BY MATT LINDSEY
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG -- A road dedication Saturday, June 15, to long-time coach and teacher Penny Raftis Sharrow will also serve as a celebration for women’s athletics.

Former athletes and alumni are encouraged to attend the celebration of Sharrow, and women’s athletics.

Sharrow said she is “humble” by this honor and “never got into coaching for this … because I loved it.” She said her athletes and students made it a “wonderful” job and they were always “eager and enthusiastic.”

The 11:30 a.m. dedication will to name the access road between the Golden Dome and Steven Barlow Track-Field Facility after the respected coach and educator will take place rain or shine.

A sign will also be placed at the entrance of the drive and will read Penny Raftis Sharrow Drive Celebrating OFA Blue Devils Girls Athletics. A picnic will follow inside the Golden Dome.

Local officials are expected to speak. Sharrow is hopeful alumni can attend and share the moment “for all the girls and how far we’ve come,” she said.

Last year a group presented this idea to the school board as a way to signify Sharrow’s impact on students in the district, mainly females.

Sharrow coached several sports teams over the years, including basketball, track, soccer and volleyball. She also taught physical education for 33 years at OFA.

She was a supporter for connecting academics with athletics and her teams were some of the first to receive New York State Public High School Athletic Association Scholar Athlete Team Awards.

Sharrow hopes “the girls understand the significance” and understand “how far we’ve come.”

Sharrow emphasized how “awesome and understanding” Superintendent Kevin Kendall has been through the whole process.

She also wished to thank all of the girls, not just athletes on her teams. “This is for all of us,” she said.