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FACES IN THE CROWD
KATHY JENKINS
ALEXANDRIA, VA. > LACROSSE
Jenkins, 61, who coaches at St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School, became the second girls' coach—high school or college—to reach 600 career wins, with a 15--2 victory over Holy Child last season. Never a player herself, she founded the girls' program in 1976 and has led the Saints to eight undefeated seasons and seven Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division 1 state titles, including this year's (15--4 over Bishop Ireton). Jenkins finished the season with 608 wins.
MIKE SIMONS
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. > ROWING
Simons, 28, an assistant coach at Cedar Creek High (Egg Harbor City), returned just two weeks after being injured in a motorcycle accident and having his right leg amputated above the knee. Six weeks later he led the first-year Pirates program to first in girls' sculls and third in girls' doubles and novice four at the Atlantic County championships. A former Army Ranger, Simons was given straws by his rowers while he was hospitalized in recognition of his coaching mantra: Get a straw (and suck it up).
MARCIA PINDER
FORT LAUDERDALE > BASKETBALL
Pinder, 61, who surpassed 800 victories and led the Dillard High girls' team to its third straight Class 5A state title this year, was named the Women's Basketball Coaches Association national high school coach of the year. She became Florida's alltime winningest coach last year, for boys and girls, and has led the Panthers to seven state championships in her 36-year career. Pinder was inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame this summer.
STEVE KUSTER
WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS. > SWIMMING
Kuster, 42, a 13-year coach at Williams College, was named the national women's coach of the year for the third straight time at the Division III championships. He guided the Ephs to meet records in two relays and in three of seven individual wins for a second-place finish. Williams' men's and women's teams each won the NESCAC title, giving Kuster a combined 24 conference crowns. He still holds the 200-fly record at Penn, from which he graduated in 1993.
STELLA SAMPRAS WEBSTER
EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. > TENNIS
Sampras Webster, 43, a 16-year coach at UCLA, guided the Bruins to their first Intercollegiate Tennis Association national indoor title with a 4--0 defeat over top-seeded Duke and was named the ITA Division I women's coach of the year. Her squad also held the No. 1 ranking for a school-record eight straight weeks and ended Stanford's 157-match home winning streak. Pete Sampras's older sister, she was a four-time All America at UCLA and coached the team to its first NCAA championship, in 2008.
CHRIS PUCKETT | CAMERON SHELLEY
SAN CLEMENTE, CALIF. > BASEBALL
When no other coach volunteered, Chris, 15, and Cameron, 14, took over a Little League junior division team of 12- to 14-year-olds (with Chris's dad, Gary, as team administrator), then led San Clemente American No. 2 to a district championship with a 10--9 victory over Viejo USC. As freshmen at San Clemente High this spring, the duo also helped the Tritons' freshman-sophomore team win its league title. Chris was named team MVP.
STANDING TALL
The statue honoring 42-year Brewers radio announcer Bob Uecker that was dedicated at Miller Park last Friday is almost as deadpan as the man himself. Uecker, 77, is well-known for making fun of his major league struggles: He hit just .200 in six seasons with three franchises from 1962 to '67—when asked about the home run he hit off Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, the former catcher says, "I apologize to him every time I see him." The larger-than-life-sized bronze sculpture depicts Uecker in a sweater vest and a pair of slacks, with his hands in his pockets. Uecker would no doubt appreciate one tweeter's observation about the pose: "It looks like he's watching a statue being unveiled."
Nominate Now
To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces. For more on outstanding amateur athletes, follow @SI_Faces on Twitter.
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SCOTT PAULUS/MILWAUKEE BREWERS (UECKER)
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GARY PORTER/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL/AP (STATUE)
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COURTESY OF ST. STEPHEN'S & ST. AGNES SCHOOL (JENKINS)
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DAVE MORELLI (SIMONS)
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COURTESY OF CAREY WAGNER/SUN-SENTINEL (PINDER)
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KRIS DUFOUR/WILLIAMS COLLEGE (KUSTER)
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DON LIEBIG/ASUCLA (SAMPRAS WEBSTER)
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GARY PUCKETT (PUCKETT)
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GARY PUCKETT (SHELLEY)
