Batley leaves behind a legacy at Fleming
Knights athletics director retiring Friday after 42 years in athletics
The face of Fleming College athletics is retiring Friday. Fred Batley will hang his hat after 42 years in athletics. He retires from his role as athletics co-ordinator after rising through the ranks at his alma mater. “I was always doing something different and a lot of times, a lot of things were new,” Batley said Tuesday at his retirement party at Fleming. Not only did the father of two climb the ladder in the athletic department, he was also instrumental in advancing Fleming athletics and sat on provincial and national executive athletic boards. “I’ve always been given a lot of good opportunities,” he said. After graduating from Kenner Collegiate, Batley went to the University of Western Ontario to study kinesiology. He later returned to his home town to take recreation and leisure at Fleming and never left institution. In 1977, Batley was hired at the college after graduation, working at Fleming’s McDonnel Street campus for $1 an hour. Over four decades, Batley coached, taught and held the role of athletic director. He was the driving force behind bringing the ball diamonds to Bowers Park, in building the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre as well as the Fleming turf complex. Batley was on the executive for the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association. “I’ve learned a lot and been able to represent the college all over Ontario and all over Canada.” Batley, 63, said Fleming has been a fantastic place to work, because of both the students and the staff. “The students are fantastic and they make you want to be here.” The north-end resident believes his legacy will be that he’s always been there for the students. “Students come first,” he said. Whenever Fleming has considered building other facilities on campus, Batley said he’d never let go of the idea. “One person said you’re like a dog with a sock, you just don’t let it go. I said, no, I’m here for the students.” Greg Jefford, manager of student experience and athletics, has known Batley since he joined the college in 2007. Batley’s legacy at Fleming is significant, Jefford said, having an impact on student athletes, coaches, teams and even in the broader sports community through recruitment. “But to him it wasn’t work — he was really just doing what he loved to do,” Jefford said. As Batley prepares to leave his lifelong career in post-secondary athletics, his daughter Sarah is about to being hers. She’s the new wellness and athletics co-ordinator at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. “She’s following in my steps,” he said, proudly. Batley’s plans for retirement include staying active with St. James Players and spending more time with his two granddaughters. “I’ll spend a lot of time as a grandpa.” He said he expects the transition to retirement might be a bit hard at first, but he’s grateful for the years he had doing what he loved. “I’m not leaving a job, I’m leaving something I really enjoy.”