Earl Engman – Rookie of the Year Award

Earl Engman – Rookie of the Year Award

The Earl Engman Award is given to the First-Year Official who exemplifies the character, integrity and desire of Earl Engman.

Earl Engman worked as the Track & Field coach at Santa Ana High School from 1957-1974. For nearly 38 years he worked in the Santa Ana Unified School District as a teacher, coach, administrator, and some say most importantly, a mentor. Many described Engman – a former pro-football player and Olympic athlete in track and field during the 1940s – as a “larger-than-life” figure.

Prior to his teaching and coaching at Santa Ana High, Engman competed in football, track & field, and basketball at UC Santa Barbara where he was later inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame. As a football player, he was selected to compete in both the Senior Bowl & East-West Shrine Game. He was named all-league and Second Team Little All-American in 1947. After graduating from UCSB, he went on to play professional football with the San Francisco 49ers from 1949-1950 and 1952. In track & field, he held the UCSB Triple Jump record at 44’7.25″, as well as the UCSB Long Jump record at 23’6″. He also placed at the 1948 NCAA Championships and Olympic Tryouts.

Note: In 2025, OCFOA expanded to include officials in the sports of CIF tackle football and CIF Girls Flag Football. Starting in 2025, OCFOA awarded an Earl Engman – Rookie of the Year Award to one member representing tackle and flag football.