ACS Athletic Director, PE teacher, and coach Pam Hitchner is set to retire in June and ACS held a surprise Retirement Party in the ACS gym on April 30 in her honor, recognizing her 22 years of dedicated service. The 2023 school yearbook, soon to be released, has also been dedicated to Hitchner.
On the yearbook dedication page, Hitchner is praised for being a beacon of God’s love both in the classroom and on the field. The dedication states in part — “Her devotion to athletics at ACS is unparalleled. She shows what it means to give your all in everything you do.”
Over 400 people attended the Retirement Party, which included a program where alumni, past and current parents and co-workers, and family members had the opportunity to express their gratitude for the positive impact that Hitchner has had on their lives.
Several speakers also praised Hitchner for creating a legacy of excellence in athletics at ACS. Some of the speakers included Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, ACS parent and former Athletic Director Dan Noble, and alumnus Billy Robinson (’87), who made a 4-hour drive to attend the event from Tennessee, where he is head coach of the Men’s Basketball Team at Milligan College.
Following the speakers, an ensemble of alumni who had played on ACS teams that Hitchner had coached sang a beautiful rendition of “The Blessing” and Pastor Matt Maher of Landmark Church gave the closing prayer. ACS PE teacher and alumnus Kaylee Breunig (’12), who played under Coach Hitchner on the Varsity Girls’ Basketball Team, served as emcee for the program and had spearheaded the planning of the event.
Several speakers mentioned one of the favorite quotes Hitchner has used to motivate students and athletes to excel — “Tell your mind to tell your body what to do” — and stickers with this statement were on display on tables throughout the gym. Some alumni who attended, including Robinson, proudly showed off their ACS letterman jackets that were worn by athletes back in the 1980s.
“As the writer Maya Angelou said — ‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ and you always made me feel welcomed and loved,” Robinson said in his remarks.
Noble, who served with Hitchner from 2010-2014 when she was a PE teacher and coach, credited Hitchner for “turning every athletic event at ACS into the place to be.”
Oblen, who has worked with Hitchner since 2012, pointed out that one of her admirable qualities has been the intentional way she loves and encourages others. “The way you exemplify Jesus with your words, conduct, and character — that is your legacy,” Oblen said.
“Your dedication as a coach and mentor has made a difference in the lives of our students,” Oblen said. She also noted that over 50 percent of the players on Hitchner’s Varsity Girls’ basketball teams went on to play basketball in college. Many other students and players have followed in her footsteps and become PE teachers and coaches, several even returning to serve at ACS.
Alumnus Candace Winkel Menno (’19), who played on several of Hitchner’s championship Varsity Girls’ Basketball Teams, described Hitchner’s “unique ability to look at people, see their strengths, and draw them out.” ACS parent and alumnus Kim Clark Eaves (’87) concurred and said that when she started high school at ACS, Hitchner convinced her to play basketball, a sport she had never played before, “and I will be forever thankful for the way you loved me and nurtured me.”
At the conclusion of the program, Hitchner was presented with several gifts including a banner that will hang in the ACS gym recognizing Hitchner’s years of service at ACS.
“This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” Hitchner said. “The memories I have made here at ACS are a treasure in my life and I’m so grateful for the words of everyone here today, they are like showers of blessing.”
Hitchner first joined the ACS faculty as a PE teacher for a 4-year stint from 1985-1989 when ACS was located in Ocean City at the Ocean City Baptist Church. In 2005, Hitchner returned to ACS to be a PE teacher at the school’s Zion Road campus and in the 2017-2018 school year was promoted to Athletic Director. She served as head coach of the ACS Varsity Girls Basketball Team for 11 years, retiring from coach in 2017. Over her coaching career at ACS, she posted 252 wins and led the Varsity Girls’ Basketball team to six Tri-State Christian Atlantic Conference championships.
In the 2014-2015 season, she received national recognition when she was named Coach of the Year by the National Christian School Athletic Association. In February 2017, Pam was named the Varsity Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year by the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference and received a plaque from the conference congratulating her for her 25 years of dedication as a coach and mentor to hundreds of young women in southern New Jersey. Her alma mater, Summit College, formerly Baptist Bible College, has also inducted her in its Hall of Fame.
In addition to coaching at ACS, Hitchner also coached and taught PE at Cape Christian Academy and Cumberland Christian School.
Photo credits: Carole Karabashian and Mia Liggins
