WESTFIELD – Ward 2 City Councilor Ralph Figy may be found at Westfield Technical Academy as often as in City Council chambers these days, in his role as second year coach for the boys and girls cross-country team.
WTA cross country coach Ralph Figy with sophomores Jenessa Seymour and Jordyn Cole at practice on Friday in Stanley Park. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Figy used to coach junior varsity soccer and indoor track at Westfield High School while he was a school counselor at Agawam High School. He said it made for some great games between Agawam and Westfield.
When he retired in 2012, he ran for City Council. He and his wife Susan also started the Figy Realty Team for Coldwell Banker, mostly serving as buyer’s agents for residential properties.
At the same time, Figy also became a mentor at the Technical Academy.
A couple of years ago, WTA principal Stefan Czaporowski spoke to Figy about expanding opportunities for the students at the school. Figy suggested a cross country team, which is the least expensive sport to add, and serves both boys and girls.
That’s when Figy was tapped as coach. “I retired to three jobs,” he said.
Last year was the first year for the cross country exhibition team. He said the ten boys and six girls on the team faced all of the big schools, and didn’t have a lot of success as a team, but did as individuals.
“Individually, everyone got better,” he said. This year, which is still an exhibition season for the team, Figy said they will be competing against more schools of the same size, including St. Mary’s, Gateway, Franklin Tech and Frontier.
Currently, there are eleven boys and four girls on the team. Two of the girls from last year returned, and six of the boys. Everyone on the team is a freshman or sophomore, which Figy thinks is great. He is also hoping to pick up three or four more girls for this year’s team.
Sophomores Janessa Seymour, who takes Construction Technology and Jordyn Cole, in Business Technology, were running together during practice in Stanley Park on Friday. Both are new to the team.
“I felt like it would be really good for me,” said Cole, when asked why she joined the team.
Seymour, who Susan Figy has been mentoring since eighth grade, said with a smile that she had no choice. On the other hand, she shrugged and said, “It gets me out of the house, and gives me something to do.”
Figy told the girls to hydrate and respirate, and go out for another 1.5 mile run. He said it would take about a month, but they would be in the 20’s (minutes) for the 5K runs before long.
“It’s been fun. I enjoy it. I like to see the kids improve,” Figy said. He said this year, for the first time, there is also a rivalry within the group among four of the boys, each of whom wants to be the fastest. All four were on the team last year, and are also in the same shop – Aviation Maintenance Technology.
The team has had two meets so far, against Westfield and Longmeadow, and Northampton and Westfield.
“We did all right,” Figy said. The next meet is against Gateway and Frontier, at Gateway, on Tuesday at 3:45 p.m.
“I like what I’m doing. I’m going to keep doing it until I don’t. It allows me to take vacations, and travel,” Figy said about his post-retirement careers. “Loving life,” he added.
