Diane 'Chappy' Chapman to Receive Chamber's Community Achievement Award

At the 11th anniversary celebration of the Pineapple Ball, to take place at the Garden City Hotel on Friday, April 19, the Garden City Chamber of Commerce will present to Diane (Chappy) Chapman the coveted "Community Achievement Award."

Established in 1974, this recognition commemorates outstanding professionalism and major contributions to the Village of Garden City and beyond through one’s position. Diane is head coach of the Garden City High School girls varsity lacrosse team and head coach of the 2011 Long Island champion girls varsity field hockey team.

“With a field hockey coaching record of 357 wins and a lacrosse coaching record of 203 wins, Diane Chapman has been a remarkable asset to the Garden City community,” said director of athletics and physical education Nancy Kalafus. “She is the consummate professional who has been an inspirational role model to countless young athletes. For Diane, it’s more important that her students learn lifelong lessons about good character, integrity and high academic standards than it is to have won the many state championships her teams have achieved. If you were to ask her players what they have learned from Coach Chapman, I’m certain they would respond that ‘it’s not just about what happens on the field.’ Diane has high expectations for the kinds of positive behavior that establishes a solid foundation for a successful life.”

Diane Chapman received her Master’s in physical education from Adelphi University and has spent the past 22 years helping student athletes maximize their athletic potential and achieve their personal best in two sports - field hockey and lacrosse.

“Chappy,” as she is known to all, has been the varsity girls’ field hockey coach at Garden City High School since 1991. In that time, her team has achieved six New York State championships, 18 consecutive Nassau County championships, and, in 1998, set the national record for an undefeated and unscored upon season.

Diane was named to the National High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, and the Nassau County Field Hockey Hall of Fame. She was named Field Hockey Coach of the Year five times by Newsday, the National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year (twice), the North Region Field Hockey Coach of the Year and the Nassau County Conference 1 Field Hockey Coach of the Year seven times.

Under Coach Chapman’s leadership for the past 11 years, Garden City’s girls’ varsity lacrosse has achieved eight New York State championships, including consecutive wins for the past seven years. She was named Coach of the Year by MSG Varsity (three times) and All Metro, Lacrosse Magazine, Newsday (six times), Nassau County Conference 1 (four times), and named to the Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame.

“You might expect a coach of this caliber to highlight her own accomplishments,” Kalafus.  “However, Diane is the most self-effacing individual. She always puts the emphasis on the students’ accomplishments. We are so fortunate to have Diane as a master teacher/coach in Garden City Public Schools. The Community Achievement Award at this year’s Pineapple Ball is further testament of the phenomenal impact Coach Chapman has had on so many people in the Garden City community.”

Diane Chapman will share honors at the Pineapple Ball with Dr. Anthony P. Randi, “Citizen of the Year,” and Dale Brokaw, Lois Tighe and Jan McDonough, “Business Persons of the Year.”

For full event information, including sponsorship opportunities and Journal ads, or to purchase 50/50 raffle tickets at $20 each, call Tracey Gittere at Legendary Events 222-0550 or visit www.gardencitychamber.org.