Bill Kropp spent 34 years teaching at Sachem and retired this year from his dream career. The Sachem alum from the Class of 1977 is leaving behind a legacy that spans three decades as a social studies teacher, student government advisor and coach.
A native of Farmingville, Kropp spent more than 23 years teaching at Sachem South, currently known as Samoset Middle School, before spending 11 years teaching at Sachem East.
Kropp is the all-time winningest boys volleyball coach in New York State history. He sports a record of 358-108 dating back to his debut season in 1989 and will stick around for one more year as a coach before handing over the reigns of his program at Sachem East.
Kropp sat down with The Sachem Report just before the end of the school year to talk about his career.
Sachem Report: Did you ever think you’d have a career like this?
Bill Kropp: Anybody can get a job, but you want a career. I would not choose anything else. This is what I was meant to do. I have loved the 34 years. Working with the kids and people as far as career goes, it’s been a dream. There have been tough times, but overall it was a dream.
SR: Who would you credit as your mentors or people you looked up to?
BK: When I went through Sachem there were the role models and icons whether it was Fred Fusaro, Ken Freidheim, Jack Mahoney, Bill Batewell, or Frank Schmidt, they were the men and it was their program. They worked hard and they were successful. To try to create something what they have that still exists; they set the standard. I feel lucky to have gone through Sachem as a student and a beginning coach when they were still around. The dedication, the professionalism and yes they were successful.
SR: How did you first get the chance to come back to Sachem and teach?
BK: When I was a senior I was student government president and the advisor was a man named Charlie Cardillo, who was a department chair then. (Cardillo went on to become an assistant superintendent in Sachem and is now the Superintendent of Manhasset Schools.) I stayed in touch and he got me an interview. He’s another great role model and someone I thank for the opportunity to be here.
SR: How do you want to be remembered?
BK: I’d like to be remembered as someone who had passion. Someone who gave to the students and athletes. Someone who they knew that supported them, but they knew that they didn’t want to disappoint and had that respect that they wanted to make me proud of them. And also the relationships that I’ve built with students, players and the staff. Someone who was going to help them achieve a level they wanted to be at, to help them reach their goals. Someone who everyday wore the pride of Sachem.
–As told to Chris R. Vaccaro