Page 12 - Work Force May 2016

‘Extraordinary
dedication’
on and off the field
Jill Bonesteel has experienced the lifelong benefits to being involved in athletics.
Now, her dedication, commitment and enthusiasm on and off the field are being recognized with the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s (NYSPHSAA) 2016 Excelsior Award.
The Excelsior Award is an award established to recognize a CSEA member in a
NYSPHSAA
school who
has helped
promote
and foster
athletic
spirit in their
local school
district.
Bonesteel, a bus driver for the
East Greenbush School District, was caught totally off guard by the annual award given to a CSEA member who promotes and fosters athletic spirit
in their local district and displays extraordinary dedication and support of high school athletics.
“I was on a treadmill at the gym
when I got the call,” she said. “I was so blown away, I had to get off the treadmill.” “I didn’t know anything about it.”
Bonesteel learned that the school’s athletic director nominated her.
Bonesteel was an athlete from an early age, playing softball for East Greenbush’s Columbia High School.
“I have been involved in sports forever,” she said.
As a mother of three girls,
Bonesteel started coaching
girls softball when her oldest
was 8. That was 15 years ago and she hasn’t
stopped since. She coached all three of her girls’ teams and many others.
In addition to coaching, Bonesteel is an active member of Columbia’s All Sports Club, which raises funding to support athletic programs. The group helps to pay for improvements to school fields, sponsors events and awards annual scholarships.
Through her work with Columbia’s All Sports Club, Bonesteel is able
to raise money through event sponsorship, such as homecoming and a popular sportswear sale.
Four years ago, the district, like many across the state, was struggling financially to balance the budget and made the decision to cut freshman sports. “There’s no way we could have that happen,” Bonesteel said.
For two years, Bonesteel and fellow volunteers went into fundraising overdrive to raise the money to keep those programs in place.
Now that her youngest daughter is graduating, Bonesteel has made the tough call to give up coaching. She will still remain active, however, in her club activities and will continue to be a fixture at many school sporting events. “I go to all the games, mostly because I know a lot
of the kids and want to support them, but also because I love sports and I love to see kids succeed in sports.”
Bonesteel is not anticipating a smooth transition. “I’m not quite sure how I will be able to sit on the sidelines. Once a coach, always a coach,” she said.
As to the award, Bonesteel said that getting recognition is
nice, but admits to feeling a little uncomfortable at the same time. “I normally like to fly under the radar,” she said.
Reflecting on her years as coach, mentor and fundraiser, Bonesteel said, “Having been an athlete my whole life, I know there are lifelong benefits. I want kids to experience that.”
— Therese Assalian
Previous
Excelsior Award
recipients:
2014: Michael Paz, Newburgh Enlarged City School District
2013: Jimmy Colgan, Johnson City School District
2012: Gary Van Asselt, Haldane Central School District
2011: Lisa Vanderburg, Levittown School District
2010: Judy Young, East Rochester School District
Jill Bonesteel, right, presents a trophy to one of her softball players at Columbia High School in the Capital Region. Bonesteel recently received the New York Public High School Athletic Association’s 2016 Excelsior Award.
12 The Work Force
May 2016