A special thank you goes to Visions Federal Credit Union for partnering with us to provide the greater Cortland County community with additional sports coverage
Marathon varsity field hockey coach Karen Funk honored for 50 years at the helm. (Photo provided by Timothy A. Bennett, Owner & Publisher of The Cortland Voice).
Karen Funk has coached a large number of student-athletes in field hockey, but she was unsure of the exact number.
“Sometime, I should sit down and go through that,” Funk said.
One thing Funk is sure about is the impact she’s had on student-athletes during her 50 years of coaching the Marathon varsity field hockey program.
On Wednesday, the Olympian faithful honored Funk for her impressive five decades of coaching a sport she started in 1974. Individuals from all over the country – including former players like Jessica Karamoutsos (Gofgosky), Cindy Grzebin (Harding) and Jamie Gofgosky – gathered to honor Funk during halftime of the field hockey contest between Marathon and Newark Valley.
Cindy and her two daughters (Jessica and Jamie) not only played for Funk, but they traveled from Virginia to attend the ceremony. Jessica and Jamie both won state titles while playing for Marathon under Funk’s leadership.
From left to right: Jessica Karamoutsos (Gofgosky), Cindy Grzebin (Harding) and Jamie Gofgosky. (Photo provided by Timothy A. Bennett, Owner & Publisher of The Cortland Voice).
“The influence she’s had on these girls for 50 years is amazing,” said former Cortland Voice podcaster Tom Vartanian, who covered Marathon field hockey for 20 years of his sports journalism career. “She knew how to talk to them and help develop them. It made them better individuals when they graduated and beyond.”
A deeper look into the life of Coach Karen Funk
Funk was born and raised in Marathon. Growing up, Funk loved to play volleyball, soccer, basketball and other sports. However, she was into sports during the pre-Title IX era.
“When I was growing up, there weren't any girls sports,” Funk said, noting she had “play days” for certain sports.
Graduating from Marathon High School in 1968, she went on to attend Western Kentucky University for two years. Funk then transferred to SUNY Cortland, graduating in 1972 with a bachelor of science degree in physical education (P.E.).
After receiving a master’s degree in physical education and a certificate in administration, Funk was a substitute teacher at McGraw, Cincinnatus, Whitney Point and Marathon until 1983. That same year (in 1983), Funk became a full-time P.E. teacher at Marathon.
Funk became a P.E. teacher after she looked up to Marathon’s gym teacher as a kid. When Funk was in sixth grade, she knew she wanted to be a P.E. teacher in the future.
Her involvement in physical education led to more presence in youth sports, prompting other female student-athletes to get involved.
Before her teaching career got into full swing, Funk played a vital role in the Marathon field hockey program’s inception in 1974. Funk noted the program wasn’t in compliance with Title IX but that same year, it became a member of the Interscholastic Athletic Conference (IAC) for girls’ sports.
“No one in the (Marathon school) district had knowledge of field hockey,” Funk said. Thankfully, Funk took a 10-week course on field hockey at SUNY Cortland.
That’s when the school district asked if Funk would be willing to start a program in Marathon. Agreeing to the opportunity, the rest became history for Funk.
“This year was about celebrating 50 years of the program,” Funk said. “We’re a very small school. The other Class D schools for Section IV in field hockey have either dropped field hockey or merged with another program. For us to maintain (Marathon’s) program for 50 years, to me it’s what it is all about.”
Funk’s 50 years of coaching Marathon field hockey also brought accolades. The Olympians have won nine state titles in her tenure. It includes two separate three-peats in 1994-96 and 2001-03, along with state championship trophies in 2006, 2007 and 2009.
“It’s amazing what she’s been able to accomplish,” Vartanian said, noting he witnessed six of the nine state championship victories.
Funk, who is 9-1 in state title games, also led Marathon to a 87-game win streak between the 2001 and 2003 seasons.
Her time as a coach stretched to her daughter, Cari Meltzer, who coaches field hockey at Red Hook High School in the Hudson Valley.
“I truly feel I’ve been blessed with coaching experience and all of the success of the program,” Funk said. “It’s more than about one person. I’ve just had some great athletes, and supportive parents, board of education and community. All of that makes things happen.”
Funk also started Marathon’s youth field hockey program, as well as coaching softball for 20 years and taking the helm of other modified sports.
Many of the female student-athletes she coached, played on both Funks’ field hockey and softball teams. A good portion of them were also 3-sport athletes, Funk said.
“I love that,” she said.
The youth field hockey program is something Funk is especially proud of beginning, which led to numerous periods of greatness at the varsity level.
“It’s given so many girls the experience at the next level,” Funk said. “I’ve just had numerous players who had full scholarships (to college) that have won national championships. To be able to see them take it to the next level and be successful, those are so much more than just coaching field hockey.”
The Future
Funk retired from teaching in 2006. In terms of coaching, she never expected to go 50 years. When she officially walks away from coaching remains to be seen.
“When I retired, people asked me how long I was going to coach,” Funk said. “I said that I would take it one year at a time.”
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Here are some photos from Wednesday's Festivities (Photos provided by Eric Young):
A special thank you goes to Visions Federal Credit Union for partnering with us to provide the greater Cortland County community with additional sports coverage
