Waterford — Liz Sutman's impact on her players and community bears many tentacles, not the least of which was the distinction of being theday.com's No. 1 read story last week when she announced her retirement.

This is news. Normally, such honors go to the police logs or another riveting epiphany on guns. But there was Sutman, No. 1 for a day in The Day, No. 1 in all the hearts of her former softball players at Waterford High.

The hosannas rained throughout the region, in bars and restaurants, barber shops and coffee shops and social media. She was so much more than any words on the resume could ever suggest.

Happily, we'll have another chance to celebrate. Mike Buscetto, the popular proprietor of Filomena's Restaurant, the de facto headquarters of the 06385, is throwing Sutman a retirement party Saturday night, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. Ten bucks to cover hors d'oeuvres, gift and an evening of laughs. Come one, come all.

We need to do more of this stuff. Thank people while we still can. Especially those who chose one of the noblest professions: teacher. Sutman may be "coach" to her players. But she will remain their once and future teacher.

And it is noble, despite how many dullards have some to view teaching. There's no nobility left in it anymore, just this pitiable position that teachers have become robotic, standardized test-givers, prisoners and servants to neurotic parents. And they get 100 weeks off every summer.

It's why so many teachers have uttered the words, "I'm just a teacher."

Sutman's mentor, Judy Deeb, the softball coach at East Lyme High for more than 40 years and nearly 600 wins now, said that one night when she received the Gold Key Award from the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance. Deeb looked at the dignitaries around her and wondered what she was doing among them.

"I'm just a teacher," she said.

It's "just a teacher" that stays a little later after school.

It's "just a teacher" that stays late after practice and drives all over creation scouting games.

It's "just a teacher" that mentors the children, counsels them, inspires them.

Deeb has carried a lamp, illuminating paths for girls and women in sports, the personification of Title IX. She's a voice for "just teachers" everywhere that, yes, there is a fundamental decency and righteousness to being "just a teacher."

Same with Sutman, who learned well.

An excerpt from the poem that Sutman read occasionally to her players:

"It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll; I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."

That's from "Invictus," by William Ernest Henley. Sutman wasn't the mere narrator. She was the protagonist.

Sutman, a Harvard graduate, could have become what many of her classmates did: Captains of industry. Instead, she remained the captain of her soul, true to herself, true to her passions: Teaching, coaching, motherhood, family. It bears repeating that the framers were pretty serious about the "pursuit of happiness" part, too, after "life" and "liberty." The pursuit of your own happiness, bereft of anyone else's perceptions or expectations.

Scene from Sutman's last state championship victory: She was temporarily done with media interviews, suddenly awash in spasms of bear hugs, making merry with her players. The long, strange trip was over. Just the coach and her girls. With the hardware.

That's when her mom, Kathy Walker, watching her daughter beam, said quite eloquently, "There's nothing better than that."

Nobody did it better for 14 years, the Harvard of moms and coaches.

And an illustration that being around kids, all the bus rides and inside jokes, the celebrations and commiserations, are one hell of a way to spend a life. It even makes sniveling parents a duller ache.

Maybe Sutman returns one day to coaching when the four boys are a little older. Maybe not. So just in case, let's celebrate not just someone who taught our kids, but someone who stands for all the right things we should be teaching them.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.

Twitter: @BCgenius