Truly a Class Act

Wednesday morning at 10:30, we finally had a chance to catch up. We began by exchanging pleasantries. Then, I cut to the chase.

 

I’d like to write about your upcoming VISAA Hall of Fame induction, I explained. It’s quite an honor, you know. A lifetime achievement award. Your friends have said some really nice things about you. It would be great to get a few thoughts from you.

 

Dox winced noticeably. She shifted uneasily in her chair. She smiled a bit self-consciously. I’d made her feel quite uncomfortable. No surprise there. Truth be told, this entire Hall of Fame thing is making her feel uncomfortable.

 

Humility is her strong suit, you see. She’s happy to do her job, then recede into the background and watch the pieces fall together. Though gracious and appreciative, she prefers to deflect the credit for her many achievements to the kids she nurtures, the coaches she mentors, and the athletic program whose legacy she so aptly perpetuates.

 

Karen has been honored before, of course. Compile a 597-157-37 record in 39 years as a field hockey coach (first at Norfolk Academy, then Collegiate), win 18 League of Independent Schools and eight state titles, and rank third on the National Federation of State High School Associations ledger, include a 140-53-5 mark and three LIS crowns in lacrosse, and chances are those who vote for coach of the year will take notice.

 

“It’s definitely humbling,” she said of the VISAA recognition, which will be formalized Monday evening in a ceremony at the Richmond Hilton Hotel. “It’s like, ‘Why am I going in?’ I’ve been around for a long time. I get that part of it. It’s just doing my job. In my mind, it’s not anything above and beyond what anybody else does. It’s just part of being an athletic director.”

 

Karen, who came to North Mooreland Road in 1986 after a seven-year tenure at Norfolk Academy, has played an integral role on a host of VISAA, LIS, and Prep League committees, which is a chief criterion for inclusion in the Hall of Fame.

 

“Serving with Karen has offered me the opportunity to witness a thoughtful, generous, dedicated, and conscientious athletic administrator at work,” said Cas Blanchard, the AD at Potomac School. “She’s been a mentor to countless students, coaches, and athletic administrators, myself included. Our time together has forged a mutual respect and friendship I deeply value.”

 

From Chad Byler, Norfolk Academy’s associate AD: “Karen is the consummate professional. Whether it’s watching her coach or seeing her care about kids and coaches…she’s gained the respect of so many people in the athletic arena and beyond. AD’s give coaches and athletes guidelines. It’s another thing to model those standards and never miss a beat.”

 

From Becky Currier, Trinity Episcopal AD: “Karen is a wise and experienced AD. She’s organized the program at Collegiate so it’s run with dignity, honor, and integrity. She’s very much looking toward what’s best for kids and for keeping the student as part of student/athlete. That’s something that gets lost all too often.”

 

And from Julie Dayton, St. Catherine’s AD: “Karen is a cornerstone, an anchor in the LIS and the Prep League. Her professionalism and strong character make her the person many other athletic directors look to for guidance. When I first became an athletic director, Karen was so helpful, always, guiding me with her perspective, insight, and experience. She does everything the right way.”

 

The right way? In Karen’s mind, the concept is time-honored and not open for interpretation. She followed, among others, Petey Jacobs and Charlie McFall as the guiding light in Collegiate athletics. “The right way” had already a hallmark of the culture of the program.

 

“Sportsmanship has been ingrained in our community for so long,” she said. “We have to constantly have our finger on the pulse because we can’t let that slip away.

 

“We want our athletes and teams to reach their potential. That doesn’t mean they’re going to win everything. It means that teams improve and bond and have a good experience. That’s what we’re all about.

        

“And we want our athletes to become competitors. There can be times when you’re afraid or anxious. Putting yourself on the line teaches you how to handle those moments. Hopefully, those lessons will help them later in life.”

 

For many years, Karen served alongside Charlie McFall as co-athletic director. When McFall retired in 2013, Karen became head of the program while Andrew Stanley and Will O’Brien assumed associate AD roles.

 

McFall: “I couldn’t have had a better person to work with. Karen made me a better AD. Her organization is phenomenal. She understands athletics. She made my job 100 percent easier because of her expertise.”

 

Stanley: “Having had the opportunity to learn from Karen for a couple of decades, I’ve seen her drive, attention to detail, and absolute commitment to excellence that has set an example for all of us. She’s constantly looking for better ways to help kids get the most out of their experience.”

 

Will O’Brien: “Karen cares about everybody. No sport gets priority. It’s equal opportunity for everybody. She’s taught me a lot about compassion and listening, that it’s important to listen and see what coaches and kids want…to see their perspective. She’s constantly representing the brand of Collegiate and protecting that brand with all her actions.”

 

Charlie Blair has served as varsity boys soccer coach since 1979.

 

“We sometimes view Karen in the leadership role as athletic director,” he said, “but her work as a coach is really special: her attention to detail, her organization, how she sets up practice itself, how it flows from one thing to another. The girls are absolutely riveted by what she’s saying. She coaches them in everything from the position of their hands on the stick to where each foot is placed as they strike the ball to getting their heads up…all the details. She’s had a lot of success because she’s a brilliant teacher.”

 

During her years as Collegiate’s hockey coach, Karen has prepared her teams to face her previous school – Norfolk Academy – at least twice a year. The squads know each other well. They share a friendly rivalry and a healthy respect one for the other.

 

“Karen is a great sportswoman,” said Bulldogs’ coach Mary Werkheiser. “I try my best to live up to her standards. She’s truly a class act.”

    -- Weldon Bradshaw