SUNY Cortland Athletics

In the realm of physical education, Barbara DiPalma has always been an activist in the positive sense of the word. She's never been afraid to become involved, to organize or to lead. Her Cortland educational experience in the early 1960's helped foster her budding leadership abilities, which have since blossomed into such fruitful endeavors as president of the Association of  Women in Physical Education in New York State (AWPENYS) as well as president of the New York State Association of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (NYSAHPER).

DiPalma has felt "at home" at SUNY Cortland ever since she first visited the College as a snow-bound high school senior from Flushing, N.Y. "The people I met were friendly, accommodating and made me feel very relaxed there," remembered DiPalma, who immediately set about immersing herself in the total "Cortland Experience." DiPalma wrote sports for the Student Press, was a House Delegate, belonged to Nu Sigma Chi, participated in intramurals which oversaw the Sport Days, intramurals, the various clubs, co-educational activities and the Annual Spring Banquet. She was listed in Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities in 1962.

DiPalma received a B.S. from Cortland in 1962 and later earned an M.A. from the Teacher's College at Columbia. DiPalma took a physical education teaching position at Great Neck South Junior High during 1962-63. At the end of the academic year, an opening arose at Great Neck North Junior High. Expecting to stay there but one year, DiPlama remained. As chair and athletic director of the Girls' Physical Education Department at Great Neck North, DiPalma has been instrumental in the establishment and maintenance of a full slate on intramural sports to augment the intrascholastic teams at the school. DiPalma has been a State Modified Representative with Section VIII of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association from 1972 until the present.

DiPalma first became involved with NYSAHPER on the local level in the late 1960's. Serving the organization in a number of positions throughout the 1970's, DiPalms became the president of NYSAHPER in 1983. The job has afforded her a different perspective of the people who serve in physical education, health and recreation in New York State. And it's the people themselves who have made the greatest impression on the Cortland graduate. "The fact that they are so dedicated to their work, to what they do," she explained. "They're very involved and willing to work beyond the five or six day work week if it means programs are going to be developed. They do excellent work, but they know there's always room for improvement." The description aptly fits Barbara DiPalma and her devotion to physical education in New York State over the past two decades.