2008 Woodie Awards
Track coach receives conference honors
By Jared Ursta
Rocket Assistant Sports Editor
Issue date: 4/13/07 Section: Sports
After Papa graduated from SRU, he moved to Leesburg, Va., to take a teaching job, which is where he started his coaching career.
"I wanted to coach," Papa said. "When I went for the interview, I told them that I wanted to help out with the team. I met the track coach Sunny Pearson, who was also the football coach, and after 30 minutes, he said that I was the coach.
"He handed over the team and I conducted everything. Those were good days, but when I had the chance to come back to SRU for my masters, I thought it was a good idea."
That was 20 years ago, and in those 20 years, Papa has been named PSAC Coach of the Year 11 times, and he has also led 11 PSAC championship teams in either track or cross country.
"Our goal is always to have everybody on the team reach his or her potential," Papa said. "Not everyone can be a PSAC champion, but everyone can set a goal and be excited about hitting it. That's what we're all about. No one's left out and it's been working so far."
"I wanted to coach," Papa said. "When I went for the interview, I told them that I wanted to help out with the team. I met the track coach Sunny Pearson, who was also the football coach, and after 30 minutes, he said that I was the coach.
"He handed over the team and I conducted everything. Those were good days, but when I had the chance to come back to SRU for my masters, I thought it was a good idea."
That was 20 years ago, and in those 20 years, Papa has been named PSAC Coach of the Year 11 times, and he has also led 11 PSAC championship teams in either track or cross country.
"Our goal is always to have everybody on the team reach his or her potential," Papa said. "Not everyone can be a PSAC champion, but everyone can set a goal and be excited about hitting it. That's what we're all about. No one's left out and it's been working so far."
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