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Carlton
J. "Jack" Porter Jr. grew up in Buffalo, working on farms and
playing hockey. After high school, he went to
St. Mary's Seminary in Crystal Lake, Ill. and then
Cornell University, where he was a member of a
nationally ranked livestock judging team. While at
Cornell he helped develop a hockey program. After
college Jack served in the U.S. Army as a medic.
Jack was the founder of Porter Farms
in Elba, Genesee County, one of the largest organic
vegetable farms in New York State. In the summers,
he farmed, in winters he played and coached hockey.
Jack also helped launch, and then
coach, hockey programs at the Buffalo State University
and Notre Dame High School in Batavia. He also coached
at Batavia High School and was a member of the Genesee
Valley Hockey Association as well as coaching numerous
youth hockey teams in Buffalo and Batavia and was a regular at
the Buffalo Sabres Hockey School. While at Notre
Dame, Jack coached the Fightin' Irish from 0-18
inaugural record to 19-7 and a Section V championship in just
four seasons.
Starting with his own hockey-playing
sons, Michael and Stephen, Jack taught the time-honored
basics: hard work, discipline, respect. Winning is
fun, but not No. 1. With his cocked shoulders, big
eyeglasses, warm craggy face, and trademark tie and
sport coat, Jack was unmistakable.
Sadly, Jack Porter died December 22,
2007, after a two-decade battle with thyroid cancer.
He was 76. His funeral took place in a small,
stick frame church in his hometown of Elba, where the
sign designating the village's population reads: "Just
right." He was eulogized with great eloquence by
coaching peers and former players. When his casket
was led past a hockey "honor guard" made up of current
Batavia players wearing their blue and white jerseys,
there wasn't a dry eye in the house. In life, Jack
left us with tears of laughter.
It seems everyone has a Jack Porter
story. How he once took off his "coke-bottle"
glasses and put them on the nose of the referee who had
missed an offsides call. How he once yelled at a
ref who he felt missed a penalty, "Hey stripes, even I
saw that and I only have one eye." (Jack lost an
eye in a farming accident years prior) The western
New York hockey community won't be the same without Jack
prowling behind some bench somewhere, urging on his
players, jawing with referees, cracking everyone up with
a stream of one-liners.
He resume includes the following:
- Founded hockey program at Cornell
University
- Founded hockey program at Buffalo
State University
- Founder, First Coach Notre Dame
High School (1992-99)
- Sectional Champion 1996 (4-years after starting
program)
- Section V "Coach of the Year" in 1995-96
and 1996-97
- Assistant Coach at Batavia High School
(2002-07)
- Sectional Champion 2003, 2004,
2006 Batavia High School
- Combined high school record
148-135-16
- 2006 Batavia High School Hall of
Fame Inductee
- 2008 NYSHSHCA Hall of Fame Inductee
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