Richard E. Roller

Coach [1970 - 2016]

Football - Basketball - Lacrosse

Richard "Rich" Roller graduated from Middlebury college where he competed in football, basketball, and lacrosse and was the recipient of the Hazleton-Klevenow Award for combined ability in athletics and excellence in scholarship his senior year. Following two and a half years serving as a Military Leadership Instructor with the United States Army, he joined the Tabor faculty in 1970 and served the school with distinction for 46 years as a teacher, coach, mentor, and administrator.

With the exception of a year off to earn his Mater's in Education from Harvard, Rich was a fixture in Tabor's athletic program, compiling a record of 77 seasons of coaching with 72 at the varsity level. From 1972 through 1981, he coached three varsity sports each year (football, basketball, and lacrosse), and overall coached 865 games with 823 at the varsity level. In 20 years as Head Coach of Basketball, Rich had numerous players go on to compete at the collegiate level including several to Division I programs. His teams were frequent competitors in the New England Prep School Athletic Conference post-season basketball tournament. In 1994, Tabor received the Sportsmanship Award presented by The Southeastern Massachusetts Basketball Officials Association for the level of sportsmanship demonstrated by Tabor's Boys' Basketball teams under Rich's leadership. Additionally, Coach Roller was the varsity line demonstrated by Tabor's Boys' Basketball teams under Rich's leadership. Additionally, Coach Roller was the varsity line coach for three undefeated football teams and two Super Bowl Champions and was the assistant coach of a New England Championship lacrosse team. In recognition of his commitment to Tabor athletics, the Best Lineman Award in football and the Most Improved Player Award in basketball are both named in his honor. In the spring of 2011, Tabor's basketball court was named 'The Joan and Richard Roller Basketball Court' in honor of their joint contribution to Tabor athletics and the wider Tabor community.

In addition to his contributions to Tabor's athletics program, Rich served Tabor in an expansive array of leadership roles including Director of Athletics, Director of Development, Director of College Counseling, Dean of Faculty, Assistant Head of School, and Senior Master. Rich was a member of Tabor's Senior Leadership Team for thirty-four years and his imprint is visible in almost every area of school life. In 2003, Rich was selected as the inaugural recipient coach of the "dee" Rowe Mentor Award presented by the New England Basketball Hall of Fame to a secondary school coach in New England for exceptional role modeling and distinguished achievement mentoring young athletes. Underscoring his role as a mentor, this accolade in particular represents what Rich valued and enjoyed most about his Tabor career - advising and guiding students, helping colleagues, working with families, and representing Tabor's mission with the utmost enthusiasm and integrity.