For four decades, Phyllis D. Calogero ’52 was a driving force for junior and senior high school athletics as a physical educator, coach and athletic administrator in the Mohawk Valley and a Section III official for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association.
Born in Utica, N.Y., she graduated from T.R. Proctor High School. She earned both her bachelor’s degree in physical education and Master of Science from SUNY Cortland. Despite not having intercollegiate athletic opportunities in college, Calogero devoted her life to athletics.
After graduating from Cortland, she returned to Proctor High as a physical education teacher and coach for the next 18 years. From 1970-83, she was associate director of physical education and athletics for the Rome (N.Y.) City School District, where she served as director of physical education, health and health services from 1983 until her retirement in 1986.
The Section III president from 1986-88, she also served as a member of its Executive Committee, Athletic Council and Officials Coordinating Committee. Prior to Title IX, she was an officer in the Association of Women in Physical Education in New York State (AWPENYS), which pioneered the involvement of high school girls athletic competition by scheduling interscholastic tournaments and meets.
Inducted into the Proctor High Hall of Fame in 1994 and the City of Rome Hall of Fame in 2004, she helped to organize and was later inducted into the Greater Utica Hall of Fame. She has been honored by Kiwanis International and the Salvation Army for her service to children.
An active community member, she chaired the Rome Mayor’s Advisory Council on Sports, Recreation and Physical Fitness. She also chaired the local Salvation Army Board of Directors and the New York State Pupils Benefits Insurance Board of Directors. A past president of Zonta International of Rome, N.Y., she was an alternate delegate to two international conferences.
Calogero served on SUNY Cortland’s Consortium to Change Competency Based Teacher Education Program, as well as the Utica Schools’ Steering Committee for Middle States Association Accreditation, the Cancer Society Advisory Board and the Barneveld (N.Y.) Recreation Committee.
Named a National Women’s History Woman of Merit in 1987, she received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Federation of Interscholastic Athletic Coaches five years later.
UPDATE: Calogero passed away on January 31, 2013.
