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Chuck Senft To Be Feted As Man Of The
Year
Article from
the Brookline Journal - October 8, 1981
He's faced guns, knives and gang
fights throughout his 25-year career in athletics, and now the next thing
he will face is a testimonial dinner in his honor.
Charles E. Senft, Brookline's Man
of the Year, lives in the North Side with his wife, Rozella, and daughter
Terri. However, Chuck spends most of his time in
Brookline.
A native of the North Side, Chuck
came to Brookline in 1960 where he managed three recreation sites and
programs at Moore Park, Brookline School and East Brookline
facilities.
"My first job assignment in 1957
was at West Park in the North Side where I produced the first
championship baseball team," Chuck said. "The City Department of Parks
and Recreation and the Pittsburgh Pirate organization honored our
accomplishment by presenting us with medals at Forbes
Field."
His outstanding work with the
youth at West Park in developing a successful baseball program and in
stopping a teenage gang element earned him praise from his superiors and
a new assignment. It was a Cowley Recreation Center and Manchester
School.
In 1958 Chuck was transferred to
Moore Park where he faced a formidable challenge.
"It was the first time that I
encountered the growing drug, drinking and social problems that were
developing in the South Hills and at our centers," Chuck Said. "This was
a real challenge."
It was in situations like these
that Chuck found himself "fighting for my life to establish discipline
and control." He recounted one incident at Moore Park where a child was
trapped by five older people.
However CHuck is quick to point
out that the situation at Moore Park has changed drastically since that
incident.
"When I go to community meetings I
always tell people that the majority of kids are good," Chuck said. "It's
unfortunate that a small element puts a stigma on the whole group. Just
because a small handful can't control themselves you can't let them get
away with it."
And Chuck's secret to maintaining
control is a proven winner.
"I've faced trying times, but I
stick to the basic philosophy of treating everybody the same," Chuck
said. "I set rules that they have to follow, but I tell them that they're
free to enjoy the facilities the City has provided. They just can't be
disruptive."
This philosophy has won Chuck the
respect of the community, and more importantly, the respect of the
kids.
"Parents never worried about drugs
of kids smoking at my facility," Chuck said. "I believe in a
wholesome-type facility where people don't have to be worried about
walking around at night.
During his assignment at Moore
Park, from 1959 to 1971, Chuck trained championship teams in track,
boxing, basketball, football, volleyball, softball and
baseball.
It's no secret that Brookline's
junior and senior boxing teams have won Golden Glove, Silver Glove and
Silver Belt championships, and gained a reputation throughout
Pennsylvania and West Virginia. These accomplishments also took Chuck and
his teams to the mayor's office where they were presented with
trophies.
Perhaps more valuable to Chuck are
the awards of appreciation from community groups and organizations for
service in the Brookline-Beechview area.
"I try to assist all the community
groups that I can," Chuck said. "I regularly attend and work closely with
the Police-Citizens Council, the Chamber of Commerce, Brookline Lions,
Brookline Knights Football Organization and the Brookline Little
League.
I'm very community oriented, and I
try to see that the goals of the community are achieved."
However, achieving these community
goals is sometimes frustrating, according to Chuck.
"I enjoy extreme situations," he
said. "But sometimes it's frustrating when I try to accomplish something
and I feel it shouldn't be as hard as it is. You have to remember we're
working with limited facilities, limited spaces and limited
help.
Currently the Center Director at
Brookline Memorial Park, a position he has held since 1971, Chuck has the
opportunity to carry out these goals through his
programming.
"I developed a fitness program
that was the most attended in the city and brought Brookline the Punt,
Pass and Kick competition in conjunction with the Ford Corporation.," he
added.
A pioneer of programs like this,
Chuck's record also boasts of promotional activities at the Center such
as Tops, Yo-Yos, Hula Hoops, Frisbee, Zim-Zam and others.
And in these 21 years of service,
Chuck has compiled a scrapbook that weighs about 10 pounds and is six
inches thick. It is crammed with recommendations, photographs,
biographical data and newspaper clippings on his teams and
accomplishments.
Yet Chuck is quick to point out
that the City of Pittsburgh is ultimately responsible for providing kids
with the opportunity for achievement.
"For example," he said, "track is
a big program here in Brookline. It's helped a lot of kids go to New
York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles. They wouldn't have the
chance to go if it wasn't for the programs that are sponsored by the City
of Pittsburgh and the Department of Parks and Recreation."
Another popular program at the
Center, which has earned Brookline a state-wide reputation, is
boxing.
"Boxing for the beginner," Chuck
said, "is a real character builder for kids. With three-hour workouts
held some two to four days a week, and more as a tournament gets closer,
we still have 100-150 kids turn out for the boxing teams."
These "beginners" later developed
and matured into an older team that took Brookline and the City of
Pittsburgh by storm.
The success of programs at the
Center is dependant on input from the community, according to
Chuck.
"The community has been very
supportive in every phase and facet of my job," Chuck said. "The parents,
the merchants and the community groups have all been incredible. Some
people criticize the Brookline community for being crisis-oriented, but
they've always responded to me."
And this response hasn't wavered
in his career in Brookline. Neither has the thrill of watching a
youngster's raw talent developed into a skill.
"It's very rewarding to see how a
kid turns out," he said. "They start out in a raw state and eventually
become a polished athlete. Or sometimes it's the challenge of seeing
something bad turn into something good."
Regardless of the close working
relationship between Chuck and his kids, he refuses to disclose his
age.
"If the kids guess too low it
makes me feel good," he said. "And if they guess too high they still
respect me because they figure even though I'm old, I'm still
active."
Active is an understatement for
this man who is involved in every phase of his
programming.
A well-rounded coach and
supervisor, Chuck has organized and taught the following sports at the
Center: basketball, volleyball, boxing, street hockey, tackle football,
softball, track and field, weightlifting, marble shooting, physical
fitness and many special events.
In addition to these sporting
events he has organized, Chuck is also responsible for a variety of
social events at the Center: pizza parties, Halloween parties, Christmas
parties, dances, banquets, animal shows, trips, bicycle rodeos and other
events.
And from marble shooting to
basketball shooting, Chuck instills a team-oriented spirit into the
kids.
"Everything I try to do here is
team-oriented," he said. "I build the idea of the team into each
individual child and when we win - WE win. In life it's surely not one
man for himself. Eventually you have to carry the load, responsibility
for a wife, a family member or a friend."
The news of being honored as Man
of the Year by the Brookline Chamber of Commerce came as a surprise to
the man who usually thinks in a team-oriented way.
"I never gave the dinner a
thought," Chuck said. "I always attended the Man of the Year dinners in
the past and figured I'd do the same this year."
"I love the people that I've dealt
with from the Lions Club, the Community Council, Brookline residents and
members of the Chamber because they've been so important to me," he
added. "For these people to name me Man of the Year is an extreme honor.
I wanted to say 'No, not me,' but it was an honor I really couldn't
refuse."
He stressed that the help of these
organizations has been invaluable to the success of his
programs.
"Their concern for the kids and
the programs has been great," Chuck said. "And I can't stress enough that
their continued help is going to be greatly needed. If there was ever a
time when we needed then, it will be in the future."
Although Chuck said he couldn't
be any happier than with what he's doing right now, he is looking to the
future.
"I have mixed emotions," Chuck
said. "Eventually I'd like to be an area supervisor, but I'm not sure
this is the right time. I'm not sure that I'm ready to sit behind a desk
because I'm still extremely active and it would be a whole new
change."
The Brookline Community will have
the opportunity to gather in a 'team-oriented' way and show their
appreciation to Chuck for his years of community involvement by attending
the dinner in his honor at La Cas Del Fredo on Wednesday, October 21,
when the Brookline Chamber of Commerce installs the 1981-82 officers and
honors Charles E. (Chuck) Senft as Man of the Year.
* Local
Dignitaries on Chuck Senft *
"In working
with Brookline's youth, Chuck has demonstrated boundless energy and
enthusiasm. I must impress that in his contacts with the Brookline Area
Community Council, I have found him more than cooperative. He always
leaves one with the impression that his primary mission is to help youth
and the community at all times."
Elva McGibbeny, President - Brookline Area Community
Council.
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"Chuck has
instilled the finest values in the young people he worked with. It is no
understatement to say that the Brookline community would be much poorer
in the quality of its young people if it weren't for Chuck
Senft."
Michael M. Dawida, State Representative - 26th
District.
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"...I have yet
to come across any one individual to measure up to or come close to Chuck
Senft. For his display of tremendous amount of initiative and energy, Mr.
Senft has a real ability to inspire young people in the activities at the
Brookline Community Center. He is a builder of true community spirit and
sportsmanship as well as a molder of character of the young people --
something which is drastically needed in this day and age."
Angelo Masullo Sr, President - Brookline Little League
Association.
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"Under the
direction of Mr. Chuck Senft, the boxing program has attained high
distinction and respect, not only in the Brookline community, but
citywide. Mr. Senft's endeavors have not gone unnoticed by the various
leaders in Brookline and his concern for our youth and his cooperation
with youth-oriented programs has gained him the deepest respect and an
esteem he has justly earned."
John C. Keenan, Secretary - Brookline Lions Club. |
