Rick Perruzzi
Director of Athletic Fields // South Portland, Maine
2026 Class of Pioneers in the Field

Like any great field, Rick Perruzzi’s legacy didn’t happen overnight. It started with strong roots, was built on a solid foundation, and over time continued to grow in ways even Rick never set out to accomplish.

For nearly 30 years, Rick has been a constant presence in South Portland, Maine. Seasons have changed. Facilities have evolved. Generations of athletes have come and gone. But one thing has remained the same: Perruzzi’s commitment to people.

That commitment can be summed up in one simple philosophy.

“Make it about we, not me.”

That mindset has shaped far more than the fields under his care. It has shaped careers, strengthened friendships, and created a community of people who proudly point to Rick as someone who helped influence their own journey.

Because in the end, a legacy isn’t measured only by what one person accomplishes. It’s measured by what continues to grow because that person was there.

 

Pursuing Excellence in the Quiet Work

Anyone who has worked alongside Rick knows he has never been satisfied with “good enough.”

Throughout his career, curiosity has quietly pushed the South Portland program forward. Rick has always believed there is a better way to do things, whether that meant attending conferences, learning from fellow professionals, or trying something new that could improve the experience for athletes.

That willingness to keep learning has occasionally required taking risks.

One of the defining moments came in 2010, just weeks before South Portland hosted the American Legion State Baseball Tournament. Faced with an aging infield that no longer met his expectations, Rick convinced leadership to invest in engineered infield material and completely renovate the surface before the tournament.

It was a bold decision with little room for error.

“This isn’t Fenway, but that doesn’t mean our players can’t have the same type of surface to play on.”

Rick Peruzzi

The project proved to be a success and helped establish a new standard for South Portland’s fields. More importantly, it reflected the philosophy that has guided Rick throughout his career: never stop learning.

“Never be afraid to ask,” he says.

While some of Rick’s decisions have required boldness, much of his pursuit of excellence happens in quieter moments.

As sports field managers know, recognition is rarely given when everything goes right. The best fields are often the ones people never think twice about.
That’s exactly how Rick sees it.

“Character is established when nobody’s looking.”

For Rick, excellence has never been about receiving praise. It’s about showing up every day, paying attention to the details, and creating the best possible experience for every athlete who steps onto the field.

“This isn’t Fenway, but that doesn’t mean our players can’t have the same type of surface to play on.”

Every athlete deserves a safe, quality field. Every community deserves a place they can be proud of.

Rick has spent nearly three decades making sure they have one.

“His passion to be the best at what he does trickles down to everyone he comes in contact with,” Matt says. “Whether he is working the athletic fields, coaching his kids, or just being a dad, he brings out the best in all.”

Matt Tobin, longtime friend and colleague

Deep Roots in South Portland

Rick’s career has always been more than the ritual of maintaining fields. At its core, Rick’s career has been about caring for the community that gathers on them.
South Portland hasn’t just been the place where Rick worked, it has been home. It’s where he raised his family, coached youth sports, built lifelong friendships, and watched generations of athletes create memories on the very fields he helped care for.

Over the years, he has experienced one of the greatest rewards a career in parks and recreation can offer. The young athletes who once played on his fields now return as parents, coaches, and community leaders, bringing a new generation back to the same parks where their own love of the game began.

Those moments are a reminder that Rick’s work has always extended far beyond the lines painted on the field.

Longtime friend and colleague Matt Tobin has watched Rick live out those values for more than two decades.

“His passion to be the best at what he does trickles down to everyone he comes in contact with,” Matt says. “Whether he is working the athletic fields, coaching his kids, or just being a dad, he brings out the best in all.”

For Matt, there isn’t a difference between Rick the sports field manager and Rick the husband, father, coach, or friend.

They’re all the same person.

The same humility.

The same work ethic.

The same willingness to put others first.

“I am grateful Rick allows me to call him both a colleague and a friend,” Matt says. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.”

Those are the roots that have anchored Rick throughout his career. South Portland gave him more than a place to work,  it gave him a community that reinforced the values he already held close: service, teamwork, humility, and investing in others.

And over the years, those roots gave way to something even greater.

“When I think of Rick, I don’t just think about the incredible sports fields he’s built or the nearly three decades he’s dedicated to this profession,” Mike says. “I think about the people whose lives he’s helped shape.”

Mike DiDonato, longtime friend

A Legacy That Continues to Grow

If South Portland gave Rick his roots, the people he mentored became his branches.

Throughout his career, Rick has viewed mentorship not as a responsibility, but as an opportunity. Every seasonal employee, every intern, every young sports field manager who joined his crew was given the chance to learn, ask questions, make mistakes, and grow.

“You’re going to screw up,” Rick tells them. “It’s the only way you’re going to learn.”

That philosophy says everything about Rick’s approach to leadership. He never expected perfection from the people around him, he expected effort, curiosity, and a willingness to improve.

Longtime friend Mike DiDonato believes that mindset is what makes Rick’s impact so lasting.

“When I think of Rick, I don’t just think about the incredible sports fields he’s built or the nearly three decades he’s dedicated to this profession,” Mike says. “I think about the people whose lives he’s helped shape.”

Mike has watched Rick invest in young professionals throughout his career, encouraging them, challenging them, and giving them opportunities to succeed.

“Rick has always believed that knowledge is meant to be shared,” Mike says. “Throughout his career, he has invested in young professionals, taking the time to teach, encourage, and challenge them to be their best.”

Today, many of those young professionals have gone on to lead successful careers of their own.

Watching those former employees succeed has become one of Rick’s greatest rewards.

“It has been so fun to sit there and watch them succeed,” he says.

For Mike, that is exactly what makes Rick such an exceptional leader.

“His success has never been about personal recognition,” Mike says. “It’s been about helping others grow and watching them succeed.”

Whether mentoring a coworker, supporting a friend, or serving his community, Rick has spent a lifetime making the people around him better.

“This award recognizes a pioneer in the field, but those of us who know Rick know that his greatest legacy isn’t just found on the fields he’s cared for. It’s found in the people he’s mentored, the friendships he’s built, and the family he loves so deeply.”

Mike DiDonato

The Impact That Remains

Rick has spent nearly 30 years preparing fields that thousands of athletes have called home.

But ask the people who know him best, and they’ll tell you that’s only part of his story.

His impact is found in the careers he helped launch.

The friendships he built.

The community he served.

The family he loves.

As Mike DiDonato so perfectly puts it:

“This award recognizes a pioneer in the field, but those of us who know Rick know that his greatest legacy isn’t just found on the fields he’s cared for. It’s found in the people he’s mentored, the friendships he’s built, and the family he loves so deeply.”

Like the strongest trees, Rick’s legacy will continue to grow, not because of what he accomplished alone, but because of the countless people who will carry his example forward.

And perhaps that’s the truest definition of a Pioneer in the Field.

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