|
|
|
|
back
|
|
A Humble Hall of Famer: Coach Felix Alberto |
| |
|
 by Jeffrey Stanley
"This is the first time I've even heard of it!" he admitted, upon being congratulated for his induction into a Coaching Hall of Fame. Upper School volleyball coach Felix Alberto was surprised to hear he had been awarded the honor by the Girls Independent School Athletic League (GISAL) this past June for his stellar coaching record at BFS. "It's more a recognition of the years of success our teams have had at BFS since 1997 than a reflection of me personally," he quickly added.
Felix modestly tried to explain why he figures he's hall of fame worthy. "It's interesting because the only thing I knew is that we've pretty much won something every year since 1997 but I didn't know exactly." He recalled several special moments over the past decade, the first one being when the team actually started believing they were good enough to win championships. "In '99 and 2000 we were undefeated. Every year now the girls know they are responsible for upholding this legacy."
He also thought of all the people who'd actually won this honor with him. "If this is a recognition of success, it's a recognition of all the girls who've been in the program. The athletic directors have done a lot of great work, Coach Marna Herrity has done a lot of great work. When I first came here she was the coach. There was a time when we were co-coaches, then she moved to the middle school." Felix also keeps in close touch with former players, three of whom, Jazelyn Montañez '98, Cassie Broadus-Foote '01 and Julie Weber '00, regularly work with the middle and upper school teams as assistant coaches.
Felix initially came to BFS in 1997 as a full-time teacher and part-time coach. "I was coaching at a college and at other private schools, but when I came to BFS, I could coach and teach at the same place – and I was thrilled. I gave up coaching in college and concentrated on the high school level because that's where student-athletes benefit most in terms of developing their skills." he said.
The chair of the physical education department and a teacher of sixth grade Spanish, Felix has an impact on several areas of school life. “Teaching Spanish helps keep me in touch with my culture and pass it on to non-Spanish speaking people,” he said with evident pride. “Teaching physical education is gratifying in two respects,” he added. “I believe that every student shows talent and ability in some aspect of physical education, so they can have success and build on that. In addition, I stress how important physical activity and fitness are not just as students but for their entire lives.”
He attributed his longevity at the school to its overall sense of community. "When I first came here, like every job you don't know what to expect, and at the beginning it was like a roller coaster. As I learned more about the culture of the school and the support of the administration I understood that this was a good place to be. I loved the freedom that I had, and the opportunities," he said. "It gave me a chance to excel at the things that I love, that I'm passionate about." |
|
back
|
| |
|