MIDDLEBURY — Longtime former Middlebury Union High School field hockey and tennis coach and physical education teacher Gail Jette will be honored next week by a Middlebury nonprofit that runs mentoring programs for girls, including at Middlebury Union Middle, Mary Hogan and Ripton Elementary schools.
On Thursday at Two Brothers Lounge, STRiDE: The Wright Foundation for Female Athletes, will give Jette its STRiDE Award for, according to a foundation press release, Jette’s “more than four decades of making a positive difference in the lives of girls and women through sports.”
The press release stated Jette, “inspired hundreds of Middlebury girls, often coaching two generations of players.” Her Tiger field hockey teams won or shared eight Vermont Division 1 championships and also earned eight second-place finishes. Her overall record was an incredible 372-73-73. Her girls’ tennis teams also won two D-II titles.
STRiDE founder Leslie Wright said Jette’s impact extended beyond wins and losses. 
“Gail embodies what STRiDE is devoted to achieving. She has inspired hundreds of girls to get in sports and stay in sports and reap the positives that being active and playing a sport offer from better grades in school to higher self esteem and health benefits that last a lifetime,” said Wright. “Gail’s record speaks for itself, but her true gift to the community has been the lifelong friendships and memories she has kindled through sports. She is a true inspiration.”
Jette will be presented the STRiDE Award at Two Brothers’ downstairs lounge on Thursday at what is the foundation’s annual fundraising event. It is scheduled to run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and include live music, a raffle and silent auction. Admission is $10.
Founded in 2001, STRiDE’s mission is to provide opportunities for girls and women through sports. STRiDE believes that sports can make a positive difference in the lives of girls and women. The foundation runs mentoring programs in basketball, Nordic skiing, alpine skiing and mountain biking in partnership with women’s teams and student-athletes. STRiDE also believes that participation in sports should not be segregated along racial or socio-economic lines
More information is available at www.stridefoundation.org.