After a standout athletic career at Somerville High School and Bloomsburg University, the late Rocco “Rocky” Forte made his mark in the coaching ranks where he taught athletes for over four decades.

Forte began his coaching career in 1965 and worked at all levels from middle school, high school and college as well starting several youth programs in the sport.

Forte landed his first head coaching job at Morris Knolls High School in 1972 and also coached at Waynesboro (Pa.) and Sterling high schools.

At Glassboro State (now Rowan University), Forte became the program’s all-time winningest coach during his tenure from 1974-77. Earlier in his coaching career, he was a graduate assistant coach at Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) and helped lead the Lions to a conference championship.

After moving to South Carolina, Forte started a new wrestling program at Nation Ford High School in Fort Mill in 2007-2008.

Forte also made significant contributions as an administrator with 28 years as a high school athletic director, including 26 at Hillsborough.

Forte wrestled at Somerville where he was the 157-pound starter on the 1959 state championship squad. He earned seven varsity letters at Somerville, also starring in football and baseball.

At Bloomsburg, wrestling under legendary coach Russ Houk, Forte was a captain during his senior season and helped lead the squad to an undefeated NAIA championship. In 1965, he finished second at the Pennsylvania State College Tournament.

Forte was inducted into the Somerville and Hillsborough Hall of Fames, both in 2011, while the Rocco Forte Memorial Award named in his honor is given annually to a recipient who made significant contributions to the “Development of Wrestling in Somerset County”.

After battle with cancer, Forte died in 2009. He’s survived by his wife Janice, daughter Gina and sons Tony and Vince as well as several grandchildren.