By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC sporty shoutout is sent along to Putnam resident Russ St. Jean.  In his younger days St. Jean was a standout athlete who was part of the Putnam Hawks softball team that traveled New England and entertained some of the best softball teams at Murphy Park.  Today St. Jean can be found walking the River Trail and other areas of Putnam.

Coach Jim Calhoun, who led the UConn men’s basketball fortunes for 26 seasons and captured NCAA National Championships in 1999, 2004 and 2011, was the honored guest and featured speaker at the YMCA Celebrates Champions annual event.  The gathering, which drew a crowd of more than 500, was held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

Calhoun, who along with his wife Pat, served as honorary chairpersons for the recently concluded Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center $15 million capital campaign, held the large audience rapt as he related stories from his childhood and coaching days.  Every story had a moral and motivational theme.

“The fact that all of you are here this evening is evidence that you are people who care.  You not only care because you are supporting the Y financially, but you also care about helping others.  Those kids who’ll be the beneficiaries of your generosity are not known to you but you are helping to change and improve lives with your presence here this evening,” said Calhoun.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member spoke of the effects his dad had on him as a youngster despite the fact that he died when Calhoun was only 15 years of age.  He related how his father taught him respect.  That lesson carried through in life as Calhoun didn’t want to disappoint people because he wanted to make them proud of the things he did every day.  

He spoke of the love he had for each of the players he coached over the years, referring to them affectionately as “my kids.”  Noting that by giving some young players with tough backgrounds the opportunity, he was allowing them to prove themselves, learn respect and have the ability to make people proud of their accomplishments as individuals and teams.  

Calhoun’s 873-380 career record is proof that his players bought into his methodology and philosophy of respect and responsibility.  That fact was further borne out by the 28 former UConn Calhoun-coached basketball players who enjoyed careers in the National Basketball Association.

“People are a very important part of everyone’s lives.  All of us are important in how we affect others.  By being supporters of the YMCA you’re all winning the day for others,” he concluded.

A contingent of folks from northeastern Connecticut was on hand for Calhoun’s presentation.  Those in the audience included Betty Hale, Mally Cox-Chapman, Jim and Blake Zahansky, Lee Konicki, Brian Murphy, Hale YMCA Director Amanda Kelly and Membership Director Danielle Trubia.  Mrs. Hale was among three 2016 YMCA Champions who were recognized.  She was the “Social Responsibility” awardee.  The award was given in recognition of her visionary effort in bringing a YMCA to Putnam and northeastern Connecticut.  The award was presented by Harold Sparrow, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Hartford.

Fox 61 television news anchor Tim Lammers served as the moderator for the program.  He’s Channel 61 morning news anchor and the host of Good Day Connecticut.

Cross Country Champion…

The Eastern Connecticut Conference recently crowned its girls’ conference, division and individual champions following the cross country competition, which was held at the Norwich Golf Course.  Woodstock Academy placed third overall behind the winning East Lyme team and second place Norwich Free Academy.  The Lady Centaurs finished second in the ECC Division II standings based on its 10-4 overall and 8-2 division regular season record.  Stonington finished ahead of Woodstock in Division II.

In the conference championship meet, the Academy’s Sylvia Lawrence outpaced the field, capturing the individual 2016 title.  Lawrence, who was outstanding all fall, crossed the finish line in a time of 20:42.  She beat her closest competitor Kaitlyn Stevens of Killingly by a full 20 seconds.

Other runners who placed for Woodstock were 11th-place finisher Hannah Matsas (22:33); 17th Stasia Czernicki (22:58); 29th Aria Gianfriddo (23:47); 30th Shai-Lin Gothreau (23:53); and 50th Megan Gohn (25:30).

Killingly finished ninth overall as a team and Tourtellotte was 12th.  The Redgals were fourth in Division II during the regular season, while Tourtellotte finished third in Division III.

The conference also released its all stars for the recently completed season.  Lawrence and Matsas highlighted the Division II team, while Czernicki was accorded honorable mention.  Killingly’s Stevens and her teammate Angie Rafter were also Division II all star selections.  Jordan Sroczenski of Tourtellotte was selected as a Division III all star.

Get Well Wishes…

Get well wishes go out to two of Putnam’s finest gentlemen and good sports, my younger brother Maurice “Moe” Coderre and my good friend and former Putnam Deputy Mayor Bob Garceau.

Coderre is home rehabbing following successful surgery for a hip replacement.  The new hip will enable him to get around almost as well as he did when he was a three-sport star at Putnam High School.  It will also make him more comfortable as he performs the National Anthem at Putnam High School and Putnam Science Academy basketball games.  Send Moe get well wishes at his home, 11 Pleasant St., Putnam 06260.

Garceau, who is also a Putnam High School grad, is one of the community’s most active people.  He serves in a number of political roles as well as devoting his time to worthy charitable causes.  Garceau was a patient at St. Francis Hospital recently.  Send him a speedy recovery card at his home, 110 Breault St., Putnam 06260.

RPC sends along best wishes to this well deserving pair of good sports.

High School Football Stats 

Update…

Killingly High School under coach Chad Neal and thanks to its miracle comeback 14-12 victory over Windham continues its move up the ladder in the CIAC Football Playoff Points standing in Class M.  The Redmen moved up two spots, from 8th to 6th this week thanks to the big win.  They currently sport a 5-1 record and have 98.33 points.  Valley Regional/Old Lyme occupies the top spot with 113.67 points.  The top eight teams get into the State playoffs.

In the individual passing touchdown race three area quarterbacks are tightly bunched.  Killingly’s senior signal caller Kyle Derosier is on top with nine aerial touchdowns.  He’s followed by Woodstock’s junior quarterback Jared Bouten with seven tallies through the air, while Plainfield’s Marcus Robinson has six.

The Centaurs Kameron Janice, who has rushed for 1,155 yards in six games, leads the way with 14 rushing touchdowns.  Spencer Lockwood of Killingly has eight TD’s on the ground and has rushed for 1,083 yards.  The versatile Bouten has seven rushing touchdowns.

RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: “We are all like one-winged angels.  It is only when we help each other that we can fly.”  Luciano de Crescenzo 

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