When Mattituck High School seniors Claire McKenzie and Grace Quinn think of their favorite memories with Kelly Pickering, they both think of the same time: losing in the county finals.
The school’s varsity girls’ volleyball team lost to Bayport-Blue Point in theSuffolk County Class B finallast November, ending the season, and for Claire and Grace, ending their volleyball careers with Mattituck.
“We were sitting in the back of the bus, and usually the coach sits up front, but she went back to sit with us,” Claire recalled. “We all gave her hugs. We were crying in her arms. It was such a heartwarming moment, and it definitely helped soothe the pains of never playing volleyball again.”
Ms. Pickering, affectionately known as “Coach Pick,”died on Sunday, Feb. 15, at age 49.She was surrounded by her family, including her wife, Jeanine Graviano, and their 5-year-old son, after a medical episode while they were watching the Winter Olympics, Mattituck-Cutchogue Superintendent Shawn Petretti said.
“This is a tremendous shock for our whole school community,” said Mr. Petretti. “Kelly was a healthy, athletic, energetic 49-year-old woman. We have lost a great educator and friend.”
Ms. Pickering, of Center Moriches, spent 17 years in the district, joining as a guidance counselor at Cutchogue East in 2009. Along with leading the school’s young setters and blockers, she also spent some years coaching softball. She was named coach of the year by the Suffolk County Girls Volleyball Coaches Association last December — an honor voted on by her peers.
This year, she also became the elementary school’s dean of students, a disciplinary role working with students and families.
Claire started playing volleyball in 10th grade, always being coached by Ms. Pickering. During practices, she was tough on her players, demanding the most out of them, just wanting her players to be the best they could be, Claire said.
Sometimes, Ms. Pickering’s son would be a special guest at practice. He would run around, yelling, “Mom!” and jumping into her arms. When that happened, her strict-coach persona would take a backseat. To Claire, that exemplified her special duality.
“Outside of volleyball, she was like a friend, or even like a second mom,” she said. “She was always someone I could go to, especially since she was a guidance counselor. She definitely helped a lot whenever I needed something or just wanted someone to talk to.”
Source: The Suffolk Times
