MONTPELIER – Mike Clark, an athlete, teacher, coach, administrator, councilor, referee and umpire, was honored last week for a significant life-pursuit. This past Friday evening, after a professional career spanning over four decades, Clark got his due and was inducted into the Vermont Principals Association Hall of Fame. Clark was one of 14 new members inducted on Friday, during the awards ceremony at the Capital Plaza in Montpelier.
courtesy photo
Clark was recognized by the VPA as a standout sports official, but he could have easily been honored for most of the VPA’s six categories, including athlete, coach and administrator.
When he chose early in life to participate in athletics, Clark developed into one the top local athletes of his era in several sports. He was a four-year varsity athlete in soccer, basketball and baseball at both Hardwick Academy and Hazen Union. He graduated from Hazen Union in 1972.
Clark attended the University of Vermont and, while doing his student teaching at Hardwick Elementary, he was hired as its physical education instructor. He had to take summer classes at UVM to complete his college degree after being hired by the school that gave him his elementary education.
He would spend five years at Hardwick Elementary before moving on to Cabot High School for the next five years. While there, he coached soccer and baseball. Despite coaching one of the smallest schools in the state, Clark’s teams won a few CVL North crowns, including one in baseball in 1981 and one in soccer in 1984.
As the story goes, coaches used to roam the halls at Cabot to find a fifth player to fill out the basketball rosters. Once Clark arrived, sports participation exploded. Clark’s influence resulted in upwards of 40 percent of the student body participating in athletics. He was also appointed assistant principal at Cabot.
After his Cabot stint, Clark moved on to Twinfield High School, spending the next 22 years there as a teacher, coach and councilor. He ended his 41-year teaching career at Hazen Union working as a councilor.
Clark won a Teacher of the Year honor at all three schools he taught at.
His first foray into refereeing happened in 1976, where Clark’s evaluator was none other than standout official Dick Stewart. Stewart admired Clark’s work on the field and assured him he would become a great official. Stewart was correct, and in 2009, Clark won the elite Dick Stewart Official of the Year award.
Clark was named the Vermont Soccer Coaches Association Official of the Year in 1995. He won the Capital Division’s Official of the Year in 2023. Just recently, Clark was awarded his 40-year pin from the Vermont Soccer Officials Association.
courtesy photo
By 2023, Clark had worked 10 soccer championship finals, 27 semifinal games and four Lions Cup Twin State games. He has been a member of the Vermont Softball Umpires Association for 24 years. During that time, he has worked seven state championship games and 16 state semifinal games.
In his acceptance speech, Clark credited many of his mentors, family and friends who helped him along his journey. He lauded former coach Dan Hudson, also a Hall inductee, for being a model coach, a person to envy and emulate for his high moral standards, as well as a family friend who helped out during some difficult times.
He singled out Hazen Union coach and Athletic Director Aaron Hill as yet another positive role model for Hazen athletes and for Hill’s collection of data as a Vermont sports historian. Both Hill and Hudson wrote supporting letters for Clark’s induction as did fellow official Frank Martel.
The support for Clark was on full display Friday evening as his supporters filled not one, but three different tables. At the main table supporting Clark was his family with his wife Alicia Benoit-Clark, sons Caleb and Jacob Clark and sister Julie Clark.
At a second table were many of Clark’s fellow referees and close associates, including Martel, Marvin Pritchard, inducted last year, Mike Nixon, Miles Etter, Dave Christianson and Greg Barcomb. At the third table were Hudson and Hill as well as many lifetime friends that included Mike and Dan LeCours, Dave Burnham, Bob Blake, Gary Brochu and Pat Hussey. Clark personally thanked each and every one of his supporters.
Clark said he has been humbled and appreciative of all the support he has been given throughout his life. He talked of his love for officiating and how he takes very seriously his responsibility to monitor games fairly and without bias.
Clark said he expects to continue officiating as long as his physical condition and ability to govern games remains strong. So far, so good, Hall-of-Fame-good, in fact.
