Sandra G. Morley '77, a middle school teacher in Guilderland, N.Y., and a past president of the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NYSAHPERD), has been an innovator and catalyst whose far-reaching efforts and programs have promoted physical education for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities. In 1977, Morley started a coordinated Project PERFECT, a state grant-funded program that developed physical education and athletic opportunities for physically and mentally handicapped students in the public schools. For the last decade, Morley has directed the Freihofer's Run for Kids in the Capital District, one of the five largest road races in the U.S. for children.
Morley, as NYSAHPERD president in 1996-97, was the principal writer for the Goals 2000 Grant and organized the first-ever NYSAHPERD Conference with the New York State Federation of Professional Health Educators.
A native of Mamaroneck, N.Y., Morley graduated from Mamaroneck High School. At SUNY Cortland, she competed on the ski and outdoor track teams. She was also a resident assistant on campus and studied abroad at the Deutsche Sporthochscule in Cologne, Germany. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from SUNY Cortland in 1977 and a master's degree in exercise physiology from Adelphi University in 1983.
Morley taught physical education and coached varsity soccer, fencing and field hockey at Hommocks Middle School in Mamaroneck. Her 1981 and 1983 field hockey teams were sectional champions and regional finalists earning Morley sectional and county Coach of the Year honors. She was also president of the Section I Soccer Coaches Association.
Since 1983, she has taught physical education at Farnsworth Middle School in Guilderland. As varsity cross country coach at Guilderland, her teams finished among the Top 20 in the state three times. Morley coordinated the Project Adventure curriculum for the New York State Interscholastics for the Handicapped.
An Adirondack Mountain Club member, Morley has been active with SUNY Cortland's Outdoor Education Center as coordinator of the Pine Knot Approach Interdisciplinary Outdoor Winter Program and as a staff member of the Project Adventure Physical Education Teacher Training Workshops. She co-authored the award-winning video, "The Pine Knot Approach." The director of the New York State Special Olympics Bowling Tournament in 1979, Morley has worked with fencing administration at the Empire State Games for a number of years and was a volunteer at the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
UPDATE- March, 2015: Morley continues to further her career through professional development and volunteer work. She was recognized for her accomplishments through her induction into the Mamaroneck High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. In the same year she was the recipient to the NYS AHPERD Distinguished Service Award. In 2004, Morley received the NYS AHPERD State Special Recognition Award and in the following year an awards program in the capital zone was named the NYS AHPERD. Sandra G. Morley Physical Education Student Leadership Awards after 20 years running in her recognition. In 2006, she was the recipient of the AAHPERD Pathfinder Award, National Association for Girls and Women in Sports, Salt Lake City Utah.
Sandy Morley has continued to further her professional career through her work as the Principal Writer, Financial Coordinator, and on the Advisory Council for NYS Physical Education Profile; developing commencement level assessments for professionals from 1997 to 2010. She was a committee member and consultant for the NYS Athletic Framework for School-Based Athletic Programs from 2000 to 2002 and was a representative to NYSCEA (NYS Council of Educational Associations from 2002 to 2011. From 2007 to 2010 she was a consultant and Grant Evaluator for the Carol M. White Physical Education Program. In addition, Morley became certified and moved into Public School Administration in the Bethlehem Central School District as the Assistant Principal at Bethlehem Central Middle School from 2002 to 2008 and moved up to Principal from 2008 to 2011. Morley retired from public education after 34 years in June of 2011.
Morley volunteers her spare time as the Director of the Freihofers Run for Elite Athlete School Visitation Program from 1990 to 2012. She was on the Board of Directors, NYS AHPERD from 1993 through 2004. She is on the steering committee for Guilderland School Community Habitat for Humanity Project from 1997 to 2002. Morley joined the C-Club Board of Directors in 2004 and moved onto the Executive Board in 2011 as Secretary. In 2007, she was the writer and contributor to local roadrunner publications and NYS AHERD publications. In 2011 to 2013, she volunteered on the AAHPERD national committee for Let's Move in School.
