March 8 is International Women’s day, and we’d love to pay tribute to the women who worked so hard in the early days of Section XI and Suffolk County high school sports.
There was a time prior to the existence of Title IX in 1972 where many women in the Suffolk County region fought very hard to make a difference, to coach, to win and impact the lives of student-athletes for decades to come.
We are so thankful we have such impactful individuals to look up to today.
It’s with profound gratitude we honor the women who were involved with girls sports in Suffolk County prior to Title IX, but also to recognize all of our present student-athletes, coaches and athletic administrators who work so hard representing us every day in the current era.
Women involved in girls sports as coaches or administrators in Suffolk prior to 1972:
Amityville: Pat Burns, Sally Brubaker
Babylon: Jeannette Rogers, Charlotte Sohl, Lynn Blees, Deborah Fauth Fell
Bayport-Blue Point: No program until 1973
Bay Shore: Mary Wright, Mildred Wehrly, Joan Stahl, Ellie Eckman, Karen Kauer, Carol Fuhrer
Bellport: Mary Beacom, Kathy Schroth, Donna Moran
Brentwood: Pat Michalski, Dalmar Kittredge
Bridgehampton: Mary Anne Jules
Centereach: Lynn McDermott, Nancy Cole, Jean Soderman
Center Moriches: Judy Ingram
Central Islip: Ellen Quinn, Nancy Collis
Cold Spring Harbor: Cathy Downey Gallagher
Commack: Nancy Hadland, Nancy Kolczynski, Rochelle Herlich, Martha Miller, Jeanette Klimszewski
Comsewogue: Joey Tagner
Connetquot: Ginny Hafner, Barbara Carter, Vera Truhlar, Martha Morrell, Kathy McLane
Copiague: Mary Melzer, Rose Gold
Deer Park: Christine Zimmit, Diane Duerr
East Hampton: Ellen Cooper
East Islip: Lorraine Werner, Dot Correale, Margot Molloy
Greenport: Jane Utz, Vivian Pugsley
Half Hollow Hills: Cathy Vayianos, Anne Dignam, Doris Sajecki, Gladys Pallmeyer
Hampton Bays: Cam Gleason
Harborfields: Millie Wilcox, Louise Mangan, Mickey Mascucci, Lorriane Sorg, Joan Richards
Hauppauge: Eleanor Reeves, Carol Golden, Ann Lewis, Irene Berg
Huntington: Lee Sherman, Doris Line, Lynn Knippler, Lynn Fischbaker
Islip: Nat Keefe, Kathy Chichester
John Glenn: Rosie Terrible, Alexa Kaplan, Kings Park—Eugenia Baker
Lindenhurst: Pat McMullen, Lorraine Michels, Barbara Magie, Claire McAllister, Sue Coller
Longwood: Judy Gaudino, Karen Parinello, C-El Purdy
Mattituck: Marie McGlynn
Miller Place: Pat McCarrick
Newfield: Joy Malchodi, Midge Cairns
North Babylon: Eleanor Mullins, Marilyn Cross
Northport: Ann Bieling, Bea Barley, Hilda Bleier, Lois Elsinger, Anne Crandall
Patchogue: Jeri Clendennan, Paula Lindsey, Mary Ryan
Pierson: Debbie Jayne, Mary Ann Faevel
Port Jefferson: Ruth Gracey, Mary Hedges, Sue Gavron
Riverhead: Virginia Herrald
Rocky Point: Diane Armet
Sachem: Lillian Zimmerman, Sue Fyfe, Risa Zander, Linda Otten, Sue Abel, Sue Cox
Sayville: Anna McKeever, Demi Benares
Shelter Island: Carol Spooner
Shoreham-Wading River: Diana Wells
Smithtown: Linda DeBotteri, Marge VanWart, Eileen Hutchenson, Connie Bourdeau, Maura Stouter, Jean McKay, Pat Peppard, Denise Hennessey
Southampton: Marge Auster, Chris Holden, Ann Hammond
Southold: Kerry Murphy
Walt Whitman: Joan Hohenrath, Helen Rabidou, Marie Anderson
Ward Melville: Jean Berger, Michelle Dougherty, Becky Walters, Janice Ventura, Judy Black, Ro Falco
West Babylon: Dolores Shelfo, Mary Lupiten, Rosie Terrible, Carlotta Tronto
Westhampton: Mary Ann Faevel, Phyllis Ballard, Evelyn Rybicki, Mrs. Breubaker
West Islip: Norma Davis, Peg Wagner, Linda Dougherty, Jean Gregory, Evi Kallas
William Floyd: Judy Geary, Mary Ann Izzo, Cheryl Bernhoft
Wyandanch: Marge Scheidegger, Brenda Barney
