Seymour Bernstein

Our Seymour was one of the greatest Varsity Head Coach at California School for the Deaf, Riverside (CSDR) from 1958 to 1980. He had helped to develop many players who later played in FAAD after their completion of their CSDR and college education. Countless players played in our FAAD Basketball, Dodgeball, Flag Football, Soccer, Softball, and Volleyball. He was a advocate and a strong believer in providing opportunities for deaf youths. Seymour, who passed away at the age of 80 in February, 2013 leaves behind a gigantic legacy for many more years to come.

He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from the New York School for the Deaf (Fanwood) in White Plains, New York. He earned his BS degree in Education from Gallaudet University in 1956, and his MA degree from CSUN in 1974.

Seymour was a resident of Riverside, CA for 55 years and served as Vice-Chairman on the Riverside Model Deaf Community Committee. He worked at the Arizona School for the Deaf (ASDB) from 1956 to 1958 as a dorm counselor (where he also established an intramural sport program for middle school students), and then at the California School for the Deaf, Riverside (CSDR) for 22 years, as a dorm counselor, PE teacher, and head coach. He was a strong advocate for the deaf community. He began with the Inland Services Center (ISC) agency in 1984 and worked in advocacy for a long time. He served as an Outreach Director at the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy, and Referral Agency (DCARA), at the Oakland branch, and then became the director of Center on Deafness- Inland Empire (CODIE) until the time of his retirement at the age of 70.

Seymour was also the treasurer for the California Coalition of Agencies Serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCASDHH). He was an Affiliation Delegate for the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). He was on the Board of Directors for the California Home for the Adult Deaf (CHAD). He served as the president of Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc. (TDI) for two terms (1985-1993). He also enjoyed the opportunity of experiencing Hollywood when he got a small acting role on a TV show, “Barney Miller,” in 1981.

Sports wise, Seymour was involved with athletics for as long as anyone can remember. He played football, basketball, and baseball. He was on the Fanwood basketball team during his high school years, and then he joined the New York Golden Tornadoes Athletic Club (GTAC) and played basketball with them for a few years. The legendary GTAC basketball team was involved with the national AAAD basketball tournaments during the 1950's and had great success during that era. Seymour also joined the Gallaudet football and baseball teams during his college years. When he entered the working world, he became head coach for the varsity football, basketball, and baseball teams at CSDR. He won many honors, including the 1976 National Prep Basketball Coach of the Year, and was inducted into CSDR's Hall of Fame as a coach in 2002. Seymour coached the team Super Silent Stars (S.S.S.), who won the first and second ever US Flag Football Deaf (USFFD) championships in 1986 and 1987. He also won USFFD coach of the year two consecutive years. He continued to invest a great deal in supporting the AAAD (now the USADSF).

Seymour was a loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, uncle, and friend to many. He is survived by wife Holly Bernstein, children Suzette Schuster of Riverside, Ethan (Pat) Bernstein of Fremont, CA, Scarlett (Jeremias) Valencia of Riverside, six grandchildren (Tyler, Amelia, Dmitri, Noah, Jory and Gabrielle), sister Anna Petrillo of Riverside, nephews, and niece.