Millennium Magazine_3rdEd

49 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine EDUCATION I nspired by the passion and sportsmanship exhibited by her seventh grade physical education teacher, Mary K. Knechtges was taught from an early age to follow her enthusiasm for sports. Living in an era where women were stigmatized for playing sports, Ms. Knechtges did not allow the social barrier to deter her from pursuing her goals. Subsequent to earning a BS from Bowling Green State University in 1967, she was employed by L’Anse Creuse High School in Harrison Township, Michigan, as a teacher of health and English. Before retiring in 2003 after 36 fruitful years of service, she first delved into the sports arena as a cheerleading coach in 1968. Having noticed that there were not many sports available for girls at the school, Ms. Knechtges developed the girls’ basketball and softball programs. Ms. Knechtges also served Bishop Gallagher High School as a basketball coach from 1981 to 1983 and the University of Michigan- Dearborn as an assistant basketball coach from 1985 to 1987. In addition to maintaining affiliation with the Michigan High School Athletic Association, the Michigan Education Association and the National Education Association, she has also been a scorekeeper for the L’Anse Creuse High School girls’ basketball team for 25 years and girls’ softball team for 15 years. Inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005, Ms. Knechtges recalls winning the Michigan state championship in 1978 in Class B as the crowning moment of her career. The same year, she was also named a Michigan Coach of the Year by the Detroit Free Press, having also been recognized as Coach of the Year by Macomb County Coaches for three consecutive years. Later on in her career, she was named a District 4 Coach of the Year, was nominated for Sportswoman of the Year by the United Foundation and was inducted into the Macomb County Coaches Hall of Fame. Impressively, the L’Anse Creuse High School named the gymnasium in her honor, establishing the “Coach K” Court in 2003. Se was inducted into the Midview High School Hall of Fame in Grafton, Ohio, in 2009. MARY K. KNECHTGES SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATOR, COACH L’Anse Creuse High School Clinton Township, MI