MEDWAY — Superintendent Armand Pires, Athletic Director Jeff Parcells and Principal John Murray are pleased to share that the Medway School Committee recently recognized Mary Ellen Hasenfuss for her five decades of coaching at Medway High School.
At their Oct. 14 meeting, the School Committee commended Coach Hasenfuss on her lengthy career as the MHS field hockey coach, with former and current players on hand.
This fall marks Coach Hasenfuss’ 50th year coaching the Mustangs field hockey program. She was hired in 1972 as a junior varsity coach, and was promoted to head coach five years later. She’s led the program ever since.
Director Parcells described Coach Hasenfuss as a coaching legend in Medway, and beyond.
“She is the ambassador for field hockey within the Tri-Valley League, as well as all of eastern Massachusetts. She holds her players accountable, is tough when she needs to be, and is always there to celebrate individual and team successes,” Director Parcells said. “She is a fantastic teacher of the game and has deep respect for her opponents, the officials and the game itself. Coach Hasenfuss has given her entire adult life, in various capacities, to the students of Medway Public Schools and has proven to be a fine role model for all of the students she has coached and mentored along the way.”
During her tenure as coach, the Mustangs field hockey team earned Tri-Valley League titles in 1984, 1987 and most recently in 2018. They advanced to the Division 2 South finals in 2010, the deepest tournament run the team has had in years.
But on-field success is just one of the things that stands out about Coach Hasenfuss and her tenure at the school.
“It’s been an honor to work with Coach Hasenfuss over the short time that I’ve been here. She holds her student-athletes to the highest standards both on and off the field,” Principal Murray said. “She is a tireless advocate for her student-athletes and for the school as a whole. Coach Hasenfuss has also been a valued member of our Athletic Advisory group and consistently shares her wisdom with me and Director Parcells about the happenings in the program.”
Coach Hasenfuss has also coached outdoor track for many years at the high school. In addition to her years as a coach, she served as a physical education teacher until 2003 before assuming the role of acting assistant principal and later assistant principal at MHS before retiring in 2010.
“Medway is just a wonderful school system with fabulous student-athletes, and I have enjoyed every single minute of my time here,” Coach Hasenfuss said. “I want to thank everyone who has helped me along the way, from my family, the administration in the district, the staff, and all of the students. I couldn’t be more blessed.”
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