Fenton honored for coaching career by School Committee

April 5, 2018 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

Wrestling Coach Dennis Fenton was honored by the Springfield School Committee.
Reminder Publications photo by G. Michael Dobbs

SPRINGFIELD – The School Committee took time to honor some of the city’s best student athletes as well as noting the accomplishments of a former football and wrestling standout at their meeting on March 29.

The Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy’s wrestling team, and both the boys and girls basketball teams from Central High School were both recognized for their accomplishments during this school year.

Mayor Domenic Sarno called the meeting “a celebration of achievement.”

Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy’s wrestling team received a certificate noting its undefeated dual meet record of 16-0, and the fact they were the 2018 Valley League champions and the 2018 Western Massachusetts Champions.

The Central High School boys basketball team was honored for being the 2018 Western Massachusetts Division I champions, with the girls team winning the same accolade.

The committee then honored Dennis Fenton, who is being named to the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame on April 7.

Fenton was not only a championship wrestler when he was a student at Classical High School, but he was also a football player who was named to the Western Massachusetts all-star team in 1973.

Fenton had a 34 year teaching and coaching career at Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy’s, but also coached wrestling and football at Cathedral High School, among many other schools.

Sarno called Fenton, “one of Springfield’s favorite sons, while School Superintendent Daniel Warwick said he was “a teacher/coach role model for our kids.”

School Committee member Peter Murphy recalled how he worked with Fenton at the Hampden County House of Corrections and described him as a “great person, a very humble person.”

Fenton thanked a number of people who had been instrumental in his career and said, “The city has always been good to me with the quality of coaching … I have been blessed to have really strong men in my life as coaches.”

He added, “It’s very important for cities to have strong athletic programs.”

The School Committee also approved the release of $1.06 million in grant funds from the Mass Mutual Foundation to expand the City Connects program into eight new schools. The program helps connects students with “significant mental, emotional and behavioral needs to appropriate services.”

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