by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
Debbie Sims was a multi talented athlete as the following will show. She played after school basketball before high school at Canisius College from 1966-1970. Sports played at Bennett were pre-Title IX Basketball 1971, 72 and 74, Intramural Volleyball 1971-72, 1973 – She played volleyball in the Erie County Recreation Women’s Volleyball tournament, Intramural Floor Hockey 1974 and received the Irene Stern Wilkerson Award when she graduated from Bennett.
Other sports activities included basketball at the Delavan Moselle Center in 1970, 71, 72, & 74. College sports played were basketball and volleyball at ECC North. Post college sports were Buffalo Softball League in the 1980’s and Queen City Bowling 2000 and later. Sims was also a volunteer Golf Coach at Elma Meadows from 2017-2018.
Needless to say, Sims had a varied and impressive sports career. However, her mindset and approach to competing were nonpareil. She said, “I tried to accomplish things that other people thought I couldn’t do. Being a person of color in the era that I grew up in, fueled my desire to compete and do well. I thought that I could contribute and make things better. An incident occurred when I was playing softball. I was being heckled constantly by a stranger. I was determined to show him how mentally tough I was. I used his negativity to hit a home run. After the game I ran over to the stands and shook the hecklers hand for inspiring me with his belligerent comments. I always competed to be the best that I could be.” She continued, “I am really humbled and awed to be inducted into the Bennett High School Sports Hall of Fame.”
by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
Jennifer was a rare gem among female athletes, having competed on four different sports teams during her tenure at Bennett H.S., achieving All-High status in two. During the fall sports season Jennifer participated in volleyball. she was the team “setter” for the city championship squad of 1982, and team Captain in her senior year of 1984. The winter sports season found Jennifer as a four year member of the swimming team, and was part of a city record setting 200 yard free relay team. She also qualified for the All-High swim meet all four years on the squad. During the spring sports season Jennifer ran track for three years, and played softball her senior year. In track, Jennifer achieved All-High status by anchoring the city record breaking 3,200m. relay team in 1984. Doing all this, Jennifer still was able to achieve the # 9 ranking in the senior class academically.
After high school, Jennifer earned her BA degree in Communications from SUNY Buffalo. She later received her MA degree in education and worked as a Special Education teacher for over 20 years. Not surprising, Jennifer became a very successful girls track coach in West Seneca. Her 10 year coaching career included many NY State meet qualifiers, and a Section VI championship track squad. Jennifer also coached high school girls volleyball for 5 years. Today, Jennifer and her family live in Kenmore, NY.
by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
Carla was the consummate scholar / athlete, the kind every coach would want on his or her team. A four year volleyball player, Carla was a team captain and team MVP twice. The Lady Tigers won one city championship and two second place finishes during this time. Bennett’s cumulative record during Carla’s tenure was 43 wins and 5 losses.
Carla was even more successful in swimming, her strongest sport. Carla was an All-High swimmer in at least one event all four of her years on the squad, with the Tigers winning two Syracuse Cup championships during that time. Carla finished with six school swimming records and two city records in the 100 yard Individual Medley and the 200 yard Freestyle Relay.
Carla didn’t waste her spring seasons either. She played three years of varsity tennis, with the Tigers winning the Dr Bapst city championship all three of those years. Carla was an All-High first doubles player.
Carla earned a Rochester National Scholarship to the University of Rochester. There she was the only freshman to start on the U. of R. volleyball team. Carla later received a BS degree in Computer Science from S.U.N.Y. Buffalo, and an MA degree from Clark University in Massachusetts. She is presently employed by Avocent Corporation as their Mid West Sales Director.
Carla and her husband, Michael Bankovich, reside in Cleveland, OH, and have three daughters, Francesca 16, Arianna 12, and Nina age 8.
by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
Kristin played three varsity sports, volleyball, basketball and softball during her three year tenure at Bennett H.S. Interestingly enough, Kristin’s coach for all three sports was her dad Steve Poliachik, a long time coach of girls sports at Bennett H.S. Coach Poliachik got to see first hand, his daughter achieve first team All-High status in each of two sports in both her junior and senior years. In volleyball, Kristin was regarded as an excellent server, once serving 14 consecutive points in a key league match against Hutch Tech. In her best sport, softball, Kristin was second team All-High as a sophomore, and first team All-High as a junior and senior. Kristin was a catcher / first baseman on some very competitive Tiger softball teams. After her senior season, Kristin was selected to participate in the “super Senior All-Star softball game”. Kristin’s high water mark was a lofty .350 season batting average. Her efforts led to a softball scholarship offer from Edinboro State College in PA. Among Kristin’s awards at graduation was recognition from the “West Side Businessmen’s Association” as a top scholar-athlete.
Kristin transferred to Canisius College after two years, and became a teacher. This school year will be her 18th year as a teacher at her Alma Mater, Bennett H.S. Kristin joins her sister Kim as a member of our Bennett Sports Hall of Fame.
