Bill Ott’s love of Track and Field and Cross Country began at Floral Park Memorial High School. After graduating Floral Park, he continued his love of the sport running at Nassau Community College. This love of the sport gave him a direction at a very young age to continue contributing to Track and Field and Cross Country by becoming a New York State certified Track Official. He spent the better part of 40 years in the Nassau County Track Officials Association as well as the Suffolk County Track Officials Association. It is here he took on a mentoring role for younger officials just starting out. He twice took on a leadership role in becoming President of the Nassau County Association. During Bill’s years of service to the Nassau County Track Officials Association, he held himself to the highest standard of professionalism and dedicated himself to a standard of officiating that we all strive to achieve. He was elected President of the Nassau County Association in 2001-2002 and again 2006-2015.
When MAC’s Long Island members decided that, since the needs of the Track & Field community on Long Island differed from the needs of that community in New York City, it was time to form a Long Island Association. Bill Ott was one of the first to get on board. He was one of the founding members of USATF-Long Island and contributed greatly to the growth of the organization. Bill served as Officials Chair for USATF-Long Island and then as their Office Manager. His keen organizational skills, his love of the sport and his dedication to the events and their participants added to the success of the organization.
Bill was also a retired Nassau County Police Officer whose dedication to the force lasted 35 years. During that time, he found the energy to lead the Police Athletic League activities. A position he got great satisfaction from working.
In 2021, Bill died peacefully at the age of 69. He was married to his lovely wife, Maryellen, for 46 wonderful years. They are blessed with 3 sons, Billy, David, and Steven, and 2 grandchildren Briella and Francesco, who were the sunshine of his life.
We all feel blessed to have known Bill and honored to have called him “friend.” Please help me welcome Bill’s wife, Maryellen Ott to the stage to accept the Induction Award on the family’s behalf.