Last Update: Sunday, March 18, 2007

A Letter of Congratulations to Coach Sue Curnias!

(October 26, 2005)  It is not very often that I have the opportunity to say congratulations to a leader among coaches and a friend who is being honored by her peers. I was first introduced to Sue McAuliffe Curnias over twenty years ago by my wife, Betty, who has been a long time friend of Sue. Through personal and coaching involvement with her, I learned enough about Sue to be impressed by her thorough commitment to her student-athletes and her coaching abilities in cross country and outdoor track and field. At the 1986 State Class XC meet, I watched her first State Class L champion Meredith Gordon run to victory and a year later her team captured the Class L title over New Milford. In her 17 years as an outdoor coach and 27 years as a cross country coach, I was always impressed by her on-field demeanor with her athletes; one that commanded respect but yet helped her athletes keep their perspective through their triumphs as well as their disappointments.

Sue has always been dedicated to her profession, in the class room and on the track. In addition to her Health and Physical Education teaching and coaching responsibilities at William Hall High School in West Hartford, Sue has served on the CIAC track and gymnastics committees and with the CHSCA in both sports as well. She has also served as a vice president of the Connecticut Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; served on the Wethersfield Recreation Commission and the West Hartford Coaches Council.

It is no surprise that the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) has chosen Sue for induction into their Hall of Fame since she is the only woman who has ever received the CHSCA coach of the year award in three different sports. Sue has also coached gymnastics for nine years at Hall, achieving a 78-37 record and a coach of the year award in 1980. She also earned coach of the year honors in Outdoor Track and Field in 1986 and in Cross Country in 1988. Her teams have captured 18 league titles, three state runner-up spots and 20 third or fourth-place finishes. Her most recent cross country champion was Ceara Danaher in 2002 and 2003 at the Class LL meet. Other accolades for Sue include an NHSACA Region I coach of the year in both track and cross country and she has been recognized by the Connecticut Track and Field Association and the National Federation national high school coach of the year in track and field (1992). She also coached swimming for two years at Conard High School (14-5). Sue is also slated for the Bo Kolinsky Award presented in November by the Wethersfield High School Hall of Fame for her contribution to high school athletics.

Congratulations Sue on your achievements and thank you for your dedication to the Connecticut high school sports scene over the past two decades.

Regards,
Ron Knapp, Owner - MySportsResults.com

The CHSCA Hall of Fame Dinner is slated for Thursday, Nov. 10 (6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. dinner) at the AquaTurf Club in Southington. Tickets are $35 and can be ordered from John Fontana at 860-628-4122. More information on other inductees is available at the CHSCA website.