South Windsor Paralympic Athlete, Longtime Coach Inducted into Athletic Hall of Fame

Editor’s Note: The South Windsor High School Athletic Hall of Fame inducted its third class with its annual dinner ceremony. We will highlight each inductee with profiles (but will break them into parts). The inductees are Jack Longo, Jill Biancucci Kolinsky, Priscilla Collins Snow, Brett Burnham, Cristi Carbone Burnham, Karen Rossi, Dorothy Blozie Morrill, Deborah Dillon-Lightfoot (posthumously) and the State Champion Boys’ Soccer Team of 1979.

Below is Part II:

Deborah Dillon-Lightfoot

A 1974 graduate of South Windsor High School where she participated in Field Hockey and Basketball her freshman year until she was injured in 1971 and became a quadriplegic at age 14. She was a member of the National Honor Society and a 4-H Achievement Winner and Delegate to the National 4-H Congress in Chicago, Illinois (1973).

Received a degree from The University of Illinois in 1978. She participated in Archery, Basketball and Track and Field throughout college and was a member of the USA Team Paralympics in Toronto, Canada (1976), and the USA Team for the Stoke Mandeville Games in Aylesbury, England (1977) and USA Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil (1978). She was a Dean’s List student, served as the editor, assistant editor and contributing writer for The University of Illinois Sigma Signs Newspaper and secretary for Delta Sigma Omicron.

Appointed to the Campus Committee for the Handicapped and was a member of the Dean’s University Rehabilitation Committee. She was awarded the “Timothy J. Nugent Award”, “The Harold Scharper Service Award”, “Varsity All Sports Award”, “George Huff Award” and “The Timothy Vandermeidan Sportsmanship Award” (twice).

She received her Master’s Degree from San Jose State College in 1980. While completing her degree she participated on the Peninsula Golden Spokes Basketball Team, the Sacramento Gold Rush Women’s Basketball Team and was a founding member of the Bay Area Meteorites Women’s Basketball Team. Served as Chairperson of the NWBA (National Wheelchair Basketball Association) Women’s Division and as Secretary of the NWBA Executive Committee (18 years).

Inducted into the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame/Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts (April 2001), the third woman to be inducted. She was employed at the California Department of Health Services/Audits and Investigation Division as an Information Systems Analyst in the Information Technology Unit.

She was married to David Lightfoot in 1992. Deborah passed away in June 2007 at age 51.

Dorothy Blozie Morrill

A 1969 graduate of South Windsor High School where she was an Honor Roll Student all four years. Received a Bachelor’s Degree from Eastern Connecticut State College in 1973. She was a member of the Dean’s List and Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society in Education, Class Treasurer (4 years) and Senior Activities Coordinator.

Received Master’s Degree from the University of Connecticut in 1977. Teacher at Lyman Memorial High School 1973-2009, English Department Chair 1999-2009, Cooperating Supervisor to six student teachers and Advisor to the Classes of 1981, 1986, 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2005. Received yearbook dedications in 1981 and 2005.

Assistant Girls’ and Boys’ Cross Country Coach (1979-1987), Head Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country Coach (1987-1997). Coached Girl’s Class S State Champion Teams four consecutive years (1987-1990). Girls’ Champions of the Quinebaug Valley Conference five consecutive years (1987-1991). Girls’ State Open Runner-up (1987), Boys’ State Open Individual Champion (1997)- Eric Blake, present Head Cross Country Coach at Central Connecticut State University and former Olympics Qualifier. Norwich Bulletin Girls’ Cross Country “Coach of the Year” (1987). Connecticut High School Coaches Association Girls’ Cross Country Coach of the Year (1991). Lebanon Education Association President (1 year) and Scholarship Chair (5 years). Secretary of Quinebaug Valley Conference (5 years). Served on CIAC Girls Cross Country Committee (2 years). In retirement, prepares and delivers meals to senior citizens in Columbia, Connecticut. As a hobby, has bred and shown Champion AKC Weimaraners for 25 years.

Pictured: Deborah Dillon-Lightfoot (first photo) and Dorothy Blozie Morrill