Hall of Fame
Decker was a multisport standout during his four years at Oneonta in soccer, basketball and baseball. He was a two-year captain and two-time All-New York State All-Star in soccer and team captain of basketball as a senior. His soccer career highlight was scoring five goals versus Albany. In basketball he was named to the SUNYAC Tournament All-Tournament Team in 1960-61.
Decker, who attended high school in Mattituck, N.Y., has spent his entire professional career as a teacher and administrator for Miller Place Schools in Suffolk County. He worked his way from a social studies teacher to where he currently is an elementary principal for the school system. He is the co-founder of the Suffolk County Elementary Principals Association and was the Director of the 1979 conference presented by the Institute for Educational Change.
During the last thirty-six years Decker has found time to be involved in athletics as a coach and official. He served as a Junior High soccer coach from 1964-70 in the school system and was a basketball coach from 1964-69 at Mercy High School. He also was a Suffolk County baseball umpire from 1964 to 1989 and served the organization as president while receiving Umpire of the Year Award multiple times.
