Role Models in our Community

Role Models in our Community

1/19/2022

by Brian Coll

I’ve been thinking about writing something like this for some time, and I’m going to make a few lefts turns along the way, so please bear with me. ( I started writing this in October)

The definition of role model is simple:

role mod·el/rōl ˈmädl/Learn to pronouncenoun

1. a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated.

My daughter recently had a lemonade stand where she raised money for flood victims and donated the money to the Colonial Neighborhood Council. I was going to mention Sandi Fryer-director of the Colonial Neighborhood Council who is one of my role models when it hit me, that Kim Stengari of Gypsy Saloon and Southern Cross Restaurants stopped by the day of the sale, made sure to chat with my daughter Nora for a few minutes, bought some lemonade for her staff and also made a donation above and beyond the few lemonades she bought. If you know Sandi or Kim, they are both positive people, even when life hands them lemons, they make lemonade and in Kim’s case at the restaurants, they turn them into lemon drop martinis! I worked in restaurants for years and I would be thrilled if when my daughter is ready to work in a restaurant if it could be under Kim Stengari.

The reason I knew this would take a few left hand turns is my original concept had me talking about a few of my role models, which I’m going to starting with my dad Jack. Jack Coll is my dad, and I couldn’t have got a better one. He was my first coach, my first best friend and currently he is the best co worker and boss I ever had. For many of you reading, he might be the history guy, or Jack Coll Photographer, maybe he was your first coach too at Conshy Little League, the Golden Bears or P-W Spartans. I recently helped coach a soccer team (with the incredible Jess Spadt as head coach) and it made me think of my dad Jack coaching indoor soccer when I was little and even a little basketball as I got a little older. I could talk about my dad Jack all day, but I wanted to focus on some other coaches of mine, maybe yours.

In high school at Archbishop Kennedy I was very fortunate to have both Chuck Leahan and Chris Bockrath coach me in football. I have spoke about both of these men before. For me, I was a public school kid who needed the discipline at Archbishop Kennedy. Freshman year I played football under Chuck Leahan. As a coach, he was able to take kids from a number of schools and neighborhoods and bring us together as a team, as a teacher… well. It is hard to understand this if you were not a student of his. He carried a large stick around, and yes, he would give you a whack if you were out of line. I sound ancient saying this, but kids today will never understand this and will never have a teacher like this. He was fun and you would learn and if you acted out you might get hit with the stick, or one of his favorite games was odds or evens, where he would pull your hair at your sideburns, ask you odd or even, no matter what you chose he would say wrong and do it again a couple more times. I know this sounds crazy and it was, it is even crazier to think he was one of the most beloved teachers and coaches in the long history of the school. As far as Chris Bockrath, I credit him for keeping me in check, far beyond the years I played for him. SadIy he was taken from us at the young age of 48. I could truthfully go on and on about him, however, I want to point out a number of other people.

Along the lines of coaches and community fixtures, Mr Vince Flocco. You probably know the name Flocco, from the shoe store on Fayette Street. Maybe you know Vince from the store, or his work in the community. Vince created the Conshohocken Funfest and has been putting together the Conshohocken Ambucs Restaurant Rally for years. These are two of the best events in Conshohocken, and for those things alone he should be admired and looked up to. His work with Special Olympics though makes him a hero. In a world where most coaches of youth sports are parents of players on the teams (me included) Vince started working with Special Olympics years ago and continued his work while raising his own children and running a business.

The children of our community are so very lucky to have had the amazing Denise Marks as the principal of Conshohocken Elementary School for a number of years. I have witnessed first hand the great lengths she has gone too, to keep the kids having fun, staying safe and making sure each child there is getting an education. If you are considering a career in education, I can’t think of a better role model. If you are reading this as a parent, a few of the people I have listed here are out and about in our community today, while a couple have passed away. Not every role model has to fit in the box of teacher/coach/educator/community fixture. It doesn’t hurt….but it is not necessary. Currently my daughter has a couple of amazing women in her life that are Girl Scout Troop leaders. I always point out Bill Webber at the Boathouse to my little guy, I tell him that Bill helps out with the Narberth Ambulance crew and is a helper. I bet if you look around, there are plenty of good role models within eye sight for your children. I’ll leave you with this…. even in my 40’s, if I make a bonehead decision at my store, my mom will ask me, and if he reads this it’s the truth… She’ll say something along the lines of… would Donald Moore do that? And, in just about every case I put my head down, and say no.

If you’ve taken a minute to read this, thank you. I go back to the definition and it occurs to me that a role model isn’t just for kids… we can all have a role model or multiple role models no matter our age. We have some great ones in our community.