When Boyd Sand, the executive director of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, called Rich Kane a month ago to ask him if he was going to be attending the association’s annual business luncheon, Kane, thinking nothing of the inquiry, replied yes.
"Good, then you can pick up the Award of Honor," was Sand’s reply.
It caught the supervisor of extracurricular activities at Colts Neck High School by complete surprise.
"This is something that you never expect," noted Kane, who is a member of the organization’s Hall of Fame and Sportsmanship Committees. "It’s a biggy. The highest the NJSIAA gives. I am very humbled by it."
Kane, a former president of the NJSIAA was signaled out by the NJSIAA for its Award of Honor, which goes each year to just one person. The Award of Honor is for contributions and service over a number of years to the NJSIAA and its member schools and high school athletics. Kane was singled out from more than 440 administrators throughout the state.
"We are very proud of Rich and the work that he has done with the young student-athletes all over the state of New Jersey," Sands said. "Rich was the former president of our organization and served for seven years on the executive committee."
Kane received his award on Dec. 4 at the Pines Manor in Edison during the NJSIAA’s annual luncheon where the sixth NJSIAA Hall of Fame class was introduced. Among the class of 2000 were Anne Donovan, the Paramus grad who is member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and Aubrey Lewis, the Montclair High graduate who went on to play football at Notre Dame and in the NFL with the Chicago Bears.
"I have a lot of respect for the NJSIAA and to receive their highest honor is something I never expected to happen," noted Kane, who has also earned the association’s Athletic Director of the Year honor. "I’m really honored. It’s very, very special.
"A lot of fine people could have gotten it," he added. "Winning it puts me in very good company."
For Kane, who was the supervisor of extracurricular activities at Manalapan High School before moving to Colts Neck, the award is one of the highlights of his career.
"It’s the icing on the cake for what has been a wonderful career," he explained. "What makes you feel good is being recognized for really caring about the kids."