Byline: Larry Richardson Staff writer
Carolyn Rhinehart was a pioneer in girls sports in Central New York.
She spent more than three decades shaping what once were a few basic 'play day' sports for girls into a huge program for today's female athletes in the Chittenango school district.
Rhinehart, 68, of Chittenango, died Sunday after a long illness. But friends and former co-workers say her impact will be felt for generations.
'Carolyn's physical education teaching was outstanding, and she always had the kids' interest at heart,' retired Chittenango athletic director Frank DiChristina said Monday. 'She lived from the days of play days and honor teams (intramural girls all-star teams that competed against other schools) to today's multisport girls varsity programs, and through many rule changes in all the sports.'
Rhinehart was a leading advocate for girls sports in Section 3, working to add sports at the section level, DiChristina said. He and Rhinehart attended State University College at Brockport from 1952 to 1956 and accepted physical education teaching jobs at Chittenango the same year. She retired in 1989.
'At that time we had four girls sports - field hockey, volleyball, basketball and softball - and Carolyn coached all of them, along with the cheerleading squad. She was the girls sports coach at Chittenango for many years,' he said. 'She lived in the transition time of the Title IX federal regulations, which provide equal opportunity for girls in athletics.'
Those opportunities had an impact on many girls throughout the 33 years Rhinehart coached. One of those former athletes, RoseAnn Button, now is assistant dean for campus life at Mohawk Valley Community College.
'I played volleyball, field hockey, basketball, softball and track at Chittenango from 1961 to '65, and Carolyn was the****coach of all of them,' she said. 'She took a special interest in me and helped me grow up in the right way. I wasn't a high jumper, and she encouraged me to do it. I accomplished more than I ever thought I could do.'
Button said Rhinehart loved coaching and was part of 'the last era of real coaches.'
'A lot of the fun was going to and from the games on the buses,' Button said. 'We'd all sing.'
Another former athlete who was coached by Rhinehart agrees.
'Girls sports were so unorganized in those days. They were honor teams,' said Ginny (Hale) Nykaza, a 1965 graduate. 'We went to Rome Free Academy for play days almost every Saturday, and other schools would be there. We'd still wear our red sleeveless gym outfits and pinnies to compete.'
Nykaza said the high school girls were friendly with the teachers and would 'hang out' in Rhinehart's office.
'Carolyn was never married, so I guess she had a lot of free time to counsel us or go over strategy,' she said.
Nykaza described Rhinehart as a stern teacher who cared about the students.
'Everyone in the class had to participate in the activities, and no one got out of taking a shower,' she said. 'I used to bite my fingernails, and she thought it was a terrible habit. So she put stuff on my fingernails that made them taste terrible. It didn't work.'
Longtime Chittenango boys basketball coach Phil Gordon, now retired, said Rhinehart was an outstanding teacher and coach.
'Carolyn was an ace in a deck of cards. You can't get any higher than that,' he said. 'She was one of the outstanding women's coaches in the area for many years, and her teams were very competitive. Carolyn wasn't a cream puff; she was a disciplinarian. But she was very understanding of all the kids.'
Rhinehart didn't limit her teaching to traditional physical education.
'We started ballroom and square dancing classes at the high school and taught it for more than 30 years,' Gordon said.
Sports was a large part of Rhinehart's life outside coaching. She bowled and played in local softball leagues and won second-place medals in tennis doubles in the 1992 and 1993 state Senior Games.
She also enjoyed cross stitching, reading, traveling and ceramics. She had a pet cat, Daisy.
Rhinehart, Chittenango Middle School physical education teacher Kathy Gaske and retired fifth-grade teacher Flo Adelman made and sold ceramics together.
'Carolyn had the kiln in her cellar, I did the slip work, and Kathy did the painting,' Adelman said. 'We set up at craft shows.'
Rhinehart, Adelman and retired Chittenango High School nurse Margaret Holdridge once rented a camper and drove to the 125th anniversary re-enactment of the Battle of Gettysburg and along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
'We lost the brakes on a mountain near Gatlinburg, Tenn., and the steering went, but Carolyn got it over to the side,' Adelman said. 'We had a ball, even with all the breakdowns.'
Rhinehart is survived by a sister, Evelyn LaMay of Oswego, and a brother, Emerson Rhinehart of Chateaugay.
Contributions
There are no local calling hours or services for Carolyn Rhinehart. G.F. Zimmer Funeral Home, Chittenango, has arrangements.
Contributions may be made to Wanderers' Rest Humane Association, Juanita Drive, Canastota 13032.
