Teeners honor memory, legacy of John Chuma
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Members of John Chuma's family pose for a photo with the Schuylkill County Teener League's John Chuma Memorial Trophy, unveiled on June 28, 2024.
FRACKVILLE – In a ceremony at the ballpark bearing his name Friday, the Frackville Teeners and the Schuylkill County Teener League honored a man who helped make both what they are today.
John Chuma was a longtime volunteer in the Frackville community, coaching teams for both the Frackville community and North Schuylkill School District. He was a Frackville Teener coach from 1973 through last season.
He passed away in February.
The Teener field at the Memorial Park complex was named for Chuma several years ago. There, the Schuylkill County Teener League unveiled the 2024 Senior League trophy, now named in his honor as well.
Members of Chuma’s family were on-hand and were gifted a Frackville Teener jersey from this season, which had his initials on the sleeve and the number 50.
Each team in the proceeding game — Frackville and Shenandoah — wore red shirts commemorating Chuma’s 50 years of coaching.
Knute Brayford, Frackville coach and emcee for Friday’s ceremony, said red was a special color for Chuma.
“Coach Chuma always took great pride in the Frackville red teams he coached,” Brayford said. “It was known throughout the county that red was his color.”
Brayford said Chuma took great pride as well in his players and their future endeavors.
“I enjoyed listening to the stories of his former teams and players, which almost always ended with updates on what the players are doing now,” Brayford said. “He was never happier than when one of his players used the skills he taught them, to become a coach themselves.”
“I remember after a game last year, he told our team, ‘I’m trying to teach you the right way to play, not just to make you better players, but to make you better coaches when you have kids of your own,” Brayford added.
A 1967 North Schuylkill grad, Chuma was an avid community volunteer, and has coached teener baseball for four decades. Beginning in the 1970s, he’s umpired little league games, coached little league, teeners, and biddy basketball. He was a part of the Frackville Little League’s first District 24 title, and assisted in a multitude of championships in teeners and legion baseball.
In the community itself, he was a past vice president of Frackville borough council, past president of Frackville Biddy Basketball, Frackville Midget Football, North Schuylkill Football Halftime Club, and North Schuylkill Basketball.
He was active in the Elks, the VFW, AMVETS, American Legion, and on the Frackville Flag Community. He was also a member of the Frackville Jaycees, Rec Board, and Lions Club.
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