Family members request BCSD gym renaming

For the past 11 months, Karen Leidig has been passing out petitions and giving presentations to politicians in her quest to have the Oliver Middle School lower gymnasium named after her son, Matthew Fitton, whose life was lost in an automobile accident on Redman Road on August 12, 2003.

Leidig is not alone in her efforts. She has the backing of a committee - the Matthew J. Fitton Basketball Memorial Committee - that is aiding her efforts. Petitions started going out late last fall and have picked up momentum since May, she said. The committee's goal is to reflect what is defined in the constitution of the Brockport schools and to name the gym after Matthew, a person of local significance.

"Matthew was just the best person," she said with a mother's pride. "But it isn't just my view. The whole community has been behind us since we started."

Leidig said she is overwhelmed by the support she has received. "Matt was a friend to everyone," she said. "That's something you just don't realize until you are out there talking to people. He seems to have had such an amazing effect on everyone he met."

Matt, who was born March 3, 1983, graduated from Brockport High School in 2001. His mother said that at six feet six inches tall, he was the tallest kid in his class. Leidig said the night she came home and the Sheriff's cars were in her driveway was the worst night of her life. "I have three sons and each of them have a third of my heart," she said through her tears, "and now with Matt gone, I am trying to get through the days with only two thirds of my heart intact." She has two other sons, Daniel Fitton, 18, and Adam Leidig, 13.

Leidig joked that she is likely going to be in line for a "Guinness Book of World Records" nomination for the person receiving the most hugs. "When I go out and talk to the community I am met by so many compassionate, caring kids and adults that I just know that what I am pursuing, by trying to get the gym named after Matt, is what the community wants," she said. "I've really learned in the past year how our children affect the lives of others."

To date, there have been more than 3,200 signatures collected and there are at least 30 more locations where petitions have not yet been retrieved.

BCSD School Superintendent James Fallon said he certainly understands the family's grief but said that in the past there have been instances where individuals have wanted to have the gym, or other parts of the school named after a student.

Several years ago, the district began considering ways to honor those who have impacted the athletic program. Among the ideas considered were naming the gym after someone, planting a memorial garden, and scholarships. "We have so many people that deserve to be honored, we just didn't know where to start," Fallon said. "Over the years we've had several suggestions to name the gym after one individual, but to recognize one person overlooks so many others who have made significant contributions to our program and community. The Wall of Honor will allow us to honor many individuals, while also giving the community a chance to be a part of the process."

Five individuals who will be recognized posthumously in the first induction ceremony for the Wall of Honor are: Bill Corbin, Matt Fitton, Nat (Bud) O. Lester, II, Katie Sweeting, and Doug Westcott.

Corbin was a former boys basketball coach and long time math teacher at BCSD. His teams won 57 straight league games and he was a role model for many student athletes. Fitton was a former BCSD athlete and employee in the operations and maintenance department. He was an avid basketball player and the 2003-2004 Boys Basketball Season was dedicated in his honor. Fitton was also a Wegmans employee and winner of the Wegmans Scholarship. Lester was a former star basketball player, longtime youth advocate and a sports fan who attended a tremendous amount of sporting events at the school. Sweeting was a member of the girls basketball program. She spent a lot of time helping younger players develop their games. An annual memorial basketball tournament is named in her honor. Westcott was a former star athlete in football, basketball and baseball. He was a physical education teacher, former chairperson of Section V Boys basketball tournament and BCSD Director of Athletics.

Debbie Moyer, communication specialist for the district, said the Wall of Honor would be unveiled in December at the first boys basketball game of the season. "We thought this would be the best way to honor the many people who have made contributions throughout the years," she said.

While the Wall will memorialize the contributions of these five, the community is invited to nominate other current and past athletes for the Wall of Honor. Each individual selected will be recognized on the Wall of Honor with a plaque including their picture and a brief biography.
District officials will be looking to the community for input as to who should be nominated to the Wall of Honor. "We want everyone to be able to see the contributions that were made to the interscholastic teams at BCSD," Moyer said.

Nomination forms are available on the district's web site at http://brockport.k12.ny.us, in the District Office, High School Office, and Athletic Office. Criteria for selection include: bravery, service, honor, support, teamwork, sportsmanship and citizenship to the BCSD Interscholastic Athletics program.

Leidig said she appreciates the efforts of the district but feels that it just isn't enough. "I think it's great the school wants to honor those people in our community with the memorial wall, but we have school buildings that are named after people that no one knows," she said. "My wanting to have the gym named after Matt doesn't mean that I think he is any better or more deserving than anyone else. I just think the gym should be named after someone that everyone knows."

Whether the school supports the committee's work will not deter them, Leidig said. "From what I have seen, the community seems to be behind this," she said. "We do have support from several politicians."

Other ways Leidig plans to memorialize her son and his contributions to other's lives include planning a Matt's Coats for Kids clothing drive. "We want to collect and distribute coats to needy children in the winter," she said. "And I am also going to start working on getting a guardrail installed at the spot on Redman Road where Matt was killed. If there had been one, it might have saved his life."