Nancy Sarno, Massachusetts – 2006

For the past two decades, Nancy has been the Freshman Field Hockey coach at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School.

“As this is the first opportunity to meet other girls from the Bridgewater-Raynham region and, for some, the first time to play field hockey, any freshman girl who expresses an interest to play will make the team. There are no cuts and no moves up the JV or varsity. Playing and practicing are only part of my program. I feel that I am preparing then for the future, and so we talk about and strongly emphasize the following: appropriate behavior as a representative of the school, self-discipline (homework, chores, other obligations), responsibility for uniform, equipment, and task assignments of game day, teamwork, fair play and good sportsmanship, total concentration and dedication to practice, daily attendance at practice, and learning to love the game.”

“At the conclusion of the freshman season, I join the varsity staff as an assistant coach. It is most pleasing to me that I have been responsible for the feeder program which has ultimately enabled the varsity to participate in post-season play 12 times in the past 18 years.”

“Over the past 27 years as a physical educator at Cardinal Spellman High School, I have found myself promoting the girls’ sports teams. I lobbied for Title IX, advocated new girls sport teams, scored games, assisted for practices, helped the athletes with their uniforms, equipment and everyday problems, offered them a shoulder to cry on, and recruited girls out my classes for teams. I was instrumental in getting Spellman involved in Girls and Women in Sport Day, and have escorted our athletes to the event.”

“A few years ago, as a board member of the Edgewood Pool and Tennis Club, I promoted swim teams, tennis teams, and set up field days for girls, boys, and coed teams.”