To the Editor:

The recent passing of Bob Sveda, teacher, coach, athletic director, and fine human being, brings back so many memories from my life and I am sure to others who were touched by his presence at Newtown High School.

The journey began in 1959 when Bob came to NHS on Queen Street to fill the shoes of the late Harold DeGroat. Bob, with his youth, vitality, and enthusiasm for teaching and coaching, brought a great spark of life to an already fine program that was once featured in Sports Illustrated for having Physical Education each day for the students at Newtown High School.

In a time when soccer was in its infancy, Bob took over the high school team and brought his knowledge as a player and captain from the University of Bridgeport to the fields of Newtown. In three short years, he took us to the state finals for small schools. What an exciting time it was for all of us! The night before the game, there was a big rally at the school, a bonfire, and then some three or four busloads of students made their way to Middletown for the game. We were clearly outclassed by Hale-Ray of Moodus, but being on a championship team my senior year was a very special moment in my life.

Bob was more than a championship season to me. Through his influence and that of Coach DeGroat, I decided to become a Physical Education teacher and went on to have a rewarding 37-year career in the Norwalk Public Schools. During my senior year in high school, Bob would let me come in the gym and help out with his classes. When I came home from college on breaks, Bob welcomed me in to do some practice teaching in his classes. He made learning fun; was a great disciplinarian; which we all needed at times; had a wry sense of humor; and over his great career at Newtown High as coach, teacher, and athletic director, he made a difference in many a person's life.

I became a soccer referee after finishing college and am beginning my forty-eighth year of officiating this fall. A few times I did some of his games when Newtown visited Central Catholic High in Norwalk. That was always a special game for me, and I think he was proud to see me out there on the field.

In later years, we stayed in touch, invited him to our reunions, and most recently, a group of soccer players from those first teams he coached gathered with him in Milford to share some great memories.

Thank you, Bob, for sharing your gift of coaching and teaching with all of us. I can still see him standing in the hall with his blue jacket greeting us with a smile as we passed by the gym and on to other classes. We are better people for the experience and blessed to have known you.

Tom Kretsch

NHS Class of 1962

9 Wakeman Place, Westport August 8, 2018