Randy Rovesti retires as Gateway athletic director

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, August 30, 2019 | 2:17 AM

Randy Rovesti thought he’d be Gateway’s interim athletic director for maybe two or three months, just long enough for the district to find someone else.

Six years later, he was still on the job.

Rovesti, 67, delayed retirement in 2013 to work for his alma mater, but said he decided this week that it’s time to do other things in life. He resigned Monday as Gateway’s athletic director but planned to help in a limited role until a replacement is hired.

“I feel very fortunate, very blessed to be able to work for the school that I graduated from,” said Rovesti, a 1970 graduate. “That was always a dream of mine to work at Gateway.”

Rovesti is also a longtime member of the WPIAL football steering committee, a position he’ll keep. However, he’ll relinquish his committee chairman title, which can only be held by an active school district employee.

He retired from Norwin in 2013 after 23 years in that district including 10 as athletic director. At various times, he also worked as a classroom teacher, football coach and assistant principal, but his retirement was short-lived.

Gateway hired Rovesti in June 2013 to replace Harry Orbin, who’d served four months as interim athletic director after Terry Smith resigned.

This fall, Rovesti started his seventh school year at Gateway.

“The programs are on an upswing,” he said. “I’m proud of the fact that I think I’m leaving it a little bit better than how I found it.”

Gateway has not announced a replacement.

“We have advertised the position and will have an interim AD until the interview and hiring process has concluded,” Gateway superintendent William Short said.

Rovesti was honored at last week’s football game along with his teammates from Gateway’s 1969 WPIAL championship team. As a senior, Rovesti was a starting offensive guard and linebacker that year. He later played college football for Lou Holtz at William & Mary.

He said a few recent deaths among his extended family and friends made him contemplate whether he wanted to keep working into his late-60s. He also noted that at least five players from his high school football team had died.

“I don’t want to let people think I’m afraid of dying,” Rovesti said, “but I want to golf, I want to see my grand kids, I want to relax.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Gateway