Castleton

Spartans

Mary Ellen Evans – teacher, coach, colleague, and athlete– had a profound influence on female athletes and physical education students, and on all her students and colleagues. She was a demanding health instructor and supervisor of student teachers who encouraged excellence by expecting quality preparation, planning, and performance. She was named Outstanding Physical Education Teacher in the State of Vermont in 1987. A lifelong tennis enthusiast, she established the Castleton women’s tennis program in 1974 and coached for three years. She coached field hockey for seven years in the 1970’s, fighting for and gaining much respect for women’s sports. Of the many fine teams she coached, the 1977 squad with its regular season record of 10-1-2 may have been the best. But at the height of her coaching success, she insisted to the press, “I’m a player, not a coach.”