By: Paul Schwartz / NorthJersey.com
Sometimes things are just right.
The Town Council of Secaucus and the Secaucus Board of Education formally named the track complex at the high school in honor of Stan Fryczynski last Saturday before an appreciative crowd of more than 150 of Stan’s friends, family and admirers.
It was an honor years in the making with the council and Board of Education working together towards a vote one member called “the easiest” he ever made.
But as current athletic director Charlie Voorhees pointed out, “This has always been Stan’s track.”
Fryczynski was the school’s first cross-country, indoor and outdoor track coach from when the school opened in September, 1976. relinquishing the track jobs when he retired as the Patriots’ athletic director in 2011. He remains as the only cross-country coach in Secaucus history, winning more than 500 dual meets, more than a dozen conference titles and multiple sectional titles.
Town administrator Gary Jeffas got the celebration underway, and set the tone for the whole afternoon.
“Stan coached me, my wife, my three brothers, my sons, my brother-in-law, my sister-in-law and a bunch of my cousins,” Jeffas said as the crowd roared in laughter. “At times, I think we made up half the team.”
But then Jeffas got serious.
“The track is being named after you, not for your wins and losses, but for a much more worthy achievement,” he said. “To have a great community, you need residents who by their own actions show caring and love for those under their care, motivate those people to help make the community better, exemplify this in their every day life and who truly cares about everyone who has crossed their paths.
“You have been a tremendous mentor to thousands and by having you in their lives they learned dedication, motivation, caring and teamwork.”
Other speakers, including council members and board members reiterated those qualities, and current captain Genci Duraku called the Secaucus High School cross-country experience ”the flagship experience in New Jersey.”
Fryczynski’s daughter Amy Hawxhurst, a former cross-country captain herself and the mother of 2018 captain Austin, now a Secaucus police officer, capped the presentation by saying, “We are here because of the coach you have been for the last 50 years. It was never about winning, about getting a PR or a record being broken or a trophy being brought home.
“It was about helping each athlete know their own personal worth and value and teaching each athlete to appreciate those aspects of themselves. It was watching them become alumni and lifelong friends and it was about the huge impact you have made on so many lives for so many years.”
The usually voluble Fryczynski, the current executive director of the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference, was at a loss for words momentarily, but rallied quickly, pulling out his trademark light blue bucket hat as he acknowledged a row of officials wearing the same style of hat to honor him.
“This is truly one of the most emotional moments of my life,” he said, fighting back tears. “You could not have given me a nicer gift. I’ve gained so many friends in the athletic community and all of you have done twice as much for me than I have for you.”
Later he said, “Your entire career flashes in front of you. Everyone in that room one way or another has touched my life, and it gives me an appreciation of what a really good life I’ve had, and what the sport afforded me.”
