Gail Eaton, Massachusetts – 2024
As a field hockey official for 47 years, Gail has officiated games at the elementary school level, high school varsity and semi-final tournament games. She also officiated as a volunteer for the Bay State Games. As an area coordinator, she recruited and trained many candidates and assisted in the coordination and coverage of games for play days and jamborees.
For almost fifty years, Gail has officiated girls sports in Massachusetts. She began officiating field hockey with the Boston Field Hockey Umpires Association in 1977. She was the Boston field hockey coordinator for twenty-six years (1987-2013) as well as the ethics committee chairwoman. She also officiated basketball through the North Shore Board of Officials for 41 years (1987-2019). Coach Eaton also spent some time coaching girls basketball at the Hotten Richman Junior High School girls in Danvers, MA where she coached grade 7 & 8th graders as well as the freshmen girls’ basketball team. She also worked at Governor’s Academy as the girls’ subvarsity basketball coach.
“Over the 47 years that I have officiated, it has been my pleasure to work with the most honored and dedicated people….. without officials, there would be no athletic events and I was honored to be an official.”