Sherri France, a Cherry Valley graduate, Worcester teacher, Cooperstown coach and Middlefield native from a section of town unofficially known as “Dubbenville” was honored as the 2025 Patrick C. Fetterman Award winner Wednesday, Oct. 29, during a ceremony at the Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown.
The award is given annually by The Clark Sports Center and The Clark Foundation.
France teared up as she thanked her family, her peers and her mentor, Frank Miosek, a 2003 Fetterman winner.
Miosek, who coached France to a state championship in soccer during her senior season in 1983 at Cherry Valley Central School, said it was a pleasure to work with France, her family, the Dubbens, and her husband, Duane.
In addition to coaching France, he coached her sisters, and a generation later, her son Zach, in baseball at Cooperstown. Thirty years after he coached Sherri to a state title in soccer, he coached Zach to a Final Four in baseball. He joked he asked France if her daughter, Tori, would play boys soccer for him, too.
“You never had to tell a Dubben to show up for practice in shape,” he said. “You never had to tell a Dubben to run.”
A 1984 Cherry Valley Central School graduate from a family of coaches, France attended SUNY Morrisville and SUNY Polytechnic, where she played basketball. She is a member of the SUNY Poly Wildcat Hall of Fame.
A former teacher at Edmeston, France teaches at Worcester and coaches at Cooperstown, including junior varsity girls basketball and soccer, and helping with the varsity teams in both sports, as well as softball. She is also a former summer camp counselor at The Clark, and an active scorekeeper and referee for youth sports.
France’s sister Sue Hugick spoke for the family, expressing their pride in her award and her life’s work, bringing more tears at the family table.
However, the highest praise may have come from the three varsity coaches at Cooperstown who work with her. Soccer Coach Jen Pindar, basketball Coach Mike Niles and softball Coach Buddy Lippitt all thanked France for making their teams and their lives better. They mentioned her dedication, her consistency and her ability to connect with the players.
“The committee couldn’t have gotten it more right,” Niles said.
“I always know where you are at 3:45, coming right up to the soccer field for practice,” Pindar said. “You are a great role model for our young girls. They all love you, admire you as do I. We make a great team coaching together and it is an honor to coach with you.”
The Fetterman Award is given in honor of Patrick C. Fetterman, former Associate Director of the ACC Gymnasium and the Clark Sports Center. According to the Clark, “this honor recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to serving Cooperstown’s youth, particularly through athletics.”