Name PCHS softball field for Coach Kathy Federici

The Village of Port Chester was once a sports powerhouse in Westchester County. Over the decades, our baseball, football, and basketball teams were known as some of the best. Port Chester was home to champions, legendary players, and remarkable coaches. Many of our athletes went on to play professionally in all three sports, and we still celebrate their names, stories, and legacies. The great players and coaches of Port Chester High School are immortalized in its halls, where their photos and trophies proudly stand.

Among them is a legendary coach who achieved extraordinary success while coaching the Port Chester High School girls’ softball team. Her record speaks for itself: 62 wins and only three losses. Let that sink in—62-3! In 1982, she coached the only undefeated girls’ softball team in PCHS history, finishing with a perfect 23-0 season. She was named league coach of the year three times, sectional coach of the year twice, and Westchester coach of the year in 1982. That same year, her team swept the league, sectional, and regional championships, with the regional game played at West Point. She also won the James “Ace” Morabito Softball Tournament in 1980, 1981, and 1982.

Her accomplishments on the softball field are just the beginning. This coach also led girls’ basketball, track, and volleyball teams and was more than just a coach—she was a teacher, mentor, friend, and even a surrogate parent to many of the young women she guided. In addition to her coaching legacy, she taught in the Port Chester School District for an incredible 43 years!

Several years ago, I worked with Dawn Pergamo to have the PCHS baseball field named after her father, Coach Peter Pergamo. Thanks to the support of many, we succeeded. But with all the changes happening in our village and new buildings replacing old, it’s vital that we preserve and honor the triumphs of our past. Too often, we wait until family, friends, teachers, and coaches are gone before we recognize their contributions and what they meant to us. Too often we honor legends posthumously, sometimes because they leave us unexpectedly, as in Coach Pergamo’s case, and sometimes because we don't realize their importance until it’s too late.

Let’s not make that mistake here. Let’s celebrate this extraordinary coach while she can see how much she meant to the generations she inspired. Please join me in advocating to name the PCHS girls’ softball field after legendary Coach Kathy Federici—a tribute she has more than earned.

Phil Dorazio

Port Chester