a two-time all conference runner. He was the 1971 Florida Junior College Pentathlon champion, and ranked 10th nationally in the National Junior College Athletic Association. That year, he was named Outstanding Athlete at LCCC.
It is also where he met Beatrice. The two have been married since 1973, and have a son, Kevin, who works for the Fairfax City government.
'She's great, she's put up with me for all of these years,' Herman said of his wife, with a laugh. 'She's a good partner.
Herman enlisted in the Air Force in 1972. In 1973 he was stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., and began coaching youth sports.
'I had a coach who helped me when I was a child. He was my mentor, my first real role model, so I felt that he took the time to help me, the only thing that I could do was do the same for other children,' Herman said. 'Children are the future; someone's got to show them the right direction. If you can touch one or two out of the bunch, you've done something.'
Herman founded the Robins AFB Track Club in 1974, which is still in existence today. Herman also played semi-pro football during the 1976-1977 season. From there Herman served as Varsity Women's basketball head coach at Wurtsmith AFB (Mich.) from 1978-1981.
Herman also coached youth sports at Tyndall AFB, Fla., Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., Kefalvik AB, Iceland, and Dover AFB, Del.
'It's part of my thing,' Herman said of the time he volunteers to youth sports. 'It keeps me busy, keeps me out of trouble; and hopefully I can keep some kids out of trouble by being in their lives, by being consistent. I'm a tough old bird, but it comes from the heart.'
Herman is known for that gruff exterior, but it veils a softness that only those in his programs see.
'He's tough, but he's still a softie on the inside,' Pope said. 'Once you get to get to know him, he has a really genuine heart; once you know him you understand that. His main thing is about the kids, he wants them to get the best of everything.'
Tough to love at first, Herman slowly shows his true colors to his players and their parents, eventually winning them over.
'I think at first the kids are a little intimidated by him because he's a bigger guy, but then the kids all love to play for him, they understand what he's trying to do,' Pope said.
That toughness has paid off. All of Herman's programs have had success on Fort Belvoir, with numerous county championship teams, including the 75 pound central football champions in 2006. The track program has had four national champions in its short existence.
'It's not me, it's the people, my head track coach, the coaches under him,' Herman said of the Sonic Boom club's success. 'We're kind of like a family. We have people in the club who are real active; I couldn't do anything without them.'
Herman is slowly passing on the torch in the Barracudas program. Next year he will hand over the reigns to Alton Greene, and will take more of a backseat role.
'Coach Green will be taking over with a more visible front next year,' Herman said. 'I was kind of trying to bring him along this year, but I'm doing less and less. I won't desert him, I'll still be in the council, but I won't be as much a part of the everyday activity; I'll serve as his assistant.'
As for football, Herman took over as commissioner in 2006 after long-time commissioner Tim Martinez stepped down.
'I've been involved in football program since 1992 and seen two or three good commissioners come and go,' Herman said. 'When Martinez left, I was kind of the logical choice to take over.'
Though he will stay as commissioner, Herman said 2007 will be his last year coaching the Anklebiters football team.
'He's been saying that for two years,' Pope said with a laugh. 'I'll believe it when I don't see him out there.'
With track, Herman said it is more involved than the other sports. With a longer season (April through August), Herman is hoping to pass on some of the work.
'In the past I've been doing all of that but now I'm trying to find other folks in the club to take on some more responsibility,' he said. 'It becomes pretty hectic when you have 100 kids at a meet.'
Herman said Sonic Boom had 92 athletes last year, and is expecting at least 100 this season, with more than 50 returning.
'I'm always excited about track and field, it's the sport that still gets my juices flowing,' he said. 'It's becoming more of a year-round thing, we're trying to develop an indoor program; that's kind of why I'm stepping away from the basketball program to try to get into track year-round.'
The Youth Sports staff at Fort Belvoir hopes that Herman doesn't hang up his cleats any time soon.
'He does this straight from his heart, for the love of the kids and the love of the sports,' Pope said. 'He's trying to make Fort Belvoir the best it can be.'
In addition to the award Herman received Sunday at FCYBL Annual Banquet at the Waterford at Fair Oaks, he was also honored by FCYBL in 2003 with the Robert B. Dix Community Service Award, and was the 2002 recipient of the President's Volunteer Service Award.
'I've been doing this for a long time, it's great but that doesn't drive me,' he said of all of the accolades. 'My wife is going to get mad if I bring home another plaque to put on the wall.'
