New Durfee High School Softball Field Dedicated to Beloved Coach

The new sports facility at Durfee High School in Fall River just got a little better thanks to a special dedication placed upon the softball field.

The new artificial turf softball field is now lovingly called the Steven R. Winarski Varsity Softball Field, in honor of the man who has coached for over 30 years.

Current and former city officials, school leaders, players, and family members were all in attendance on Tuesday for the official unveiling.

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City of Fall River Shows Out for Steven Winarski

Steve Winarski has been a staple in the Durfee athletics program for decades, and those in attendance at the ceremony on Tuesday were quick to shower the humble coach with praise.

“We’re honoring a great coach that did a lot of work with kids, and he did it for the right reason, because he wanted to help kids be better people, not just better athletes, and I’ll always tip my hat to Steve Winarski,” said Mayor Paul Coogan.

The mayor felt this dedication was the perfect nod to the school’s past while looking to a bright future with the school’s state-of-the-art sports facility.

James Gibney, the former Fall River public schools superintendent, shared his story of how he hired Winarski as the head football coach, and he looks back on that moment fondly.

“I cannot believe how many kids…that come up to me and thank me for allowing them to be coached by Steve,” he said. “We are proud of all that he has done.”

Cathie Karl Noversa, former Durfee softball player and current Diman Softball Head Coach, was one of several former players to step up to the podium and give Coach Winarski a heartfelt farewell.

“Steve, this is a well-deserved and overdue day for you…thank you for all that you’ve taught me,” she said.

Winarski’s Legacy Will Live Forever

After several heartfelt speeches, the Director of Athletics, Brad Bustin, returned to the podium to announce the big reveal.

A tarp over the scoreboard was pulled away to reveal the field’s official new name as the coach’s favorite song, Don’t Stop Believing blared through the speakers.

Fall River Public Schools/Facebook

The kindness of his peers moved the man of the hour and he was quick to compliment everyone around him, from former players and coaches to his parents for teaching him a good work ethic.

“I just drove the bus,” he said. “Those kids worked hard. I’m flattered, but the kids did the job out there.”

With a few championship wins and around 220 career varsity wins under his belt, Winarski says goodbye.

His former players will never forget his impact and his legacy will live on thanks to the Steven R. Winarski Varsity Softball Field.

Best SouthCoast School Districts For Athletes

There are lots of different ways to rank SouthCoast schools, student-to-teacher ratio, test score results and more. Though for hundreds of student-athletes, one way may mean more than others.

New school data from across the state has ranked schools by their sports programs and here is how school districts on the SouthCoast stack up.

Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall