By Jen Toland, College Beat Writer
July 11, 2011
Attleboro, MA --- Now that both of their grown sons are living out of state, Barbara and John Cherecwich have two spare rooms in their North Attleboro home, so they turned one of them into a sports/workout room.
Hanging in the room, near the Wii Fit and the rack of free weights, is the gold medal that Barbara won last month as a member of the Massachusetts Miracles basketball team at the National Senior Games in Houston. She's trying to decide how to properly display the shimmering two-sided medallion that's attached to a blue ribbon. But for now, adorning the sports room will do.
"I'd like to just wear it," Cherecwich said. "It's beautiful. I was thinking of a shadow box, but I want to be able to see both sides of it."
The 54-year-old Cherecwich, who is originally from Worcester and played at Holy Name High and Worcester State, helped lead the Miracles to gold in the 50-54 age division. The Miracles went 7-0 in the national games and defeated the Long Shots of Colorado, 39-26, in the final.
"We had a really good team and we knew we had a chance at a medal," Cherecwich said. "We wanted it to be gold and then when it was, of course it was like, 'Wow!' "
Cherecwich, whose maiden name is Howard, started as a freshman and played on some excellent teams at Holy Name along with her sister, Joan, and, as a forward/center, she went on to score 576 points in 79 games at Worcester State. She earned a spot on the inaugural All-MASCAC team as a senior.
Her 1978-79 Worcester State team went undefeated during the regular season, but lost in the playoffs. She graduated in 1979, a year before the Lancers won the AIAW Division III National Championship (during the 1979-80 season).
"Now I say to (former WSC teammates), 'It took me 32 more years, but now I have my national championship,' " Cherecwich said.
Cherecwich went on to earn her master's degree in audiology from UMass and her Au.D. (doctor of audiology) from Arizona School of Health and Sciences in 2003. She works at Morton Hospital in Taunton. Cherecwich's parents, Richard and Julia, still live in Worcester.
In addition to her busy work schedule and raising sons Richard and Andrew with her husband, basketball always remained an important part of Cherecwich's life.
"I love the game of basketball," she said. "I love playing. That's my outlet for exercise."
Cherecwich found out about the Mass. Miracles, who were formed in 2006 at the Mass. Senior Games, from a friend she played with at the Attleboro Y.
Soon after turning 50 — and fully recovering from shoulder surgery — Cherecwich joined the Miracles. The team practices every Saturday throughout the year at Regis College.
The National Senior Games Association, formed in 1987, is a nonprofit member of the U.S. Olympic Committee. Its Summer Games have grown into one of the largest multisports events in the world. About 15,000 athletes competed in this year's games.
St. Lawrence Hall of Famer Kris Kablin of Stow, Megan Ladd, Tina Quick and June Walton are the other members of the Miracles.
"Camaraderie is a big part of it," Cherecwich said. "Women that share your love of the game, women that have a competitive nature and are athletic." The senior games format is 3-on-3.
"It's very fast," Cherecwich said, "and very intense, especially in the 50-54 age range," which is the youngest division in the National Senior Games.
Cherecwich said even though she's a little slower now, her game is better today than it was 30 years ago.
In addition to the shoulder surgery, Cherecwich had ACL reconstruction when she was 40. She said she actually suffered the knee injury while she was playing at Worcester State — it was originally diagnosed as a bad sprain — and it eventually started giving her some trouble.
"Once I got that fixed, I was ready to go," she said.
And Cherecwich plans to keep going. Senior games age divisions go all the way up to 80-plus.
"You see some of these older women in their 70s and 80s still playing," Cherecwich said. "It's an inspiration. As long as I can stay healthy, I'll continue to play. I hope I'll be playing when I'm 80."
Worcester State Press Release - Mass Miracles/Cherecwich's Gold Medal