This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Sports

Student Athletes Praise Mamary

Student athletes praise BOE over new supervisor of athletics.

After 23 years of working with Westfield's athletes as head athletic trainer, as Sandy Mamary packs up her belongings and makes the move to the top of the Blue Devil hierachy, students will be looking at the move bittersweetly.

Named the district's new supervisor of athletics, succeeding former athletic director Ed Tranchina, Mamary's appointment is being cheered by students, even though many said they will miss her hand's on role in the trainer's office.

The supervisor of athletic position will assume all the duties of the athletic director in addition to also overseeing the physical education department district wide. The change in title was made by the Board of Education in response to guidance from the state education department about changing the description and title. Most school district statewide have been making the move.

Find out what's happening in Westfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Mamary, for the first time in her tenure in Westfield, will work in an administrative position. As trainer, she has always worked directly with the student athletes, developing relationships with every one of them as she went. In fact, to students who frequent her room, she is known simply as Sandy.

"I would dare to say that every athlete during those 23 years know [Mamary]," said Schools Supintendent Margaret Dolan in announcing Mamary's appointment.

Find out what's happening in Westfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Rising junior Joe Greenspan, who has been a daily visitor to the trainer's room during his three years at WHS, said, "Sandy is a wonderful person and she is very friendly and easy to get along with even when I was a freshman and had just met her."

Because of the nature of her new position, however, Mamary will no longer be present in the trainer's room. "I'm a little sad to think that she won't be in the training room anymore. She made athletics fun and comfortable and to think that she won't be [training]—I'm sure I can speak for many athletes and faculty—she will definitely be missed," said Diana Venezia, who graduated from WHS last month.

"It is sad to see her leave the training room because she was such a great trainer and she was very professional about how she did her job…. She created an incredible atmosphere in the training room," Greenspan added.

Despite the gloominess felt by student athletes at WHS as Mamary walks out of the training room for the last time, there is a sense that she is advancing to bigger and better things.

Venezia said: "I am happy, however, that she will be the supervisor of athletics, as I think she is perfect for the job. With her tremendous knowledge and great personality, the town is lucky to have her overseeing all athletics."

Rising junior Alan Chu said, "I know that as Sandy moves on in her career to oversee athletics, she will still make Westfield's athletics great."

 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?