Kutztown Cougars’ biggest victory comes after the season
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
The Kutztown Cougars are trying to win football games, not good conduct awards. The DNA of the program head coach Larry Chester has built is based on respect and doing the right thing, and that has been recognized again.
Kutztown is the 2024 winner of the Joe McLaughlin Sportsmanship Award, presented annually by the Reading Football Officials Association to the Berks football team which displays the principles of good sportsmanship throughout the season.
“Larry Chester exudes good sportsmanship,” said Reading Football Officials president Beau Stockholm. “You never get any backlash from their staff, their players. They have not always had a lot of success but their attitude has always been very good; it’s what we’re looking for.”
| Award recipients | |
| 2024 | Kutztown |
| 2023 | Daniel Boone |
| 2022 | Kutztown |
| 2021 | Twin Valley |
| 2020 | Kutztown |
It is the third time in the past five years that Kutztown has received the award.
“We’re not (trying to) win an award but,” said Chester, “we’re just trying to be productive men in society. That’s being respectful to everyone, not just people in power. That’s what we’re trying to teach our guys.”
The Cougars finished with just one victory and it didn’t come until the ninth week of the season, 42-17 against Columbia.
Chester is proud of the fact that despite a trying season that included some close calls — the Cougars lost once in overtime, once but one point, and five times by a touchdown or less — his players didn’t lose perspective on what’s important.
“Our record is never going to be the barometer of how we’re going to conduct ourselves,” he said. “The amount of money you have, the success you have, doesn’t matter when it comes to being a gentleman.”
Kutztown also won the award in 2022 and 2020.
“Larry and his staff do a tremendous job teaching everything outside the lines,” Kutztown athletic director Ed Yapsuga. “(They stress the importance) of being a good student-athlete, of being good citizens.”
McLaughlin was a driving force behind the Berks football officials association and served as RFOA president; he was a well-respected throughout the Berks football community before his passing in 2008 at age 95.
He was the first commissioner of the Inter-County League, serving 13 years, and was a member of the Reading Chapter of the Berks County Football Officials for 33 years.
He was inducted into the Berks Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.
Officials recognized: Kirk Singleton and Bob Walker were recognized by the Reading Football Officials Association for 20 years of service this season.
A Berks County crew worked the District 3 Class 2A championship game between Steel-High and Lancaster Catholic. The crew included: Francisco Sanchez, referee; Spyridon Papademetriou, umpire; Jared White, linesman; Ryan Bardi; line judge; Beau Stockholm, field judge; Ione Williams, side judge; and Nelson Berrios, back judge.
