Legendary Wallingford Coach, Teacher Dies At 75

WALLINGFORD, CT — The Wallingford community and beyond is mourning the death of Judy Samaha, a longtime coach, teacher and athletic director at Sheehan High School.

Samaha died Wednesday at the age of 75, according to the Sheehan Athletic Department.

“She was a true inspiration to thousands of young men and women during her time at Sheehan as a coach, teacher, and athletic director,” the athletic department wrote in a post on social media. “Her legacy will live on in Wallingford forever. May you rest in peace, Judy.”

Samaha was a hall of fame coach who spent 37 years in the Wallingford school system and served as Sheehan’s athletic director from 1995 to 2006, when she retired, according to the Meriden Record-Journal. Samaha founded the Hall of Fame at Sheehan High School, where she spent 35 years.

Samaha is credited with creating the popular powder puff game between Sheehan and Lyman Hall in 1972 when she was a physical education teacher at Sheehan, according to GameTimeCT.com. The game, which is now called the Samaha Bowl, is traditionally played during Thanksgiving week.

Samaha started her teaching career at Lyman Hall High School in 1969. She coached softball at Lyman Hall and also served as the inaugural field hockey coach for the Trojans, according to the Record-Journal.

“The LHHS Athletic Department is saddened to hear the news of the passing of former @MTSAthletics Athletic director, Judy Samaha,” the Lyman Hall Athletic Department wrote in a post on Twitter. “We send our deepest sympathies to the Samaha family & the @MTSAthletics community. Thankful we were able to see her at HER powder puff game last fall.”

Samaha, who was also a longtime state women’s basketball official, was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.

Read more at the Meriden Record-Journal here and GameTimeCT.com here.