September 8, 2023
Launched earlier this year as a way to celebrate MPA’s rich athletic tradition, MPA is proud to announce the 2023 Hall of Fame inductees: Joe Kordosky, athletic director and coach, Bev Docherty, teacher and coach, Mason Ferlic ’11, alum athlete, and Caitlin Lock Coomes ’01, alum athlete. Please take a moment to read thoughts from Bev Docherty below!
What was your greatest accomplishment in your 35 years of teaching and coaching at MPA?
Developing a consistently strong, enjoyable, competitive track and field team was the goal I was trying to accomplish throughout my time at MPA. The MPA track and field records are outstanding in every event and are a testament to the program’s quality. Taking an entire bus full of State Qualifiers to practice at the venue before the big meet in 2019 was such a memorable accomplishment. We qualified for three relays and several individual events on the girls’ and boys’ teams: sprints, distance, and field events. We came away from State that year with six All-State performers!
What is your happiest memory of your time at MPA?
So many happy memories from so many decades! Coaching the first MPA State Champion (Lauren LaRoche-400m), the first Girls Conference Championship as a team (Tri-Valley Conference by 1/2 point, highlighted by four women coaches), the first boys State Champion—then in multiple events (Mason Ferlic-1600m, 3200m), our first Relay State Champion (4 x 800m; Kethan Dahlberg, Nick Gardner, Nolan Ferlic, Evan Ferlic), our first Field Event State Champion (Yahya Madar-High Jump, tied State Record) were all awesome memories. But hosting the co-ed relays on the new Schilling Track, working with student-athletes and families who supported track and field throughout our journey with celebrations, and surviving long, cold meets with smiles are also happy memories. Watching so many student-athletes reach their goals at every level, in every event, is probably the most rewarding.
How did your time at MPA shape your future?
Our home life revolved around MPA track and field in the spring. Schedules were set with my husband and family making adjustments to support me in my love of coaching track and field. It seemed to work out all right as all four of our children went on to compete in track and field in college, shaping their lives as well. Also, when I coached cross country, members of the team babysat for our children, providing me with a night out with my husband—not at a track!
What is one piece of advice that you would share with MPA athletes?
I’ve always encouraged my athletes to “trust your training.” I think this could speak to all of their endeavors as they trust their well-rounded MPA education. The education gained from needing resilience, hard work, and leadership on the track and in their classroom prepared them for reaching their goals. MPA athletes have had experience/practice with meeting challenges and finding success. I hope they trust that experience as they take on new goals.
What impact do you hope you had on others at MPA?
I hope I helped the MPA community understand and support athletics as a valuable part of each student-athlete’s total education.
