The NFHS is featuring “Title IX” legends this month and we could not think of a better one in Section XI than former Executive Director Cathy Gallagher.

Before beginning her career at Section XI, she was a physical education teacher and coach at Smithtown and Cold Spring Harbor high schools and a PE teacher at Suffolk Community College from 1959 to 1968.  She also enjoyed a career in sports officiating from 1967 to 1974.

She started as Associate Director at Section XI in 1973 and became Executive Director in 1982, where she stayed until 2003.  Among her many accomplishments at Section XI were playing a significant role in reorganization, eliminating separation for boys’ and girls’ programs and introducing new procedures and office policies.

In 1985, she successfully digitized the entire operation, which enabled her staff to schedule all contests, in all sports, at all levels.  Statistics for all varsity contests became computerized and provided a daily update on league/division standings. She established procedures for monitoring and administering a misconduct policy to impose on offenders, a program that is still working efficiently today.

Legend.