By ERIC AHLQVIST
Cooperstown Crier
Connie Herzig is generally a
whirl of motion, full of energy,
talking fast and always on the
go.
But when she found out she
was going to be the recipient of
this year’s Fetterman Award, for
one of the few times in her life she
was at a loss for words.
Members of the gym came to
the CCS elementary school during
``Finale Friday’’ at the school
earlier this month. Brenda Wedderspoon-
Gray got up to speak
about the award, and surprised
Herzig with the announcement
she was this year’s winner.
``I was completely speechless,’’
said Herzig, a Cooperstown Elementary
School phys. ed teacher
and girls track and field coach for
the past 17 seasons. ``I was very
overwhelmed and honored. I
thought it was great they did it to
include the students, staff and
administrators who have supported
me throughout the years.’’
Herzig will be presented the
award at a private luncheon at
the Otesaga Hotel on Monday.
The Fetterman Award has been
in existence since 1994, and is
given to a member of the community
who is dedicated to serving
local youth, especially in the area
of athletics.
The recipient embodies the
meaning of outstanding sportsmanship,
inspired leadership and
caring service and is named for
longtime associate director Patrick
C. Fetterman.
Longtime boys track coach
Don Howard, who recently retired
and received the Fetterman
Award in 2000, said Herzig is an
ideal choice.
``Connie is warm, giving of her
time, high energy and goes above
and beyond for the girls’ benefit,’’
Howard said. ``The girls love her.
She’s a great motivator and also a
lot of fun to be around.’’
Herzig said she views sports
as a vehicle to further personal
and academic development.
``I coach because I love being
with the kids and I love the process
of a sport in helping them
mature, be a part of a team, and
explore skills and abilities,’’ she
said. `` They get to push their limits
and try things they never have
before. It’s a wonderful process,
and I approach coaching with a
teaching model.’’
Cooperstown athletic director
and middle school proncipal Mike
Cring said he enjoys watching
Herzig’s interaction with her students
and athletes.
``She treats each one as an individual
and then challenges
them all to do their best,’’ Cring
said. ``She’s a great coach and a
better role model.’’
Wedderspoon-Gray, who heads
the Fettwerman Award search
committee at the gym, said Herzig
was a unanimous choice after
nominations were received earlier
this fall.
``A lot of people coach, but very
few make the connection to their
players that Connie seems to
make,’’ she said.
Howard said he and other
coaches often jokingly refer to
Herzig as a ``Mother Hen’’ because
she is very protective and
involved with her athletes.
``She’s very warm,’’ Howard
said. ``She’s a giver, and that
makes her a great role model because
it’s good for kids to see
someone who gives back. It also
helps that she really knows her
stuff and is a great teacher.’’
Besides teaching and coaching,
Herzig also started the Red
Hot (formerly knows as the Redskin)
Ropers jump rope program
in 1992.
``We have between 90-105 kids
(3rd, 4th, and 5th) in the club every
year,’’ said Herzig, who
brought the idea with her from
Kansas, where she used to teach.
``I wanted an activity that encouraged
fitness, challenged the kids,
uses creativity, and is able to
grow with the students. During
the winter months, this program
meets two or three days a week
after school, and the kids jump
for an hour and 25 minutes. That
is a lot exercise! Kids gain agility,
coordination, confidence, and
have fun! What could be better?’’
Herzig was born in Brockport,
N.Y., and attended Cortland
State after high school. She left
college for a year and a half and
went to California to play on a
semi-professional soccer team before
returning and getting her
Bachelor’s degree.
She went to Kansas after college,
and received her Master’s
Degree in Physical Education. In
addition to track, she has taught
volleyball and basketball.
``I’m not sure I’d call it maternal,
but each athlete knows I
have a sincere interest in how
they do, whether it scores points
for the team or not,’’ Herzig said.
``I have coached many sports (not
in Cooperstown, but before) and I
really like coaching track because
it allows that process to work better
than in most sports. Improvement
is easy to see and the kids
really respond to the process.’’
Past winners include: Lavern
“Beanie” Ainslie; 1994: Jack Vineyard;
1995: Ted Kantorowski;
1996: Malcolm Brooks; 1997-98:
Jerry Townsend; 1998-99: Don
Howard; 2000: Dick White; 2001:
Pat and Ed Hazzard; 2002: Stephen
``Sharky’’ Nagelschmidt;
2003: Frank Miosek; 2004: Ted
Spencer; 2005: Terry Bliss; 2006:
Dave Adsit; and 2007: Bob Snyder.
