WINDSOR LOCKS - Key Persons
Coach Al Shapiro grew up in Holyoke, Massachusetts, one of five brothers in an athletic family. He was graduated in 1938, attended Monson Academy and went onto Tufts University, where he played soccer, basketball and baseball.
An excellent baseball player, he played minor league baseball in the Eastern League first with Utica as an outfielder and then with Wilkes-Barre where he also played second base. The latter being a New York Yankee affiliate. Al later played semiprofessional baseball with the Windsor Locks Athletic Association where he also pitched. Al also played professional basketball with the Springdale Allies and the Ware Pros in Ware, Ma.
Al's first teaching and coaching job was in Windsor Locks in 1943. Before Shapiro, the Windsor Locks basketball team lost to Enfield 61 - 2. He started with a team that had little experience and made them successful in the very first year and beat the Enfield team they were soundly defeated by the previous year. In two years, he developed a reputation of producing some of the best basketball and baseball teams in years.
From 1946 to 1955 he went to Enfield where he taught Physical Education and was the Athletic Director at the Higgins Junior High School. He returned to Windsor Locks to teach PE and coach basketball and baseball.
In basketball, he was one of the first coaches to install a zone press defense in the mid 40's which led to many successful teams. He was an innovator, a tactician and his attention to detail laid the cornerstone for the success of his teams. His teams consistently reached the state tournament, several reached the semifinals and his teams were always respected by opponents.
As a baseball coach his teams were always given the same attention to detail. Teams were the beneficiaries of the knowledge he transferred to them from his playing days in the pros. The final two years of his high school coaching career, his basketball teams went 21 - 1 in 1961 and 18 - 3 in 1962.
Few knew it at the time, but when Bob Murray and his wife moved to Windsor Locks in 1966, the town gained a valuable asset. Over the next three decades Bob served as coach, manager and friend to scores of Windsor Locks athletes. He was a fixture in both the WL Little League and the American Legion Baseball Programs. He coached the Lions Little League baseball team to more undefeated seasons than anyone can remember. When he was not on the diamond, Bob served as the equipment manager for the WL Jets Midget Football team for over a decade. Unbeknownst to anyone, assisting Coach Sullivan in 1994 would be Bob's last chance of volunteering for the youth on the WL Varsity Soccer team. Bob passed away that October, as the team went on to win the Class "S" State Soccer Championship. They dedicated the victory to their 12th man and friend, Bob Murray. Although he has been gone for over 20 years, Bob's legacy continues. Each year, two
scholarships are given in his name to a young man and woman graduating from Windsor Locks High School. The awards are given to young adults who excel in sports, but who, like Bob, exhibit sportsmanship and caring for the community.
Bob Norris has been a lifelong resident of Windsor Locks. He graduated from Windsor Locks High in 1961.
His college degree was earned at the University of Hartford in 1965. After graduation his life has been devoted to the youth of Windsor Locks as a coach and the youth of other towns as a sports official.
Brendan Copes earned 11 varsity letters during his time at Windsor Locks High School. A perennial three-sport performer, he earned a starting role on the soccer team as a freshman under legendary coach Dan Sullivan and later captained the team his junior and senior seasons. As a soccer midfielder, Copes earned All-NCCC honors his junior and senior seasons and was selected as a CIAC All-State and Honorable Mention All-New England performer after his senior season in 1998.
On the basketball court, Copes was a three-year starter for Sullivan and served as captain his junior and senior seasons. As a junior Copes notched 14 points and 10 rebounds a game while being named All-NCCC after the 1996-97 season. During his senior campaign, he tallied 16 points and 13 rebounds and again was named to the all-conference team.
Before he left WLHS Copes earned three varsity letters as a member of the golf team, serving as team captain his junior year. During the spring of 1999, Copes switched from the golf team to the tennis team and earned a silver medal finish in doubles at the NCCC tournament.
After leaving Windsor Locks High, Copes played basketball for Marist College from 2001-2004. Copes started 19 career games and helped the team to a 19-9 record and a National Invitational Tournament berth in 2002. He served as team captain during the 2003-04 season.
Brendan Copes is a versatile, accomplished athlete. Whether he was kicking, shooting or hitting a ball with a club or a racket, Brendan rose to the top; comfortable in any wing of the Athletic Hall of Fame.
Brian was born in Belfast, Ireland and immigrated to America in 1952, shortly before his thirteenth birthday.
Swish, swish, swish… with a silky smooth shot, Glenn Flanders could fill up the basket with the best of them. Before he was finished with his basketball career at Windsor Locks High School he would score more than 1000 points and collect all the honors the Connecticut Valley Conference had to offer.
Glenn now teaches Cooperative Work Education, Civics and History at South Windsor High School. He has kept close to the game by coaching women's basketball. Before taking the job in South Windsor in 1999, Glenn taught at an alternative high school in Amherst, Massachusetts. In his free time Glenn still enjoys playing golf and following UCONN basketball and hockey.
Before he was a well-respected insurance broker, Chairman of the Board of education and father of four, C. Glenn Flanders Jr. collected hall of fame credentials for his athletic ability.
Charlie Zien - Charlie attended Windsor Locks High (65) where he was a three sport athlete. He went on to attend Springfield College where he played two years of college baseball and four years of soccer.
In his senior year, his college soccer team was undefeated and ranked number one in New England, earning the distinction of being one of the best teams then and remains as one of the best teams in Springfield College history.
Zien went on to coach and teach for ten years and then left for a successful business career when he became an owner and has been President of the United Tool & Die Company, one of the larger private aerospace manufacturing companies in Connecticut.
Charlie married Joyce Pohorylo. also from Windsor Locks. They have been married for forty-four years and have two daughters; Karli Ann of Northampton, Massachusetts and Marnie Leigh of New York, New York.
Charlie's hobbies are big game hunting here and abroad, waterfowl hunting, fly fishing the US, Canada and the Caribbean and yes, golf. A devout UConn men's basketball fan, Charlie is also a great fan of college basketball.
Dan Sullivan was graduated from Suffield High School in 1953 where he earned 16 varsity letters and was president for all four years.
He did one year of prep school at Wilbraham Academy where he earned three varsity' letters and was awarded the Sportsmanship Award.
In 1960 he was graduated from Springfield College with a BS degree.
While at Springfield, he was a member of the 1957 National Championship Soccer Team.
He was selected to the First Team All-New England and First Team All-American teams. He also was a member of the basketball and baseball teams.
He came to Windsor Locks High School in 1960 to start a soccer program. He also coached varsity basketball and baseball for the next 39 years.
His soccer teams won six State Championships:
Coach Sullivan is one of WLAHOF inductees who are also members of the Suffield Athletic Hall of Fame-Fran Aniello and Mary-Jane Hussey are the other two.
Dan Farr was the prototype Dan Sullivan athlete; talented, competitive and always out hustling the opponent.
Like his Hall of Fame sister Eileen, Dan was a three sport athlete at Windsor Locks High School. In soccer, he was a four year starter.
His senior year he made all- conference and All-State. Playing as a midfielder he was a key member of Coach Sullivan's 5 th state soccer championship team in 1990.
In basketball Dan was a three year starter at guard. In his junior year, he was the team's third leading scorer but helped in other ways as well, leading the team in steals, 3 point shots made and tied for assists. H
Job Titles:
- Assistant Coach of the Windsor Locks High School Baseball Team
- Vice Chairman, Class of 2009
When you have been coaching for nearly four decades, there is not much you have not seen. George Hall's experience as a coach made him a valuable assistant to Windsor Locks baseball head coach Dave Farr. During the five years that George served as the assistant coach, WLHS won three conference championships, three conference play-off championships and back-to-back State Championships in 2005 and 2006, an impressive record not likely to be equaled.
George Hall is a native of Hartford and a long-time resident of Windsor Locks. As a student athlete at Hartford Public High School, George was a three year member of the football, baseball and track teams before graduating in 1948. In his senior year he was selected to the All State Football team. After HPHS, George attended Abbey Prep where he played football, basketball, and baseball and was elected captain of the football and basketball teams.
George served in the army as a military policeman with the 43rd Division during the Korean War. While in the service, he played basketball and baseball on the company team.Following his military service, he played semi-pro football with the Rockville Ashleys and semi-pro baseball with the Hartford Indians. In 1965, George served as an assistant coach at Hartford High in freshman football and basketball, winning championships in both. In 1966, he moved up to the varsity football team as an assistant coach. He also coached two years in the Hartford Twilight baseball league. In 1965, George served as an assistant coach at Hartford High in freshman football and basketball, winning championships in both. In 1966, he moved up to the varsity football team as an assistant coach. He also coached two years in the Hartford Twilight baseball league.
In 1962, George and his wife Jane moved to Windsor Locks. He began his coaching career in Windsor Locks with the Villa Rose team in the Senior Little League. In 1970, he coached the All Star team that reached the state semi-finals. In 1974, his Villa Rose team won the League Championship. George was the head coach of the Windsor Locks Chief's pony football team from 1970-1976. In 1972, his Chiefs team won the Northern Division Championship. He was an assistant coach with the Windsor Locks American Legion baseball team from 1975 to 1985. In 1969, George was selected as Sportsman of the Year by the V.F.W.
In 2003, he joined Coach Dave Farr as an assistant coach of the Windsor Locks High School baseball team. During his tenure as assistant coach, the team won three conference championships, three conference playoff championships and back-to-back State Championships in 2005 and 2006. George continues to serve as Chairman and General Manager for the American Legion baseball program here in Windsor Locks.
For most of his adult life George Hall has lent his knowledge and experience to the coaches and athletes of Windsor Locks. His induction into the Hall of Fame is a tribute to his lasting dedication.
Dave Farr did not need to win back-to-back state baseball championships to validate his ability as a coach or his worthiness for induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
Since 1964, Dave has been a fixture in Windsor Locks, coaching baseball, basketball, and soccer to three generations of athletes.
Dave has been involved in athletics almost all his life. He has lived in Windsor Locks for 54 years.
Growing up across the street from Denslow Park was perfect for a young man interested in sports. There were always games going on at Denslow Park; sometimes even 15 vs. 15 baseball games. Many of the great athletes from Windsor Locks got their start playing pickup games at Denslow.
Debbie (Lee) Maher seemed destined to excel in soccer. Two of her uncles, Albert Lee (WLHS Class of 1964) and Dana Lee (WLHS Class of 1966) were both outstanding athletes for the Raiders, particularly on the soccer field. Both were key members of the 1963 State Championship team for Coach Sullivan.
Deb, a four year starter on the soccer team and a member of the WLHS Class of 1987, excelled both as a halfback and sweeper; in fact, following her high school graduation, Deb tried out for and was selected to the Team USA Soccer Team representing the Northeast in tournament play in Europe. Her team spent five weeks touring the Netherlands, Germany, Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union, and Sweden. It was an eye-opening experience for the Raider grad. The All-Conference player was the only team member representing the NCCC for Connecticut and served as a co-captain for the team. Her team finished the European tour with a very respectable record of 15-4-2. That record included winning the Oresund Cup in Denmark, where in five games, not one goal was scored against her team.
Besides soccer, however, Debbie also excelled in softball. Debbie was also a four year starting member of the WLHS Girls Varsity Softball Team, where she tirelessly worked on her pitching technique. As a junior in 1986, she was a member of the League Championship team. At the start of her senior softball season, in 1987, a no-hitter had yet to be thrown by a pitcher in the history of WLHS Girls Softball.
It was during that final season that Debbie's commitment and tenacity paid off in the form of the three no-hitters she threw. Two of those no-hitters were back to back-against East Windsor and East Granby. Bookending those two no-hitters were two 1-hitters. The third no-hitter was thrown against Stafford Springs. It is a school record that still stands today.
Earle Flick was blessed with athletic ability that the rest of us only dream of having; and the drive to use that ability to compete at the highest level on the track and on the soccer field.
Before he left Windsor Locks High School, Earle established himself as one of the best hurdlers in the region and in school history.
As Hall of Famers go, his career was relatively short. Earle did not play much organized sports before high school. His family had a boat in Niantic and before high school he spent most weekends and summers on the boat. He did play Little League baseball for two years.
Earle's track ability was already on display as his Little League Coach McKeon only wanted Earle to pinch run.
In those days Earle did not think he had any special talent. The pick-up games on Circle Drive where Earle lived included one of the best athletes ever to come out of Windsor Locks, Hall of Famer Steve Scheerer, and many other fine athletes. Unbeknownst to him, Earle was sharpening his skills against the best simply by having fun in the neighborhood.
His freshman year of high school, Earle casually agreed to go to soccer tryouts with his friend Jim Nussbaum. He made the varsity and never looked back.
During Earle's four years at WLHS, the soccer team won two state tiles and lost in the finals his senior year. A speedy, reliable wing, Earle left his imprint early scoring a goal in the championship game his freshman year.
His senior year he has named as one of the team's tri-captains and and was selected to the All-Conference Team. Nevertheless he remains convinced that he was the player Coach Sullivan yelled at the most; a common refrain from the most most talented athletes Sully coached.
Although his ability in soccer earned him a scholarship at UConn, Earle is most remembered for his talent as a runner. A four year member of the track team, Earle distinguished himself in the 330 yard intermediate hurdles. Earle won many events including the 1972 New Britain Invitational, the 1973 Hartford Public Invitational, and the 1973 State Championship.
His senior year Earle set a new school record at the 1973 Coast Guard Academy Meet. Earle equally enjoyed his time as a member of the school's successful 440 yard relay team and competing in the 100 yard dash.
Earle played one year of Junior Varsity basketball and although his natural ability was as evident on the court as on the track, he decided against continuing to play basketball after his sophomore year.
Earle is a kind, loving, special and funny man who is well loved as a husband, son, brother, uncle, great uncle, god father and friend.
There have been some fine athletes raised in Windsor Locks by the name of Farr. Eileen (Farr) Annis did more than advance the pedigree. She achieved great honors while serving as an inspiration to the female athletes who played with her, and those that followed.
Eileen was a four-year starter in three sports at WLHS: soccer, basketball and softball.
But Eileen did not just play three sports; her athletic ability and tremendous perseverance earned her the All-Conference selection and the captaincy in all three sports-a feat no one else from Windsor Locks had achieved. During Eileen's senior year, she averaged 13.5 points per game and the basketball team went 19 and 5. She led the league in three-pointers and was voted to the All-State team. In softball, she hit over .400 her junior and senior years.
Eileen credits four successful years to two impact coaches, Brian McKeown (inducted into the WLAHOF in 2013), Pat Scelza (inducted into the Hall in 2008), and her fellow Class of 1994 student-athletes.
If you ask her, Eileen will tell you that there is no secret to her athletic accomplishments: All she did was, "work hard." It seems so simple, but Eileen is truly an inspiration and the model athlete every female Raider should emulate.
Spud Shapiro was an exceptional athlete and a respected leader in the community where he dedicated 34 years of his life.
He was a star athlete at Holyoke High School and Tufts University before arriving in Windsor Locks in 1950. Spud continued to share his enthusiasm for sports by dedicating his time and knowledge to teaching and coaching basketball and baseball to athletes at all levels.
At Holyoke High School, Spud had legendary basketball career.
After compiling numerous scoring records, all league, and MVP honors, Spud was named the Most Outstanding basketball player in Western Massachusetts in 1942 and to the All-Western Massachusetts team.