The Locust Valley Central School District honored one of its late-greats on May 2, as the high school softball field was dedicated to beloved teacher, coach, mentor and champion of girls’ athletics, Cindy Tobin.
The ceremony was attended by many, some traveling from far and wide to pay tribute to Tobin’s legacy and the beautiful new sign that welcomes you to the softball diamond. Among the attendees were the members of the current varsity softball team, all of whom are fully aware of the legendary coach who paved the way for the thriving program.
“Today, we dedicate this field in her name and we are doing more than placing a sign or honoring a career. We are cementing her legacy into the very fabric of our program, our school and our community,” athletic director Danielle Turner Cosci said. “Every practice, every game and every young athlete who steps onto this field will be a part of that legacy.”
The dedication came together through a project involving the district, the athletic department and Falcon Pride Athletic Booster club. A graduate of the high school’s Class of 1970, Tobin gave decades of her life to coaching, winning three conference championships in the 1984, 1985 and 1988 seasons and a Conference Coach of the Year award in 1988. But Tobin is just as revered for her community work, serving the summer recreation program for 50 years. Tobin is remembered as a caring, kind and loving leader in her community.
Falcon Pride Athletic Booster Club president John Johnson said that the organization reached out to the alumni base with the idea, leading to an outpouring of love and support for the idea.
“Unanimously, everyone mentioned that Cindy Tobin is Locust Valley girls softball, and naming the field would be a perfect tribute to her,” Johnson said.
“On the softball diamond, she did more than teach the mechanics of the game. She empowered young women to find their inner confidence, fostered a spirit of resilience and helped them realize their absolute highest potential,” Locust Valley Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Kristen Turnow, said.
“As a big sister, she taught me many of the attributes that she taught her players. To play fair, try your best, work hard, help others and be a team player,” Cindy’s sister, Wendy Tobin said. “I am forever grateful to have a sister like her and I miss her every day.”
“The way I coach, the way I teach, the way I show up for others, that’s her. That’s her influence living through me every day” Tobin’s former player and current high school coach and physical education teacher Nadine Pacifico said. “I can still hear her voice echoing behind me, pushing me, challenging me and believing in me.”
Cindy Tobin Field will be a shining light in the district. Tobin’s devotion lives on in the generations of coaches and players she helped discover their full potential.