Plymouth State University

RICK FORGE ('78): The girls softball coach at Somersworth High School since 1977, Forge retired after the 2002 season as the winningest coach in Granite State history with six state championships and more than 400 victories. He has also coached cross country and basketball over the years, winning a state title in basketball in 1986, but most of his accolades came as the highly successful softball coach.

Forge has led the softball team to 26 consecutive appearances in the NHIAA State Tournament, advancing to the semifinals 16 times. He guided the Hilltoppers to a 23-0 record in 1988, the only undefeated season in the history of Class I. In 2001, he became the first softball coach in Granite State history to reach 400 wins, and he concluded his softball coaching career in 2002 with an overall record of 424-87.

A veteran volleyball official who officiated 18 consecutive state championship final matches from 1984-2001, Forge has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors in his career. He is a seven-time New Hampshire Softball Coach of the Year, and in 1990 and 2001 was a National High School Coach of the Year for Region 1. Forge received the prestigious Walter Smith Coaches Award from the Manchester Union Leader and was inducted into the New Hampshire Interscholastic Coaches Hall of Fame in 2000. He was also the co-founder of the Granite State Softball Classic and the Twin State (NH/VT) Softball Classic.