REVEREND CORBIN KETCHERSID

Trenton Catholic Boys’ High School - Coach

Trenton Catholic was known as a basketball powerhouse by the late 1950’s.  However, before their hoops success they were a powerhouse in track and field, and their coach was a Franciscan Catholic Priest who went by “Father Corbin.”

Corbin coached the Golden Wave to 2 Parochial A State Championships in 1948 and 1951.  In doing so, he mentored athletes to 9 individual state titles in a program built primarily on field events.

Corbin tutored Paul Finnegan to back to back state pole vault titles in 1949 and 1950 as well as a state HJ crown in 1950.  John Zigrand broke the Parochial A record in shot put to win the 1950 state crown. He also coached state champions in 120 High Hurdles (Doederline, 1949), 220 Low Hurdles (Lindenthal, 1949) and javelin (Mccotter, 1951).

Father Corbin left Trenton Catholic to serve as a military chaplain. After 18 months in the Korean War, he returned to the US and trained as a paratrooper with the Army’s 82^nd Airborne Division, earning the nickname “The parachuting priest.” In 1969, he received “The Soldier’s Medal” during the Vietnam War.

When he retired from the military he established St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in North Carolina.

MAJOR TITLES

• 1948 NJ PAROCHIAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP T&F

• 1951 NJ PAROCHIAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP T&F

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