A former resident of Spencerport has been honored for his efforts in the collegiate soccer community. Spencerport High School graduate Tim Schum was recently enshrined at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame. Schum, 66, retired in 2002 following a long career as a player and a coach, most recently as the men's soccer head coach at Binghamton University. Schum is also a member of the Spencerport High School Sports Hall of Fame and University of Rochester and Binghamton University Halls of Fame. "I am proud of the latest honor for it places me in an elite national hall of fame, which is recognition of my peers throughout the country," he said "I consider myself very fortunate to have been honored by any one of the entities. Schum, who lives in a suburb of Binghamton, grew up in Spencerport. His father, Harold "Chick" Schum, served as a long-time athletic director and coach in the district. "It was a wonderful place to grow up," he said. "The school system was very good and had a host of wonderful teachers who served as mentors in one form or another to all the students." He said his father served as a role model, which also gave him drive and ambition to succeed. "I was fortunate to have excellent mentors and developed my coaching style through them in coordination with my own personality," Schum said. "I always wanted to try and pass on to my students and players a desire to excel. I tried to instill my own competitiveness in my players." Schum moved from Spencerport in 1963 and attended college at the University of Rochester. He served as a coach at Binghamton for 29 years. Since retiring, Schum has kept busy, editing the book, The Soccer Coaching Bible, as well as spending time with his wife Ann Furlong. He is actively involved in the 2004 Empire Games. Mike Doherty, the men's soccer coach at Colgate University, played under Schum at Binghamton for three years. "Coach Schum is a player's coach," Doherty said. He is competitive, fiery and sticks up for his players. He was always prepared for his opponent and gave his team the information and preparation to win." As Schum reflects on his years in the game, he counts his induction into the national hall of fame among one of his proudest accomplishments. However, some of the best praise he has received over the years has been the number of lives he has helped influence. "If you are involved in this profession for personal gain, you probably have the wrong objective for yourself," he said. "Your reward comes in the productive lives of your players. Once in a while they will say thanks, and that is your reward." |
