Ilion High School - Class of 1979

Utica Observer Dispatch - January 18, 1979

Boucher's Best Is More Than Enough at Ilion

Article 2

Source is here Utica NY Observer 1979 - 0648.pdf on fultonhistory.com

Utica Observer Dispatch - Boucher's Best Is More Than Enough at Ilion - Class of 1979

Boucher's Best Is More Than Enough at Ilions

By ANTHONY RICCI

ILION - When it comes to sports, Stephanie Boucher plays with a simple philosophy: do her very best at all times.

And, in her four-year sporting career for the Ilion High School Golden Bombers, her very best has elevated her to starring roles in five different sports.

Utica Observer Dispatch - Stephanie Boucher - Class of 1979
Stephanie Boucher serves Ilion very well

The petite Stephanie has won letters in field hockey, badminton, table tennis. basketball and Softball.

"I just try my best at everything I do," explained Stephanie. "That way, win or lose, if you play well, you don't have anything to be ashamed of. Playing your best at all times - that is what sports are all about."

Stephanie should know. She has been a sportswoman for as long as she can remember.

"When other girls were playing with dolls. I was out playing basketball, footbalL or whatever," she said. "It just continued on through high school."

BASKETBALL - "Basketball is my best sport. It's very competitive and asks a lot from me. I play guard. I'm usually the quarterback on the court, setting up plays and getting things going. Last year we were co-champions of the Central Valley Conference. This year we lost some keyplayers but we have as good a shot as anyone to win it all."

FIELD HOCKEY - "I'm a fullback - I play strictly defense. In the championship game last season, I got clubbed hard on the foot by an opposing player. At the time I didn't know it, but I suffered a cracked bone in my foot. I walked on it for three days before it was discovered. I was in a cast for four weeks."

SOFTBALL - "I've started at second base for four years. I was co-captain last year and I hit about 490. I hit one home run, but I'm mostly a singles and doubles hitter.

STEPHANIE SEES the women's sports world as "skyrocketing."

"The advantages now are much greater than they have ever been. It's really good for the girls and I'm glad I'm caught up in it," she said. "kids my age were the beginning of it (the women's sports boom) - It's nice to be a part of."

Stephanie is still undecided whether sports will be a part of her college days.

"I've been accepted at Herkimer County Community College and I'll major in radio-television broadcasting. Hopefully, I will be able broadcasting sports in the area," she said.

"As for sports in school, I will consider the offers if there are any, but school comes first. I'll just wait and see."

Still, Stephanie considers sports "something I'll do for the rest of my life."

"I guess I'm doing something all the time. Stephanie said. "I do loads of running, so much that I'm literally running all the time. Sports are something I've disciplined myself to do."

When it is not sports Stephanie fills her time with photography or reading.

"I like to read about sports, especially when I'm starting to play a new sport," she said. "I guess I'm just a perfectionist. That is probably the best way to describe me. I like to read the sports pages to know what's happening. I try to play sports right, to do thing right."

Such dedication has not gone unnoticed. Basketball coach Lucille Remonda called Stephanie "a good stable player." "She is. always dependable, she understands the game quite well and she always keeps a cool head," Remonda said.

Linda Knight, who coached Stephanie in field hockey and badminton, viewed her as "a very seasoned player. She is always there when you need her," Knight said. "She helps the other kids, she is easy to coach, she is always willing to take suggestions and she plays with confidence."

Stephanie admits she does play with a lot of confidence in every sport she plays.

"Everybody has a bad day once in awhile, but if you lose confidence it hurts your poise and it hurts the team," she explained. "You have got to have confidence or you just won't play well."

Stephanie has never had to worry about that.

Created and maintained by Aileen Carney Sweeney - Class of 1974