Fred J. Shupnik

Category
1994
About This Inductee

Fred J. Shupnik is a graduate of Luzerne High School, Scranton University, and New York University (M .A.). He was a teacher in the Luzerne School District for 36 years. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, WWII, Southwest Pacific where he served as Communications Officer. He is a member of the American Legion, Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, VFW, and Pennsylvania Retired Teachers Association. He was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1958 and served 12 consecutive terms until his retirement in 1982. He married the former Margaret Hutsko on August 13, 1946, and they have two daughters, Margaret and Susan. His basketball coaching career began in 1940 in the Valley League where he served as assistant coach before assuming the position of head coach in the 1946-47 season. In his first year, the team came in 2nd place. His coaching career spanned 12 years, and he compiled a record of 170 wins and 46 losses in Valley League competition –a 79% winning percentile. His extraordinary coaching abilities enabled his teams to win five championships in the years 1950, 1951, 1953 through 1955 five championships in a six-year period. His teams competed five times for the District 2 championship. His 1955 team had 27 straight victories before losing to Scranton Central in the District 2 finals. In league competition from 1953 to 1955, his teams had 41 consecutive wins. Many of his players attained all-star status and continued their scholastic and athletic pursuits. Coach Shupnik’s goals throughout his 12 years of coaching were not only to teach the game of basketball but to instill in his players individual values which would enable them to apply the rules of fair play to life in general.