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October 30, 2009

Wedderspoon-Gray wins Fetterman award

By ERIC AHLQVIST
Cooperstown Crier

It’s been quite a month for Brenda Wedderspoon-Gray. In late September, she was inducted into the Cooperstown Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 1977 field hockey team. Last week, she learned she was selected as this year’s recipient of the Clark Sports Center’s Patrick C. Fetterman Award.

The award is presented by the gym and the Clark Foundation 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 after the gym’s longtime associate director.

Wedderspoon-Gray graduated from CCS in 1978 and SUNY Cortland in 1982, and was coaching junior varsity field hockey at Cooperstown by the fall of that year. She has been with the field hockey program for 27 years, the last 13 as head coach.

When the new gym opened in its new location on Susquehanna Avenue in 1986, Weddersppon- Gray became an employee and is currently the director of aquatics at the gym, although she has coached a variety of sports over the years.

``Pat was actually instrumental in bringing me here,’’ Wedderspoon- Gray said. ``I think we were all impacted by his leadership role. He stressed sportsmanship above all else and I think we’ve all tried to follow his example.’’

Wedderspoon-Gray was nominated for the award by Pat and Ed Hazzard, who were co-winners of the award in 2002.

``Brenda continues to work with kids and young adults on a daily basis at the Clark Sports Center, continues to coach at Cooperstown High School and yet finds time to volunteer and donate time to working with children and local organizations in the area of athletics,’’ the Hazzards wrote to the selection committee.

``We have watched Brenda interact with young people, fellow coaches, officials and members of the community and she clearly fits the criteria for this award.’’

In addition to field hockey, Wedderspoon-Gray has also coached volleyball and girls track at CCS, and youth basketball and swimming at the gym. She said former varsity field hockey coach Pat Mihalko and longtime CCS track coach Don Howard helped inspire her to get into coaching.

``I’m honored to win this award, but I’m not done coaching yet,’’ Wedderspoon-Gray said with a laugh. ``I’d like to think I have a lot of years left, and I still really enjoy it.’’

Wedderspoon-Gray will officially receive the Fetterman Award during a luncheon at the Otesaga Hotel on Monday.

Past Fetterman Award winners include: 1994: Lavern ``Beanie’’ Ainslie; 1995: Jack Vineyard; 1996: Ted Kantorowski; 1997: 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. 2007: Bob Snyder; and 2008: Connie Herzig.

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