Harry Schwarze '63, the most accomplished shot put and discus thrower in Cortland history, remained at the forefront of his sport long after graduation while distinguishing himself as a scholastic volleyball coach.
Born in Queens, N.Y., Schwarze grew up in New Hyde Park, N.Y., and attended Sewanhaka High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from SUNY Cortland and a master's degree from Syracuse University.
As a shot putter for the Red Dragon track and field team between 1960-63, Schwarze won four State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) titles. He set a school record that would stand for two decades, was the NCAA Regional champ in 1961 and runner-up in 1963, placed fourth at the 1963 Penn Relays, and had a career-best 53-foot, 11-inch throw to take second at the prestigious Metropolitan AAU Championships. He played two years on the Cortland football squad and received the vaunted Beta Sports King Award in 1962.
In the Empire State Games, Schwarze won 10 gold medals in shot put and nine gold medals in the discus between 1983-2000. He added two gold medals in the Empire State Senior Games in 1996 and 1997. On the masters circuit, he captured the Eastern regional shot put crown twice and was the national champion in 1989. He continues to compete with the Syracuse Chargers Track and Field Club.
Schwarze taught elementary physical education and coached in both the Bay Shore (N.Y.) and Auburn (N.Y.) School Districts. He then taught senior high physical education and coached at both the Elmont (N.Y.) and Pearl River (N.Y.) School Districts and was a physical education instructor at SUNY Farmingdale before joining the Waterloo (N.Y.) Senior High staff in 1970. He remained there for the next 28 years until his retirement in 1998.
While Schwarze briefly coached varsity football, track and girls basketball, he was the varsity girls volleyball coach from 1975 until 2000. His teams have captured seven league and three sectional championships. His 1991 squad won the Western Zone Regional crown and advanced to the state semifinals. The three-time Finger Lakes Athletic League "Coach of the Year," Schwarze chaired the conference's Volleyball Committee for 13 years.
At nearby Hobart College, Schwarze was an assistant football coach from 1973-80, assistant track and field coach from 1973-89, and head track and field coach in 1990-92. He was the physical fitness and weight training instructor at Finger Lakes Community College from 1992-98.
A member of the Waterloo Presbyterian Church Choir and a former Bible Class instructor, Schwarze was active with the Waterloo Memorial Youth and Community Center. In 1983, he received the Cystic Fibrosis Service Award after directing the local Cystic Fibrosis Bike-a-Thon for three years. He served on the Seneca County ARC Board of Directors from 1980-83.
Schwarze and his wife, Beverly Tuttle '61, have two children: Heather and Andrew.
UPDATE: Schwarze passed away on November 1, 2015, at the age of 75.
