Larry Szczechowski, (Coach Ski)
(1983-2001) Track and Field Coach
Inducted September 23, 2006

Coach Larry Szczechowski dedicated himself to coaching the Saint Mary’s Track and Field Team for eighteen seasons. For the last fifteen years of his coaching tenure, Coach Szczechowski coached the team alone having to spread himself over the sprinters, distance runners, and field events. He drove the team in the school van to away contests and worked agreements with St. Joe High School and Notre Dame to utilize their practice facilities. In order to accommodate all the class schedules and other commitments of his athletes, Coach Szczechowski would run three separate practices a day for the distance runners, the sprinters, and the field events.

Numerous former student-athletes have said that Coach Szczechowski was the only reason they joined the track and field team. His warm smile and easy going personality welcomed them to join a team where they learned to succeed against the odds. He wanted to challenge each athlete, no matter what level they started, to reach their potential. Coach Ski once said, “To me, the best thing that ever happens to me in coaching is when an athlete says, ‘Coach, that’s the best I have ever done’… it’s just the dedication you get out of people and the desire to improve.”

Coach Szczechowski, by both word and example, has taught his student-athletes to willingly take what they are given, no matter how small or seemingly inadequate, and to go the extra mile. How fortunate are all those young budding athletes in the South Bend elementary schools who are taught these lessons on a daily basis by their gym teacher Mr. Szczechowski. We honor Coach Larry Szczechowski, not only for his unprecedented commitment to the athletic program of this College, but also for the wonderful mentoring he gave year after year to all of his former student-athletes at Saint Mary’s.