Joyce Ann Siok ‘79 is an accomplished athlete who has successfully combined her love of team sports with a passion for helping children with special needs. It is a life journey that began three decades ago when she entered Lyndon State College.
At Lyndon, she established the reputation that would follow her throughout her career, as a person who could do and accomplish many things at once. She played three varsity sports (basketball, softball and soccer), organized intramural programs in volleyball and paddleball, participated in several clubs and even served as Sports Information Director for the student newspaper, The Critic.
On the basketball team, she was multi-skilled player adept at all positions who led in rebounds, assists, steals and fast breaks. Averaging 10-12 points a game, she was a member of the 1973-74 EAIAW championship team and on the Sweet Sixteen team that made its way to the Northeast Regional Tournament in New York.
“Joyce was the ultimate unsung team player,” remembers teammate Elaine Harrison ’78. “She frequently sacrificed her own personal goals for the betterment of the team. Although her play on the basketball court may have gone unheralded at times, most of our fastbreak scoring opportunities were the direct result of her tenacious rebounding and quick, accurate passes.”
Her versatility was no less evident on the softball field, where she played infield, outfield and pitcher. She was a founding member of the women’s varsity soccer team and participated in racquetball, volleyball and paddleball intramurals.
Graduating with a degree in physical education, Joyce held teaching jobs in several Massachusetts schools before enrolling at the American International College for a master’s in special education. It was this degree that enabled her to combine her athletic skills with her passion for helping children. For the past 15 years, she has served as an adaptive physical education teacher for the Holyoke Public Schools in Holyoke, Mass. There she works with students in grades K-12 who are physically, mentally and/or behaviorally challenged.
Maureen T. Lyons, who works with Joyce and is one of her presenters tonight, cites the “flexibility, resourcefulness, creativity and patience” that Joyce demonstrates on a daily basis.
“Her job requires her to travel from building to building, many of which have very limited gym facilities,” Maureen says, adding that her ability to make optimum use of all available space – including storage closets and hallways – demonstrates her ability to be both creative and resourceful. “Joyce has genuine charisma in dealing with student,” she adds. “She inspires them to do their very best while treating them with sensitivity and respect.”
Joyce’s devotion to the students with special needs is further evidenced by her work with the Special Olympics and with the Excelsior Summer Program, a camp for special needs students. She organized the Holyoke Special Olympics for six years, a project that involved more than 600 students facing a variety of physical and mental challenges, and in that capacity, handled everything from athletic training to volunteer recruitment.
“Her numerous volunteer hours were responsible for helping many of our children with severe challenges to feel like champions,” remembers another of her special education colleagues. “Joyce truly deserves a gold medal in this area.”
Another of her fellow teachers summed up the feelings expressed in the two dozen Hall of Fame nomination forms that arrived on Joyce’s behalf.
“If I had a vote in your selection process, Joyce would be a slam dunk winner.”
