Coach Joseph Singleton
Fred Singleton has coached track and cross-country at White Plains High School (WPHS) for 50 years and has spent 52 years in the district. Unfortunately, next fall will mark his final year coaching cross-country at the high school. Singleton, a grandfather, hopes to spend more time with his family and enjoy a well-deserved retirement.
Thankfully, Coach Singleton will continue his role as meet director for the Glenn D. Loucks Games, one of the largest high school track meets in the U.S. The 57th annual Loucks Games recently took place on Thursday, May 8, to Saturday, May 10. Each year the event draws more than 400 teams from across the East Coast and Canada.
Singleton, a native of Mount Vernon, New York, attended Mount Vernon High School, where he joined the track and field team as a sophomore. Before that, he had an interest in basketball and baseball but quickly became attached to track. By the end of his senior year, he was a three-time state champion and a national champion in two hurdle races. He received a scholarship to Pennsylvania State University, where he continued to excel athletically and academically.
After graduating, Singleton accepted a job teaching history at the White Plains City School District’s alternative community school. He spent the next 36 years teaching in White Plains. During his third year as a teacher, he was offered a position as the assistant track coach at WPHS, eventually becoming the head coach.
Singleton’s impact as a coach has been profound, not just on WPHS athletes but also on their families and the school community. I remember my first days of this year’s cross-country season with Coach Singleton—often referred to as “Coach Sing” by most athletes—were filled with joy. Every day, he showed his commitment to his athletes, balancing friendship with a strict focus on consistency and maximum effort.
Ryan Chung, a senior at WPHS, reflects on Singleton’s impact: “He always appreciated hard work. No amount of effort in the sport went unnoticed. He made sure to let kids know he valued their commitment and improvement, whether through providing them opportunities or telling them directly.”
As Fred Singleton enters his final year of coaching, it marks the end of an incredible journey filled with hard work, passion, and dedication. For more than four decades, he has shaped the lives of young athletes and students, always giving his best on and off the track. While it’s hard to imagine the Loucks Games or the White Plains track team without him, Singleton is looking forward to what comes next. Whether it’s spending more time with family, traveling, or simply slowing down, there’s no doubt he will continue to make a difference wherever he goes. His legacy as a coach, teacher, and mentor will remain strong long after his final season ends.