2022 Tribute to Champions

Presenting Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Tribute to Champions

May 17th, 2022 • McGavick Conference Center

FEATURING

CONNELLY LAW OFFICES EXCELLENCE IN OFFICIATING AWARD

Boys & Girls Basketball—Rick Fox • Football—Jeff Ausbun • Softball—Bill Schey Soccer—Pat Muir • Volleyball—Jerry Aeschlimann • Wrestling—Kevin Bauers

FIRST FAMILY OF SPORTS AWARD

The Armstrong Family—Parents Frank (dec.) and Ivy (dec.) and children Eloise, Dorothy (dec.), Bayyinah Muhammad (Shirley), Frankie, David, Dennis, Al and Beverly

FROSTY WESTERING EXCELLENCE IN COACHING AWARD

Joe Clark—Lakes High School Boys Cross Country Coach

Robi Turley—Sumner High School Girls Soccer Coach

DOUG MCARTHUR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Wendy Malich—District Athletic Director, Franklin Pierce School District

Tim Thomsen—District Athletic Director, Sumner School District

DICK HANNULA MALE AND FEMALE AMATEUR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Kendall Burks—Soccer, Stadium High School and University of Washington

Zyonna Fellows—Volleyball, Mt. Tahoma High School and University of Arizona

2022 TACOMA-PIERCE COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Athletic Trainer—Walt Horn • Boys Basketball—Tyce Nasinec Girls Basketball—Debbie Miller

Football—Johnny Spevak, Hillary Butler and Sherriden May Golf—Golfing Gorilla (Tom Tuell) • Mountaineering—Eric Simonson

Soccer—Joey Gjertsen • Swimming—Paige (Wright) Olson

Track—Sarna (Renfro) Becker and Blake Surina (and Team Handball) Volleyball—Christy (Kubista) Brandt and Jennifer Kubista

Jim Merritt

“Tacoma Athletic Commission” Dedicated to Sports & Civic Betterment

Welcome to the 2022 Tribute to Champions!

The Tacoma Athletic Commission and the Shanaman Sports Museum are pleased to welcome you to tonight’s gathering to recognize individuals who have achieved outstanding sports accomplishments in Tacoma-Pierce County. Tonight we honor them for their positive contributions to our community in sports, recreation, and civic betterment.

•Congratulations to our Hall of Fame inductees as they have been great role models for our youth.

•We celebrate those receiving special recognition for their involvement in the coaching and officiating fraternities.

•Kudos to our Amateur Athletes of the Year as we will watch proudly as they become the leaders of tomorrow.

•And, a salute to the First Family of Sports for the positive example they set to build strong family bonds with sports as a contributing factor.

Since 1994 the Shanaman Sports Museum of Tacoma-Pierce County, established by the Tacoma Athletic Commission, has been committed to preserving our sports history through written, visual and audio. The museum and TAC are grateful to those who have shared their stories and memorabilia for the public to enjoy.

The TAC has been supporting local youth in sports for 80 years and pledges to continue their efforts to recognize and support student-athletes who excel in the classroom and in the various courts, pools, and fields where they participate in sports.

Thank you to this evening’s many sponsors, for without your financial support this event would not be possible. Also, we are grateful to the committee of volunteers who have been working to ensure a memorable 2022 Tribute to Champions.

The Tacoma Athletic Commission and the Shanaman Sports Museum welcome you this evening and would be excited if you would consider being a part of the organizations to help maintain the tradition of supporting athletic participation and excellence in Tacoma-Pierce County.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Jim Merritt 2021–22 President Tacoma Athletic Commission

Tribute To Champions Committee Members

Our appreciation goes to these sports fans that volunteered to serve on the committee to make this a memorable evening for all.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook: #TacomaAthleticCommission

Tribute to Champions: #TributeToChampion

Facebook: @tacomasportsmuseum Twitter: @SportsMuseumTPC

Instagram: @tacomasportsmuseum

VENUE LOGISTICS, REGISTRATION & SETUP Colleen Barta, Cheryl Blau, Gary Brooks, Doug Cail, Angie Eichholtz, Lauralee Hagen, Shannon Heinrick, Karen Ivy, Ed Menotti, Chelle Miller, Adam Parks, Margaret Rebillion, Aaron Roetcisoender, Tim Templin, Teri Wood and Bob Young

SOUVENIR PROGRAM

Layout and Design Kellie Ham Type & Graphics

Athlete Bios................ Gary Brooks, TJ Cotterill, Nick Dawson, Craig Hill, Todd Milles, Shawn O’Neal, Tyler Scott and Gail Wood

Cascade Print Media Mario Menconi and Cori Gumser

VIDEO PRESENTATION

Mike Beers and Steve Thomas

SILENT AUCTION

Colleen Barta, Adam Parks and Falena Ables (Columbia Bank)

DECORATIONS

Rocky Zlock

SHANAMAN SPORTS MUSEUM STAFF

Megan French

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Mike Sage—Sage Photography

Stace Tyler—Intensity Sports Photography

RESEARCH

A special thanks to Ilona Perry of the Northwest Room, Tacoma Public Library, for her efforts in tracking down contact numbers, photos and information about our inductees when requested. Her efforts were invaluable. Visit

Marc Blau —CHAIRMAN

WELCOME

5:30pm ���������������������������������������������������������� Dessert Social Silent Auction—Sports Memorabilia benefitting Sports Museum

6:30pm ���������������������������������������������������������� Welcome—Jim Merritt, TAC President Masters of Ceremonies—Chris Egan

National Anthem—Derik Nelson & Family

6:45pm ����������������������������������������������������������

Video and Presentation of Distinguished Achievement Awards

Connelly Law Offices Excellence in Officiating Award—Jack Connelly, Presenter

Boys & Girls Basketball—Rick Fox Football—Jeff Ausbun

Softball—Bill Schey Soccer—Pat Muir

Volleyball—Jerry Aeschlimann Wrestling—Kevin Bauers

First Family Of Sports Award—Leo Randolph, Presenter

The Armstrong Family—Parents Frank (Dec.) and Ivy (Dec.). Children Eloise, Dorothy (Dec.), Bayyinah Muhammad (Shirley), Frankie, David (Dec.), Dennis, Al and Beverly

Frosty Westering Excellence In Coaching Award—Terry Rice, Presenter Joe Clark—Lakes High School Boys Cross Country Coach

Robi Turley—Sumner High School Girls Soccer Coach

Doug McArthur Lifetime Achievement Award—Willie Stewart, Presenter

Wendy Malich—District Athletic Director, Franklin Pierce School District Tim Thomsen—District Athletic Director, Sumner School District

Dick Hannula Male and Female Amateur Athlete Of The Year Award— Dick & Dan Hannula, Presenters Kendall Burks—Soccer, Stadium High School and University Of Washington Zyonna Fellows—Volleyball, Mt. Tahoma High School and University Of Arizona

2022 Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall Of Fame Inductees—Kate Rue, Presenter Athletic Trainer—Walt Horn Boys Basketball—Tyce Nasinec Girls Basketball—Debbie Miller

Football—Johnny Spevak, Hillary Butler and Sherriden May Golf—Golfing Gorilla (Tom Tuell)

Mountaineering—Eric Simonson

Soccer—Joey Gjertsen

Swimming—Paige (Wright) Olson

Track—Sarna (Renfro) Becker and Blake Surina (and Team Handball) Volleyball—Christy (Kubista) Brandt and Jennifer Kubista

���������������������������������������������������������� Chris Egan, MC

MASTERS OF CEREMONIES

Chris Egan

Chris Egan joined the KING 5 sports department as a reporter and anchor in June of 2007. Prior to that, he worked for NorthWest Cable News as a sports anchor and producer on NorthWest Sports Tonight and co-hosted the Seahawks Fone Zone with former Seahawks quarterback Brock Huard. Egan worked as a news anchor and reporter in Boise, Idaho, where he won several awards for his story telling, and he was also a sports anchor at the NBC station in Medford, Oregon.

Over the past few years Egan has been nominated for several Emmy awards. In 2009 and 2011 he won the Emmy for Sports Anchoring. In 2010 Egan received a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for sports reporting and in 1998 the Oregon Association of Broadcasters named Egan the “ Sportscaster of the Year.” Over the years Egan has enjoyed one on one interviews with Lance Armstrong, Arnold Palmer, Joe Namath, Cal Ripken Jr., and Michael Jordan, but he also loves covering high school sports where he gets a chance to meet the future stars.

A native of Western Washington, Egan grew up in Puyallup, Washington, and attended Puyallup High School. He played tennis and basketball at Pacific Lutheran University where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in broadcast journalism/communications. In his senior year, he was honored with the “PLU Man of the Year Award” for his efforts on the tennis courts and for hosting and producing a half-hour weekly television sports show.

In his spare time, Egan loves to play basketball, softball, tennis, pickleball and even some flag football on occasion. He is also very active in coaching, where he volunteers his time as a baseball, soccer and basketball coach. Chris married his high-school sweetheart, Melanie and they currently have three kids, Madison, Austin and Luke.

Thanks To the Following Sponsors for Their Support!

HOSTS

Tacoma Athletic Commission

Shanaman Sports Museum

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Connelly Law Offices

GOLD SPONSORS

Columbia Bank

Miles Sand & Gravel

SILVER SPONSORS

Financial Insights

Rush, Hannula, Harkins & Kyler, L.L.P.

BRONZE SPONSORS

Timberland Bank

Brooks, Hughes & Jones/Wealth Advisors

Metro Parks Tacoma

Guardian Roofing

Anthony’s

Kellie Ham Type & Graphics

Cascade Print Media

206.498.3583

SPORTS WEBSITES TO KEEP YOU INFORMED

Tacoma Athletic Commission www.tacomaathletic.com

Shanaman Sports Museum of Tacoma Pierce County www.tacomasportsmuseum.com

State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame www.washingtonsportshalloffame.org

Tacoma-Pierce County Baseball-Softball

Oldtimers Association www.oldtimerbaseball.com

Tacoma South Sound Sports www.tacomasports.org

Tacoma Rainiers Baseball Club www.tacomarainiers.com

West Central District III www.wcd3.org

WIAA www.wiaa.com

Scorebook Live-High School Sports in WA www.sblivewa.com

Derik Nelson & Family

Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Derik Nelson & Family’s signature sound features velvety three-part pop/folk vocal harmonies only a family can deliver. Siblings Derik. Riana, and Dalten have been performing together since childhood. They’ve garnered over 4 million views on YouTube, performed in 150+ cities across the USA, and reached 100,000+ students of all ages with educational music workshops, outreach programming, and fundraising assemblies. Derik appeared regularly as the lead guitarist on television’s “Glee,”among other shows. Derik Nelson & Family has performed the US National Anthem at Seattle Seahawks, Sounders FC, and Portland Trailblazers home games, and are proud to tour nationwide with their own headlining concert as a family in some of the finest performing arts centers and historic halls in the country.

“Playgrounds To The Pros: An Illustrated History Of Sports In Tacoma-Pierce County”

From games played in schoolyards to professional championship teams, sports have occupied an important place in the cultural development of the Tacoma area. Playgrounds to the Pros provides an extensive overview of the sports played in the region during the last 150 years. It is not limited to such crowd favorites as baseball, football, and basketball; it also includes archery and auto racing, bowling and boxing, horseshoes and hydroplanes, marbles and mountaineering, soccer and swimming, and much more.

Published in 2005, this history of more than 40 sports acknowledges the many men and women athletes who have contributed to their sports over the years, including Lois Secreto, who epitomized ice skating in the 1940s; pro golfer Ken Still, who competed in six Masters, 13 U.S. Opens, and seven PGA Championships; Ryan Moore, who won the 2004 U.S. Amateur Championship; bowling great Earl Anthony; Doug Stevenson, goalie of the riotous Tacoma Rockets in the late forties and fifties; and Gertrude Wilhelmsen, 1936 Olympic athlete and star shortstop of the Tacoma Tigerettes. It is also a tribute to the colleges, schools, organizations, owners, managers, coaches, referees, umpires, and fans who have helped make sports such a significant part of Tacoma and Pierce County’s community, a place where love of a game, any game, is honored and enjoyed.

HOW TO ORDER PLAYGROUNDS TO THE PROS

Books may be purchased directly through the Tacoma Athletic Commission for $25.00 plus an additional $9.00 if shipping is required. Send payment to: TAC--PO Box 11304--Tacoma, WA 98444

For credit card payments or additional information contact Marc Blau at mhblau@comcast. net or call 253-677-2872.

Derik Nelson & Family, from Olympia, will sing the National Anthem.

The TAC supports sports and the youth of Pierce County, And the TAC Needs You

If supporting youth and sports in Tacoma-Pierce County is appealing to you, joining the Tacoma Athletic Commission should be a “no-brainer.” No other sports-oriented organization in Pierce County ever has done more for our kids and their sports, and the TAC is currently celebrating 80 years of doing just that.

Over $6 million has been donated to schools, recreation departments, boys and girls clubs, deserving teams and individual athletes during that time thanks to TAC dues and special events staged by Commission members.

Among the fund-raisers or events which the TAC supports or sponsors are this Banquet of Champions, the Shanaman Sports Museum of Tacoma-Pierce County, the Tom Names Salute to Sports and the TAC Athlete of the Year program, the annual Golden Gloves amateur boxing show and the Celebrity Golf Classic.

Tonight’s induction of new members into the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame is another TAC tribute to sports in our community.

If the TAC is destined to continue its efforts of support, it needs the help of civic-minded, sports-minded citizens like you. A TAC individual membership or a TAC Corporate/Business Membership is the ideal way to assist this worthwhile cause.

An application below will enable you to join now. Or you may locate an application form on line at www.tacomaathletic.com.

For information, contact TAC Executive Secretary Karyn Siegrist at 253-759-1124 or via email at karyntac@gmail.com.

The “EXCELLENCE IN OFFICIATING AWARD”

THE “EXCELLENCE IN OFFICIATING AWARD” is presented to collectively honor officials previously recognized for their leadership, dedication and high standard of professionalism displayed on and off the “field of play.” Their efforts are acknowledged for laying a foundation of excellence as officiating pioneers.

Presented annually to a currently active official in Tacoma-Pierce County who has made a significant contribution to the betterment of officiating. Factors used in the selection of this individual include, but are not limited to, the following:

-Respect for the Spirit and the Letter of the “Laws of the Games.”

-Integrity and ethics.

-Exhibits a “service above self” attitude.

-Has a motivating effect on others and/or strong community involvement.

-Excellence in officiating

-Years of service and positions held in Local, State and National Official’s organizations.

-Awards received from these organizations.

-A member in good standing of the Washington Officials Association, if applicable.

Connelly Law Offices EXCELLENCE IN OFFICIATING AWARD

Boys & Girls Basketball—Rick Fox

Rick Fox is rapidly approaching a half century on the hardwood as a basketball official, spanning the careers of countless Washington state playing legends. There’s a decent chance he’s officiated nearly all of them at least once.

Born June 25, 1953, in Tacoma, Fox competed in football, basketball, and track and field at Bellarmine Prep prior to graduating in 1971. From there, he attended Western Washington University.

Fox found his way onto the basketball court as an official just a few years after his time at Western ended, as he joined the Lower Columbia Officials Association in 1979. He joined the WWBOA in 1982 and has been part of it ever since. He’s served on the TBOA Board, earned the WOA Meritorious Service Award, and is a member of the Tacoma Pierce Old-Timers Baseball and Softball Hall of Fame. He’s been recognized by the TBOA as “’a go-to guy.’ If you need help, Rick will not ask where or with who, he just says yes.”

Off the court, Fox also spent 35 years as a high school football coach. He spent 10 years at Lincoln High School from 1986–95, and he coached with Lakes High School from 1996–2020.

Football—Jeff Ausbun

Throwing the ball, catching the ball, or throwing the flags, Jeff Ausbun has always found a fit on the football field. A high school and college playing career gave way to an officiating career that has spanned more than 30 years.

Ausbun quarterbacked the Sumner High School football team and also competed in basketball, baseball, and track before graduating in 1981. As he moved on to Wenatchee Valley College, he shifted to wide receiver, where he earned All-Conference recognition. But in 1989, while serving in the Air Force, he found his future fit on the gridiron as an official.

Ausbun’s Washington state high school officiating career began two years later in the Okanogan area. He joined the WWFOA in Tacoma in 1993 and has since served as WWFOA president twice and served four terms as an executive board member.

On the football field, Ausbun has officiated two state final contests, including serving as the referee for a 4A state final. He’s officiated five semi-final games and has received the WOA Meritorious Service Award, the WWFOA Tom Cross Award, and the WWFOA Mike Burton Award. But not even all of that is enough football for Ausbun, who also officiates flag football, semi-professional, and youth football. Any spare time not spent on the gridiron finds Ausbun enjoying music or the golf course.

Jeff Ausbun and Graham Kapowsin head coach Eric Kurle.

Connelly Law Offices Excellence In Officiating Award (continued)

Softball—Bill Schey

Following a lengthy career as a local sports and business reporter and editor at The News Tribune, Bill Schey found a new home in the game of softball as an umpire and has become one of the best in the region over the past 10 years.

Born January 14, 1943, in Nampa, Idaho, Schey played football, basketball, baseball, and softball in Idaho, Illinois, and Bremerton. He settled into Pierce County with The News Tribune and played 15 seasons of competitive men’s fastpitch softball.

After retiring from his journalism career and spending a summer in Alaska, Schey took up softball umpiring in 2013. He worked school games for Western Washington Umpires Association every spring and fall, along with weekend Junior Olympic select tournaments for ASA and USA Softball.

Schey’s postseason assignments have included state high school tournaments in 2016, 2018, and

2019. Some of his personal highlights include working the 2B title game in 2016 and drawing the plate assignment for the 3A championship game in 2019 in Lacey. He also umpired Western National tournaments for USA Softball in 2014, 2018, and 2021 and has served three years on the board and is a past president of WWUA.

CONNELLY LAW OFFICES EXCELLENCE IN OFFICIATING RECIPIENTS

2021 RECIPIENTS

No recipients due to COVID-19

2020 RECIPIENTS

Baseball Jim Jezek

Boys Basketball Larry Berg

Girls Basketball Ricky Underwood

Football Tyler Olsen

Soccer Ray Moffatte Jr.

Softball Randy Sears

Amy Wertz

Track & Field Joanne Flom

Volleyball Dave Dempski

Wrestling Darrell Spivey Jr.

2019 RECIPIENTS

Boys Basketball Mike Stephenson

Girls Basketball Hiram “BJ” Aea

Football Joe Horn

Soccer Larry Baughman

Softball Scott Buser

Volleyball Peter Thomas

Wrestling Chris Brayton

2018 RECIPIENTS

Boys Basketball Mark Polcyn

Girls Basketball Allen Estes

Fastpitch Softball Graig Bolton

Football Dwayne Johnson

Soccer John O’keefe

Volleyball Debbie Beckwith

Wrestling Ton Maki

2017 RECIPIENTS

Baseball Tom Purchase

Boys Basketball Randy Black

Girls Basketball Alberto Perez

Fastpitch Softball Ken Laase

Football Dan Stivers

Soccer Dana Reinhart

Volleyball John Wohn

Wrestling Glen Kuhn

2016 RECIPIENTS

Baseball Phil Taylor

Boys Basketball Tony Schoeler

Girls Basketball Kevin Walk

Fastpitch Softball Bruce Ledbetter

Football Ron Anderson

Soccer Cy Palmer

Track Cathy Sanderson

Volleyball Lenny Llanos

Wrestling Randy Holberg

2015 RECIPIENTS

Baseball Dave Williams

Boys Basketball Ed Rounds

Girls Basketball Frank Manowski

Fastpitch Softball Ken Cheslik

Football Dennis Mullens

Track and Field Ed Viering

Volleyball Walt Gogan

Wrestling Daryl Eygabroad

2014 RECIPIENTS

Boys Basketball Larry Stevens

Girls Basketball Bill Weatherby

Fastpitch Softball Greg Farias

Football Clarence Leingang

Soccer Joe Tompkins

Volleyball Paul Jensen

Wrestling Hugh Birgenheier

2013 RECIPIENTS

Boys Baseball Rob Ruth

Boys Basketball Mark Stricherz

Girls Basketball Ross Parker

Fastpitch Softball John Everett

Football Rich Salstrom

Lacrosse Keith MacFie

Volleyball Tina Preece

Wrestling Bruce Osborne

2012 RECIPIENTS

Boys Basketball Lee Gregory

Girls Basketball Ron Rosi

Fastpitch Softball Bill Rudd

Football John Dively

Swimming/Track Dick Unrue

Volleyball Teri Wood

Wrestling Eric Davis

2011 RECIPIENTS

Boys Basketball Paul Guetle

Girls Basketball Mandel Scott

Fastpitch Softball Jack Stonestreet

Football Ken Wood

Volleyball Robyn Buck

Wrestling Brian Dunbar

2010 RECIPIENTS

Baseball Ron Shaw

Boys Basketball Steve Wusterbarth

Girls Basketball Wayne Agness

Fastpitch Softball Dick Hassan

Football Terry Keister

Volleyball Earl Powell

Wrestling Terry Beckstead

Connelly Law Offices Excellence In Officiating Award (continued)

Soccer—Pat Muir

Rapidly approaching 30 years on the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) Pierce County officiating circuit, Dennis “Pat” Muir has refereed more than 3,100 games in the area at multiple levels.

Muir is currently the president of Pierce County Soccer Referees Association after serving as vice president since 2018 and serving on the PCSRA Board as a Member At Large for 10 years. He has been a USSF Assignor since 2002, assigning for Pierce County Soccer Referees Association, NorPoint Soccer Club, South Tacoma Soccer Club, and several regional soccer tournaments.

Muir’s officiating career has included refereeing at the high school level (WOA), WSYSA State Cup Playoffs, and WSYSA State Cup Qualifier Games. His influence has gone beyond the pitch, as he has run inter-club programs with coaches and parents regarding refereeing abuse, teaching participants about the refereeing experience firsthand. This is something he’s been doing long before referee abuse/assault was acknowledged or enforced in Washington State.

The PCSRA Board of Directors praised Muir, saying that his “dedication to the sport, as a coach, mentor, and referee, has made a huge positive impact in the game within our county specifically.”

Volleyball—Jerry Aeschlimann

Nearly 45 years of officiating—that’s a lot of time on the volleyball court. During that time, Jerry Aeschlimann has officiated 29 state tournaments. He’s served as R1 for the finals in eight of those tournaments and R2 in another. That’s quite the resume.

Born January 31, 1951, in Salem, Oregon, Aeschlimann was a two-sport athlete and one-sport statistician at South Salem High School. He swam the backstroke, played the four and five on the basketball court, and kept stats for the gymnastics squad prior to graduating in 1969. The following year, Aeschlimann began a 25year volleyball playing career on the club circuit as he joined the USVBA team at University of Oregon. From 1970 until 1995, Aeschlimann played for numerous club teams, including The Evergreen State College, University of Puget Sound, and the Olympia Volleyball Club. A couple highlights of his playing career came in 1981 when his team played and lost in the Evergreen Regional AA Finals, and in both 1984 and 1987 when his teams won the Regional A Finals.

Aeschlimann’s love for the sport of volleyball extended beyond playing and led him to begin officiating in 1978. Since that time—nearly 45 years—he has continually worked as a volleyball official, starting initially with the Thurston County Board and the last 32 years with the TacomaPierce County Volleyball Officials Board at both the collegiate and high school level. He was voted Volleyball Official of the Year in 2004.

Pat Muir keeps a watchful eye on the action.

Looks legal to me.

Connelly Law Offices Excellence In Officiating Award (continued)

Wrestling—Kevin Bauers

If you had told Kevin Bauers in 1997 that he would be recognized 25 years later with an excellence in wrestling officiating award, you probably would have received a laugh or confused look in response.

It was in October of that year that he first heard about a newspaper ad looking for officials. His first thought?

“Why would I want to do that?”

Luckily for Bauers and thousands of coaches and athletes over the last 25 years, he decided to give it a try anyway. Although he’ll openly admit that it was a rough go in the beginning, as he encountered a coach who “feasted on new officials like a wolf on a lamb. The coach had me so confused that I couldn’t even have told you my name without being 100 percent sure.”

That experience gave him a strong dose of humility, and Bauers readily states that he is “still learning on a daily basis.”

Bauers’ learning process has included 10 WIAA regional tournaments, two WIAA state tournaments, six college

men’s regional tournaments, three college women’s regional tournaments, and four college women’s national tournaments. But that’s not all. He’s also officiated 25 Washington USA wrestling state tournaments (for freestyle, Greco, and folkstyle wrestling), 12 USA national dual team tournaments, 16 USA wrestling regional tournaments, 4 Fargo USA high school national tournaments, 14 high school top-10 folkstyle tournaments, and many more.

Born in Leoti, Kansas, on April 19, 1963, Bauers competed in wrestling (he was a two-time state placer), baseball, and football in high school and college and coached junior high wrestling for two years in Kansas. He made his way to Washington in 1994 and returned to the state in 2005 after serving in the military. Excluding his time away from the mat for his military service, Bauers has officiated nearly 20 years, during which he has served to encourage and develop countless others to participate in wrestling as athletes, coaches, and officials.

Kevin Bauers gets in position to make the right call.

First Family of Sports Award

The First Family of Sports Award recognizes the contributions of parents, foster parents or guardians who instill and help maintain athletes’ successes. From the “Hi Mom” TV wave at a sports event to more formal acknowledgement of family interest in and encouragement of sports from generation to generation, athletic achievement, whether in team or individual sports, is fostered by and also can foster family life.

First Family Of Sports Award

The Armstrong Family—Frank, Ivy, Eloise, Dorothy, Bayyinah, Frankie, Davey, Dennis, Al and Beverly

As the baby of eight siblings in a decorated athletics-driven family, Beverly (Jones) was appointed the most scrutinized chore.

Cleaning the family’s homemade trophy case.

The multi-level cabinet was built by one of her older brothers in wood-shop class, and was positioned prominently against the wall in the living room of the family’s Puyallup house.

It filled up quickly—almost overnight.

“I would be the one to dust it every weekend, and it had hundreds of trophies, medals—even boxing gloves,” Beverly said.

“I took my time. It probably took an hour, but it seemed like an eternity because there were so many of them.”

FIRST FAMILY OF SPORTS AWARD RECIPIENTS

2021 No recipients due to COVID-19

2020 The Heinrick Family—John, Irene, Jack, Patricia, Margaret, Dennis and Kathleen

2019 The McPhee Family—Bill, Georgia, Kathy, Diane, Scott, Colleen, Brad, Mark, Maureen, Bryce and Jim

2018 The Barsh Family—Israel, Denise, Joshuael, R-Jay, Isaiah, Caleb, Joseph, Isaac and Josiah

2017 The Beauchene Family—Paul, Janice, Angie, Suzanne, Renee and Lisa

2016 The Mullen Family—Mike, Rosanne, Pat, Molly and Nick

2015 The Carrigan Family—Paul, Jean, Andy, Mike, Casey, Tim and Clancy

2014 The Shelton Family—Al, Shari, Aaron, Aubrey, Ben, Austin, Karina and Kaleb

2013 The Clark Family—Bob, Pat, Jackie, Denise, Robyn, Lori and Michele

2012 The Medved Family—Bob, Shirley, Ron, Judy, John, Susie, Michael, Pat, Tom, Tim, Karen, Kevin, Jim and Jerry

2011 The Tingstad Family—Ed, Darlene, David, Mark and Ed

2010 The Huard Family—Mike, Peggy, Damon, Brock and Luke

2009 The Westering Family—Frosty, Donna, Holly, Sue, Brad, Scott and Stacey

2008 The Hannula Family—Dick, Sylvia, Dan, Dave, Dick and Debby

2007 The Names Family—Scott, Sis, Tom, Clint, and Paula

2006 The Williams Family—Joe, Cleo, Joe, Jerry, Dave, Susan, John, Jordan, and Jennifer.

Growing up in Hilltop and later moving out to Puyallup, it didn’t take the Armstrongs long to find their home away from home—the now-defunct downtown Tacoma Boys Club—where they spent hours and hours after school or during the summer days playing all kinds of sports.

But one sport became king among brothers Frankie, David, Dennis and Alfred — boxing.

The Armstrong Family--Clockwise from the top: Frank, Ivy, Eloise, Dorothy, Bayyinah, Frankie, Davey, Dennis, Al and Beverly.

Frank Armstrong

Ivy Armstrong

The Armstrong Family

First Family Of Sports Award (continued)

“The thing about my parents, they never pressured us to be in sports, or to ever get out of them,” said Alfred, the youngest brother. “And I remember when I was growing up, every house we lived in, we always created a gym or a workout environment.”

That was a mind-set instilled by their father, Frank, a Texas native who entered the U.S Army at age 16, and served in World War II before moving out to Washington.

Left to Right: Frankie, Eloise, Beverly, Dennis, Bayyinah, Davey.

All four Armstrong boys captured titles competing in the 1975 Golden Gloves boxing event� Top row l. to r.: Coach Joe Clough, Frankie Armstrong (47 lbs), Jerry Bennett (156 lbs), James Williams (165 lbs), Jerry Otis (178 lbs), Lee Black (heavyweight) and Freddie Steele (far right). Back row l. to r.: Sid Knight (106 lbs), Leo Randolph (112 lbs), Byron Boyd (119 lbs), Davey Armstrong (125 lbs), Dennis Armstrong (132 lbs) and Al Armstrong (139 lbs). Photo courtesy of the Shanaman Sports Museum of Tacoma-Pierce County

First Family Of Sports Award (continued)

Frank was diligent about his children staying fit and active.

“He was a workaholic, taking on a job at the Atlas Foundry after retiring from the Army, and also cleaning up theaters,” Alfred said. “He taught us about work ethic.”

Mom, Ivy (Boyd), who grew up in Alabama, was a faith-driven member of the Mount Tahoma Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

“She provided for her family and worked hard,” said LaTrisha Armstrong, David’s daughter. “She gave back to the community. She loved having people over for dinner. She loved singing. She learned how to play the guitar in her 70s.”

It seemed wherever the four Armstrong boys went, they found something to punch, whether it was one of the dad’s old stuffed military duffle bags in the garage, or the heavy bag down at the boys club—or even Beverly, in a teasing manner.

And as if sparring with the likes of future boxing greats Sugar Ray Seales, Leo Randolph, Rocky Lockridge, Johnny Bumphus, Dale Grant and Bret Summers under legendary Tacoma Boys Club trainer Joe Clough wasn’t enough—Alfred remembers the moment he and his siblings were signed and sealed to a long amateur career. In the summer of 1964, Muhammed Ali made a visit to the boys club months after knocking out Sonny Liston to become heavyweight champion of the world.

Kids, including all four Armstrong brothers, lined up along the walls of the boys club waiting to meet Ali.

“He came in, dancing and floating around, asking, ‘What’s my name?!?!’ in the ring” Alfred said.

“Then he got out of the ring and went straight to the heavy bag. For us, that was like hitting a wall. But as he was hitting it, the bag began swinging around and suddenly fell off the chain and broke a window nearby.”

Frankie Armstrong

Left to right: Joe Clough, Tacoma Boxing Club coach, Davey Armstrong and Leo Randolph, longtime friend and TBC teammate.

TACOMA BOXING CLUB—1972/73—Standing l. to r.: Joe Clough (coach), David Quinn, Frankie Armstrong (back), Leo Randolph (white t-shirt), Larry Smith, Bryon Boyd, ______Jamison (white tanktop and headband), Davey Armstrong, Rocky Lockridge, Eugene White, and Sam Broadhurst. Middle row l. to r.: _______Randolph, Roger McCane, Robert Boyd, Johnny Bumphus, and ________Monacue. Front row l. to r.: unknown, unknown, ___________Ryan, and Londell Henderson. Courtesy of Shanaman Sports Museum.

First Family Of Sports Award (continued)

Even though all four siblings (known around town as the “Fighting Armstrong Brothers”) went on to win Tacoma Athletic Commission “Golden Gloves” titles (1975), it became clear early that David was the pin-up international boxing star—and the brothers’ ring leader.

“Davey wasn’t the oldest—Frankie was—but he was the one everyone kind of looked up to and leaned on,” said Tacoma Boxing Club director Tom Mustin, also a former U.S. Olympics team coach.

The golden boy won four TAC “Golden Gloves” titles, then went on to win a pair of national Golden Gloves titles (1976, 1978). He was also a four-time national AAU champion (1972, 1975, 1976 and 1979), and won a gold medal at the 1975 PanAmerican Games.

But what David was best known for was becoming the first American boxer in history to make successive U.S. Olympic teams—in 1972 and 1976. He was also in line to make it to three in a row, but the United States boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

“With Davey, he had the strong will and was determined to be the best,” said Randolph, a 1976 Olympic gold-medalist teammate of David. “He was so smooth. He knew how to pick an opponent apart.”

Starting in the 106-pound class and ending at 132, David left the

amateur ranks with a 170–24 record, turned professional in 1980 but retired three years later after not having fought for a world title.

In 2005, while working for the city of Seattle as a surveyor and construction manager, David was inducted into the Tacoma/Pierce County Hall of Fame. He died last year due to complications with dementia.

“Boxing was all around me,” LaTrisha said. “There were trophies everywhere. There were boxing gloves everywhere. But he was a humble guy. He never boasted about his achievements. When he did talk about boxing, it was always a thing of the past.”

Davey Armstrong, 1972 U.S. Olympian (106 lbs).

Coach Joe Clough, Tacoma Boxing Club coach congratulates Davey Armstrong after winning another Golden Gloves title.

Davey Armstrong’s record as an amateur was 197–27 and he finished his professional career with 24 wins and 3 losses.

Frankie Armstrong, Jr.

First Family Of Sports Award (continued)

Each of the brothers had his own style and level of success in amateur boxing.

While Davie was the technician, Dennis—his twin brother—was tall and had a jab-and-move approach. Frankie was a defensive counter-puncher. And Alfred was easily the most aggressive.

“I was more like Mike Tyson,” Alfred said. “I just kept coming.” Even though Frankie collected the most TAC “Golden Gloves” titles (six), it was Alfred who probably was the second-best boxer in the family behind David. He traveled with his more famous older brothers to tournaments across the country, and even defeated future world champion Aaron Pryor at an AAU national tournament in 1974. But when Pryor got the nod over him for the spot on the U.S. team, Alfred quit boxing and began concentrating on other sports at Rogers High School in Puyallup, notably football and wrestling.

In fact, Alfred was the leading rusher at tailback in the South Puget Sound League before going off and playing two seasons at Mount Hood Community College. He later became a competitive bodybuilder, placing fourth in the Mr. North America event in 1987 at middleweight.

“They were high profile and something special,” said Bruce Osborne, Alfred’s wrestling coach

Davey #16, Dennis,#52, Al #63

Al Armstrong

Al Armstrong

Dennis Armstrong

The Fighting Armstrongs: Davey, Frankie and Al—1974 Golden Gloves.

Dennis Armstrong

First Family Of Sports Award (continued)

at Rogers.

All the boys ran track at Rogers. Dennis was an accomplished cross-country runner who later competed at Spokane Falls Community College.

And Beverly was a junior-high drill-team captain in junior high, the record-setting girls’ track team captain at Rogers (100yard dash, relay and long jump) and a volleyball player who never left the floor for the Rams. “When we were doing all of this, I felt like we were just an average family that liked doing sports,” Beverly said. “But now I am in awe. Seeing the way our name has been recognized, I think it is awesome.”

Front row left to right: Bayyinah holding LaTrisha (Davey’s daughter), Ivy, Davey and Eloise. Back row left to right: Tracey Armstrong (Bayyinah’s oldest son) Beverly, Al and Frankie.

Beverly Jones leaps to a first place win at a Rogers high track meet.

Al Armstrong

1978 Rogers High School Volleyball Team. Beverly (Armstrong) Jones fourth from left back row.

A SHOUT-OUT TO OUR LOCAL SPORTS WRITERS

Thanks to these individuals who prepared the biographies about the following honorees in this publication.

GARY BROOKS

Wendy Malich, Blake Surina and Tim Thomsen

Gary Brooks is a contributing writer for the Shanaman Sports Museum. A former reporter for The News Tribune and CBS Sports, Gary is a Certified Financial Planner who owns a registered investment adviser practice.

TJ COTTERILL

Walt Horn and Zyonna Fellows

Cotterill has covered high school sports for more than a decade. He’s a former sportswriter at The Bellingham Herald and The Tacoma News Tribune, where he spent four years as their high school sports coordinator and a year covering the Seattle Mariners. He is the head coach of the Eatonville High School boys basketball team.

NICK DAWSON

Joey Gjertsen and Robi Turley

Nick Dawson is a contributing writer for the Shanaman Sports Museum and is the former Sports Information Director at Pacific Lutheran University for 22 years as well as at Evergreen State College. He enjoys soccer, softball and golf in his spare time.

CRAIG HILL

Eric Simonson

Craig Hill is a contributing writer for the Shanaman Sports Museum and former sports reporter and outdoor writer for The News Tribune.

TODD MILLES

Golfing Gorilla (Tom Tuell) and the Armstrong Family

Todd Milles is a contributing writer for the Shanaman Sports Museum and a former sports reporter for The News Tribune. He is a Senior Editor for Scorebooklive.com.

SHAWN O’NEAL

Debbie Miller, Tyce Nasinec and Sherriden May

Shawn O’Neal is a contributing writer for the Shanaman Sports Museum. A Spanaway Lake High School grad (class of 1991), Shawn works at the University of Idaho and is Senior Editor for Lindy’s College Basketball magazine.

TYLER SCOTT

Jerry Aeschlimann, Jeff Ausbun, Kevin Bauers, Sarna (Renfro)

Becker, Kendall Burks, Hillary Butler, Joe Clark, Rick Fox, Dennis Muir, Bill Schey, Johnny Spevak

Tyler Scott is a contributing writer for the Shanaman Sports Museum. A Puget Sound native and Pacific Lutheran University alumnus, Tyler has worked in several small college sports information offices in Washington and Oregon and also provided freelance high school sports coverage for The News Tribune.

GAIL WOOD

Christy (Kubista) Brandt, Jennifer Kubista and Paige (Wright) Olson Gail Wood is a contributing writer for the Sports Museum. A 1972 Wilson High School grad, he is a former sportswriter for USA Today and the Daily Olympian.

Frosty Westering Excellence In Coaching Award

This award was established to honor a legendary coach, Frosty Westering, and to inspire and recognize those who follow in his footsteps. Frosty emphasized a double-win theme: victory on the scoreboard and the satisfaction of playing to one’s personal potential. He instilled a love of teamwork and competition, and stressed “service above self.” For 40 years his players responded by portraying excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The award is presented to a local coach in recognition of their commitment to excellence and devotion to the personal growth of their players.

Frosty Westering Excellence In Coaching Award

Joe Clark, Lakes High School Boys Cross Country Coach

The longest-serving cross country coach in Lakes High School history, Joe Clark is the recipient of the 2022 Frosty Westering Coaching Excellence Award from the Tacoma Athletic Commission.

Born August 10, 1958, in Enumclaw, Clark graduated from Issaquah High School in 1976. While in the Army, Clark started racing and discovered a passion for cross country and track and field that would prove to be a turning point in his life.

After going back to college at Bellevue Community College in 1985, he turned out for the track team and placed fifth in the steeplechase at the NWAAACC Track Championships. He graduated from University of Washington in 1989 and began his coaching career as an assistant at Mann Junior High from 1992–94.

In 1994, he shifted over to Lakes as the head boys’ cross country coach, a position he has held for almost 30 years. He took over the girls’ team as well in 2000, and he has also been head girls’ track coach since 2004. He owns a 149–47 combined record in cross country league competition, with four district titles and 10 Athletes of the Year—seven boys and three girls. Clark has coached 15 teams in the state cross country meet, plus an additional 20 individual qualifiers. His athletes have reached the podium several times in both cross country and track, including multiple track state champions in both running and field events. His teams have won 13 cross country league championships and one girls’ track league championship, and he has been voted league coach of the year 13 times in cross country and once in track.

Among all those achievements, Clark has also coached 263 Academic All-League honorees. Two of his runners have gone on to compete as professionals—Joe Gray and Izaic Yorks, who was a high school and collegiate All-American. Both competed in multiple Olympic Trials. Clark has also been the president of the Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association for 16 years, and he is the founder of the Fort Steilacoom Invitation, one of the largest cross country meets in the Northwest, and a founding member of the Westside Classic District 3/4 organizing committee.

Joe Clark’s first boys cross country state qualifying team in 1999.

The boys cross country team was crowned the SPSL 3A League champions in 2019 and the girls team finished in second place.

Frosty Westering Excellence In Coaching Award (continued)

Robi Turley, Sumner High School Girls Soccer Coach

On Dec. 18, 2021, Jordan Thompson became the first Sumner High School graduate to be drafted by the Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPSL) when she was selected as the 50th overall pick by the Washington Spirit. A noteworthy accomplishment, you’re thinking, but what does this have to do with the Frosty Westering Excellence in Coach Award. After all, the award is named after Frosty (he was on a first-name basis with pretty much everyone), the National Football Hall of Fame member and long-time head coach who never had a losing record in 32 years at Pacific Lutheran University, and who led the Lutes to four national championships in eight title-game appearances. Frosty was an accomplished coach on the field, but it was his passion for developing character in his players and impacting the community beyond the field that helped make him a legend. Here’s the connection.

Thompson grew up in the area and played her prep soccer at Sumner High School for Robi Turley, another successful coach on the field who has helped to instill personal character and passion for the sport into countless girls who played soccer for the Spartans. Turley is this year’s winner of the Frosty Westering Excellence in Coaching Award.

Robi played at Auburn High School and for national powerhouse FC Royals during her high school years before splitting her collegiate career between the University of Texas-El Paso and the University of Oregon. At Oregon, she was a team captain and a Pac-10 All-Academic selection. A defender, she started every college game in which she played.

She got her career going at Kent Meridian High School, where she coached for two years. She made the move south to Sumner, where she “took a competitive team to a new level,” said her friend and former Sumner girls soccer coach Moe Orcutt.

Robi’s coaching accomplishments speak for themselves. She has been South Puget Sound League Coach of the Year eight times, Washington State Soccer Coaches Association State Coach of the Year two times, Tacoma News Tribune Area Coach of the Year twice, and Sumner Bonney Lake School District Coach of the Year on two occasions. Additionally, she was a finalist for the PCA National Double Goal Award Coach of the Year award. Her career win-loss record is 225–91–32, a .635 winning percentage.

Those are just the awards that she has won or been nominated for. Here is why that list is so long. Her teams have won seven SPSL championships, five West Central District crowns, and two Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association state titles. Not only that, but she has also taken 14 teams to the state playoffs, including 13 in a row.

EXCELLENCE IN COACHING RECIPIENTS

2021 No recipients due to COVID-19

2020 Don Gustafson Girls Golf Life Christian, Joe Waters Boys Soccer Bellarmine Prep

2019 Paul Souza Softball & Volleyball Washington

Patty Ley X-Country Gig Harbor

2018 Sam Ring Boys Track & Field and Girls X-Country Wilson

Chris Gibson Girls Basketball White River

2017 Mark Bender Girls Golf Bellarmine Prep

Mark Lovelady Boys Basketball Life Christian

2016 Kevin Aoki Volleyball Pacific Lutheran

2015 Randy Davis Football Cascade Christian

2014 Gary Wusterbarth Boys Basketball Steilacoom

“I look at Robi as a players’ coach,” Orcutt said. “Her dedication, preparation, going the extra mile for the girls is why they love to play for her. She sets challenging yet attainable expectations for herself, the players and the program.”

And what is true of Robi on the field is also true off it, Orcutt said. “Over the years I have known several of Robi’s players and parents. They always have the highest praise about her coaching and who she is as a person. Robi cares about the players in and out of the season. I have seen her supporting them at other SHS events, fundraisers, and sporting events, often with her dad or children beside her. Robi is more than a coach, she is a role model every day. I am honored to call her friend.”

Many Sumner High student-athletes, under Turley’s guidance, honed their game to the point where they were able to play at the collegiate level, from NCAA Division I all the way to the community college level.

Coach Turley (right) discusses strategy with Jordan Thompson, the best player to come through her program. Thompson was drafted in 2022 by the NWSL’s Washington Spirit.

Frosty Westering Excellence In Coaching Award (continued)

Thompson, mentioned at the outset, is one of Turley’s charges who has gone on to big things. A four-year varsity starter, Thompson was a team captain and a member of the 2013 Sumner High state title team. She played her collegiate soccer at Gonzaga University, where she was also a four-year starter and team captain.

Sarah Carter, a 2013 graduate, set the stage for Thompson as a four-year starter, team captain and member of the 2012 Sumner High School state championship squad. She also preceded Thompson at Gonzaga, where she started four seasons and served as a team captain. Carter has come full circle at Sumner High, where she is now serving as an assistant coach.

Still another Sumner High standout is Alyssa Murray, who graduated in 2015. A four-year starter and a 2013 state champion, Murray played at the University of Wyoming and then semi-professionally for FC Arizona in the National Premier Soccer League.

Former Sumner players Kaylie Rozell and Krista Morford played for head coach Seth Spidahl and the nationally recognized Pacific Lutheran women’s soccer team. Another Sumner grad, Haley Bolen, is currently on the Lutes’ roster.

“The three players that have come out of Sumner and into PLU women’s soccer have been high character, high integrity people,” Spidahl said. “Amazing teammates, hard workers, dedicated, committed. Some of this has to be attributed to their time playing for Robi at Sumner High School.

“Certainly, they had their club soccer careers as well, but the program that Robi has built at Sumner is developing good soccer players and turning out even better people that are more than ready to handle the challenges and adversity of being a college student-athlete.”

Making the award even more special to Robi is the fact that she is good friends with Jordan Moog, Frosty’s granddaughter, with whom she taught at Sumner High School for several years.

“I am humbled to even be considered for the Frosty Westering Excellence in Coaching award,” Coach Turley said. “He was an incredible coach and person that impacted more than just the game of football and the PLU community.”

Sumner was crowned the 2A State Champions in 2012 as they defeated Sehome, 1–0 in the finals, to cap off an unbeaten season.

Doug McArthur Lifetime Achievement Award —

Wendy Malich, District Athletic Director, Franklin Pierce School District

If the résumé and list of career recognition for Wendy Malich stopped at her involvement with athletics in Pierce County, it would be an enviable collection of honors and a remarkable demonstration of dedication to athletes, teaching and leadership.

Doug McArthur Lifetime Achievement Award

The Doug McArthur Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who captures the true passion for athletics. This passion can be demonstrated through participation, promotion and organization.

Athletics brings out the best of us as individuals as well as collectively as a team. It challenges us both physically and mentally. It brings out our best in moments when our best is required. This competitive spirit shows itself in a variety of ways over the course of a lifetime. It is not about winning but about competing. It is about sustainability and perseverance. It is about bringing out the best in yourself and others, through ability, effort and attitude. When one does that, it leaves a legacy, a road map of courage, for others to follow.

This award recognizes all of the above and the Tacoma Athletic Commission is proud to honor this year’s recipient of the Doug McArthur Lifetime Achievement Award.

PAST RECIPIENTS

2021 No recipients due to COVID-19

2020 Brian Kamens & Aaron Pointer

2019 Willie Stewart & Dan Watson

2018 Tom Mustin

2017 Angie Eichholtz

2016 Dick Hannula

2015 Stan Naccarato & Ken Still

2014 Bob Robertson

2013 Joe Stortini

2012 Ruggles Larson

The reach of Malich’s dedication extends far beyond Pierce County, however. Her professional universe is anchored by long-time athletic director duties in the Franklin Pierce School District, but the full orbit of her involvement has been marked by leadership roles at the league, district, and state/WIAA level as well. And she hasn’t let Washington’s border contain her either.

Among athletic administrators, Malich has a national presence. Recently, Malich was awarded one of eleven Bruce D. Whitehead Distinguished Service Awards by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA). This award is granted to professionals across the country in recognition of their length of services, remarkable accomplishments and contributions to athletics at the local, state and national levels. In 2017, she was one of eight high school athletic directors in the country to be awarded a citation at the National Athletic Directors Conference sponsored by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the NIAAA. For the NIAAA, Malich has served as the Washington state awards chair since 2011 and is on the national faculty for its leadership development institute. For over 15 years, she has taught leadership training classes for the NIAAA. She was recognized with the NIAAA State Award of Merit in 2007.

Having grown up with two parents significantly involved at Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor—her dad, Marco, was the long-time baseball coach and a WIAA Hall of Fame inductee and her mom, Sandi, was the PHS office manager—Malich has the genetics of a leader of young people.

After completing her second bachelor’s degree at Western Washington University in 1986, Malich was hired as a teacher at Washington High School in the Franklin Pierce district. She taught biology and math along with coaching track, volleyball and cheer and working with the school’s leadership and student government. She became the Washington High AD in 1994 and continued to coach as well. She was the Pierce County League girls track coach of the year in 1998. In 2004, when she completed the Certified Athletic Administrator program, she became the district-wide AD combining responsibilities for Washington High and Franklin Pierce High.

As an AD, Malich was the league commissioner for many sports over the years and served as the South Puget Sound League president in 2009–10. She created a Franklin Pierce SD district-wide captain’s council and was the sportsmanship facilitator for 16 schools in the SPSL. Since 2000, Malich has been a member of the Washington Secondary Schools Athletic Administrators Association (WSSAAA) Executive Board. She was the organization’s president in 2006–07. She was chair of

Wendy Malich was a four-time state competitor in the long jump while at Peninsula High School. She was also Western Washington University’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1983.

Doug McArthur Lifetime Achievement Award (continued)

the WSSAAA State Conference in 2005–06 and has been a frequent instructor of leadership training courses at the conference.

Between 2000 and 2006, Malich was the Pierce County League AD of the year twice and the Seamount League AD of the year twice. In 2006, she was the West Central District AD of the year and the WSSAAA Washington State Athletic Director of the Year.

Malich is equally involved with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). She is a 16-year member of the Executive Board and was its president in 2015–2016. She received the WIAA’s Gareth Giles Award for leadership and service at the WIAA Representative Assembly in 2019.

Beyond leadership and administration of the events on the field or court, Malich has championed several initiatives to connect student-athletes to community service, locally and as far away as Nicaragua where she led a group constructing a village well.

Given the depth of commitment to school and leadership endeavors makes it more remarkable that Malich also raised four athletically busy kids as a single mom. Malich has also run a small arts and crafts business and beaten breast cancer along the way.

Before building her résumé as an administrator, Malich was an accomplished athlete. From cheerleading to bodybuilding, she was a multi-talented competitor. She was a four-year letter-winner, and four-time state meet participant, in track at Peninsula High before competing at Western Washington University. Malich was a two-time All-American in the 400-meter hurdles. She broke the WWU record in the event and placed 3rd and 4th in two trips to the NAIA national meet. She was also a WWU cheerleader and was named the university’s female athlete of the year in 1983. She spent some time training as a competitive bodybuilder before returning to WWU to complete her Bachelor’s in Education. In 1996, she added a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Puget Sound.

2017 NFHS Citation Recipient

Wendy Malich traveled to Nicaragua with a group of Washington HS and PLU students to dig a well. The two sisters, age 82 and 85, never had running water until a well was dug for them.

Wendy Malich presents award at the WIAA basketball tournament to members of the Federal Way HS cheer staff.

Doug McArthur Lifetime Achievement Award (continued)

Tim Thomsen, District Athletic Director, Sumner School District

Having just recently retired, Tim Thomsen might tell you that it is a bit premature to receive the Doug McArthur Lifetime Achievement Award. He doesn’t need a job title to keep adding to his life’s achievements for many more years.

Most of this award is based on this 30+ years as a high school athletic director. No doubt, he has been among the most involved people there have ever been in the history of Pierce County high school athletics. But there is way more to Thomsen’s life story than coordinating thousands of high school athletes and managing hundreds of league, district, regional and state tournaments.

If you knew Thomsen as a young man, before he spent nearly 40 years with the Sumner School District, you would have thought he was highly accomplished based only on his own athletic resume. Thomsen was a cross country, track and basketball letterman at Curtis High School, graduating in 1975. He was a state meet competitor in the javelin and an All-Seamount League basketball player as a forward. He moved on to Pacific Lutheran University and continued to add basketball honors. He was the PLU team most valuable player in 1977 and captain for the 1978–79 season, leading the Lutes to the Northwest Conference championship.

If you didn’t know anything about Thomsen’s playing days or his athletic director contributions, you would still consider him a lifetime achiever knowing only that he has summitted Mount Rainier four times, run the Sound to Narrows more than a dozen times and cycled the Courage Classic (160+ miles over three days and three Cascade Mountains passes) the past 19 years raising funds for Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. He has also been a long-time member, and past president, of the Sumner Rotary Club. The Rotary motto of Service Above Self is personified by Thomsen.

He became in service to others first as a PLU graduate assistant basketball coach. Then, in his early years at Sumner High he was an assistant for six years and then the head basketball coach for six years. Thomsen also was the head baseball coach at Sumner for 10 years, including trips to the WIAA state playoffs in 1984 and 1985.

Coaching gave way to administration and Thomsen became one of the most relied upon athletic directors in the state. He was the Sumner High School athletic director from 1987 to 1989 and then the school district athletic director, eventually adding Bonney Lake High School to Sumner High School in his district duties, from 1990 through 2021.

Spending most of his nights and weekends during the school year coordinating and supervising events, Thomsen’s list of accolades (beyond the regular athletic director job duties) is extensive. Here’s an abbreviated summary:

•league commissioner for many different sports and seasons

•member of the executive leadership of the West Central District for many years

•state-level WIAA Board Member from 2014 to 2021, including a year as the board president

•15+ years as tournament director for the boys and girls B, 1A and 2A soccer state tournaments and state golf tournament director for several years

•Many other district and state committees

•South Puget Sound League Athletic Director of the Year three times

•West Central District Athletic Director of the Year twice

•State of Washington Athletic Director of the Year (2008–09)

•Washington Secondary Schools Athletic Administrators Association (WSSAAA) Athletic Director Service Award 2003 and 2014

Tim Thomsen readies for a presentation of another newly-crowned state football champion.

A ’75 Curtis grad, Thomsen lettered in track, cross country and basketball before moving crosstown to play the PLU Lutes where, as the team’s MVP, he led them to a Northwest Conference title and was the team’s Most Valuable Player for the 1977 season.

Doug McArthur Lifetime Achievement Award (continued)

•WIAA Gareth Giles Memorial Recognition Award, 2014,

•WCD Meritorious Service Award, 2015

•Sumner-Bonney Lake School District Athletic Wall of Fame, 2021

It all represents an exceptional career of mostly behind-the-scenes work.

“Athletic Directors don’t typically get a lot of recognition. Their job is to serve the needs of others—coaches, administrators, school boards, leagues and other rule-making organizations, officials, fans, parents, and most importantly—student/athletes,” Thomsen said. “While the main responsibility is to organize the events and procedures that allow for smooth operations of the athletic programs they oversee, perhaps the most critical and impactful are the standards they set in regards to positive character, values, and behavior, as reflected by their coaches and athletes. These life lessons surpass the scoreboard in importance and priority. I was very fortunate to be able to serve as an Athletic Director.”

Thomsen’s decades-long demonstration of leadership and character will be hard to replace and wholly deserving of recognition for lifetime achievement, even if he has chapters left to add in retirement.

Gary Wusterbarth pushes the ball down court on a fast break with Tim Thomsen on his heels.

Dick Hannula Amateur Athlete of the Year Award

The Dick Hannula Award is given to the top male and female amateur athletes in or from Tacoma-Pierce County for the past year. Hannula, an internationally-known coach and a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, also led his Wilson boys swim teams to 24 straight state titles, and coached numerous world-class swimmers such as Kaye Hall-Greff, Janet Buchan Elway, Barbara Mitchell, Chuck Richards, Dick, David and Dan Hannula, Miriam Smith, and Sarah Rudolph.

Dick Hannula Amateur Athlete of the Year Award

Kendall Burks, Soccer Stadium High School and University of Washington

The 11th overall pick in January’s 2022 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, Kendall Burks’ soccer career has taken him from the Stadium High School pitch to college stardom and a spot at Soldier Field. Born in Federal Way on Oct. 8, 1999, Burks grew up playing for Washington Premier FC. At Stadium, he was a three-time First Team All-League honoree while also garnering First Team All-Region and Second Team AllAmerica honors. He began his collegiate career at California State University, Bakersfield, where he played every minute as a freshman and made the All-WAC Freshman Team.

After two years in California, Burks returned home to play for University of Washington, where he started 22 matches and helped the Huskies reach the NCAA National Championship in 2021. He has twice earned Second Team All-PAC 12 recognition and one time was named Second Team All-Region. The Chicago Fire FC selected the 6-foot-1-inch defender in January while he was on trial playing for Nottingham Forest in the English Championship. In February, the club signed Burks to a first team contract, and he is now under contract through the 2023 season with club op-

tions for the following two years.

“Kendall is a talented young player who we believe has the tools to compete for playing time in multiple positions during his rookie season,” Chicago Fire FC Sporting Director Georg Hetiz said. “We’re very pleased that he has decided to begin his professional career in Chicago, despite having options to play overseas, and look forward to seeing his continued growth within our environment.”

Burks played two seasons at Cal-State Bakersfield before transferring to the UW.

A 6’1” defender, Burks uses his body to protect the ball.

Kendall takes a shot while practicing with the Chicago Fire.

Dick Hannula Amateur Athlete Of The Year Award (continued)

Zyonna Fellows, Volleyball, Mt. Tahoma High School and University of Arizona

Zyonna Fellows was the first female athlete in Mount Tahoma High School’s history to earn a scholarship to play collegiality at a Pac-12 school, heading from Tacoma to Tucson, Arizona, in 2018 to play volleyball.

Not too bad for a self-proclaimed uncoordinated “baby giraffe.”

And her rise from the South Sound to University of Arizona stardom is what makes Fellows the Dick Hannula Female Amateur Athlete of the Year winner.

Her father, Antowan, hoped the 6-foot-4 Fellows would play basketball. But her ability to play well above the net put the local volleyball scene on instant notice.

She went on to lead the 3A Pierce County League in kills (237) and blocks (110) her senior year, earning a spot on The News Tribune’s All-Area volleyball team in 2017 and league MVP honors. And the Arizona senior middle blocker this past season led the Wildcats in block solos (16), block assists (97) and total blocks (113), finishing near the top of the Pac-12 in each as an experienced middle blocker.

But the highlight of her senior season came at the University of Washington, when she matched her career highs of eight blocks and seven block assists on her birthday in front of all her friends and family in Seattle.

“She’s one of the nicest, most caring, unselfish people that I’ve ever been around,” coach Dave Rubio told the Arizona Daily Star last year. “The nice thing about (Fellows) is that she’s really coming around as a player.”

Fellows recently announced she’d be returning for one more season with the Wildcats as a super senior, being granted an extra year of eligibility because of the 2020–21 season that was impacted by the COVID pandemic. She’s also majoring in social behavior and human understanding.

Her sophomore year was her breakout season. She had appeared in eight matches as a freshman, including three starts after injuries in front of her cleared a path, but in 2019 she started 20 matches, finishing second on the team in blocks (58) and adding 68 kills.

That earned her a more prominent role her junior season in which she led Arizona with 61 blocks and 56 block assists. She also had 102 kills, with a hitting percentage that was second-best on the team. This past season she finished tied for seventh in the Pac-12 in block solos (16), eighth in block assists (97) and ninth in blocks per set (1.05).

“I want to be remembered as that goofy sister that you could always come to if you wanted to smile,” Fellows said in her senior tribute video. I’m always there for people and I’m always willing to give help when needed. So, I just want to be remembered as passionate and goofy.”

But she was at a crossroads after her freshman year at Mount Tahoma. She had been a dualsport athlete, playing volleyball and basketball, but as her passion for volleyball grew, she debated whether to pursue it year-round and join a club volleyball program.

Zyonna Fellows fires up the team with her unbridled enthusiasim.

Dick Hannula Amateur Athlete Of The Year Award (continued)

Her mother, Latanya Jones, played volleyball in high school, which was part of the reasoning for Fellows’ ultimate decision, even though her father had WNBA aspirations for Zyonna.

“As soon as I realized I was good at volleyball, basketball slowly started to go,” Fellows said. “My love for volleyball started to grow a little more and basketball just wasn’t where I wanted it to be.”

She started developing her untapped coordination, too.

“My freshman year (at Mount Tahoma) I was not good at volleyball,” she had told The News Tribune. “As coach says, I was like a baby giraffe.” Now that giraffe is pretty fearsome.

DICK HANNULA AMATEUR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD RECIPIENTS

2021 No recipients due to COVID-19

2020 Morgan Weaver Curtis HS/Washington State University

Malachi Flynn Bellarmie Prep/WSU/San Diego State University

2019 Jamie Lange Sumner HS/ University of Puget Sound

Kaleb McGary Fife HS/University of Washington

2018 Margaux Arnston Annie Wright HS/Claremont McKenna

Michael Gretler Bonney Lake HS/Oregon State

2017 Kate Landau Tri-Valley HS (NY)/Georgetown University

Sefo Liufau Bellarmine Prep/University of Colorado

2016 Jenna Mullen Emerald Ridge HS/Portland State University

Morgan Weaver Curtis HS/Washington State University

Josh Garnett Puyallup HS/Stanford University

2015 DaVonte Lacy Curtis HS/Washington State University

Whitney Conder Puyallup HS/Northern Michigan University

2014 Scott Crichton Foss HS/Oregon State University

Courtney Schwan Bellarmine Prep HS/University of Washington

2013 Andrea Geubelle Curtis HS/University of Kansas

Taylor Meeks Orting HS/Oregon State University

2012 Andrea Geubelle Curtis HS/University of Kansas

Austin Seferian-Jenkins Gig Harbor HS/University of Washington

Kaleb Shelton-Johnson Lincoln HS/University of Puget Sound

2011 Alex Montgomery Lincoln HS/George Tech University

Andrew Putnam Life Christian Academy HS/Pepperdine University

2010 Brie Felnagle Bellarmine Prep HS/University of North Carolina

Isaiah Thomas Curtis HS/ University of Washington

2009 Melanie Roach 2008 Summer Olympic Games

Johnny Spevak Puyallup HS/Central Washington University

2008 Christal Morrison Puyallup HS/University of Washington

Brandon Gibson Rogers HS/ Washington State University

2007 Megan Quann Jendrick Emerald Ridge HS/Pacific Lutheran University

Kellen Harkness Cascade Christian HS/Ohio State University

2006 Christal Morrison Puyallup HS/University of Washington

Joe Rubin Foss HS/Portland State University

2005 Ryan Moore Cascade Christian HS/University of Nevada at Las Vegas

2004 Reggie Williams Lakes HS/University of Washington

2003 Ryan Moore Cascade Christian HS/University of Nevada at Las Vegas

2002 Dana Boyle University of Puget Sound

2001 Chad Johnson Rogers HS/Pacific Lutheran University

2000 Megan Quann Emerald Ridge HS/Pacific Lutheran University

1999 Kirk White Curtis HS/Boise State

1996 Karl Lerum Pacific Lutheran University

1997 Shannon Forslund Mt. Tahoma HS

1996 Dusty Brett Bellarmine Prep HS

1995 Brock Huard Puyallup HS/University of Washington

1994 Marc Weekly Rogers HS/Pacific Lutheran University

1993 Kate Starbird Lakes HS/Stanford University

1992 Sonya Olejar Bellarmine Prep HS/Stanford University

1991 Damon Huard Puyallup HS/University of Washington

1990 Andy Maris White River HS

1989 Sonya Brandt Pacific Lutheran University

1988 Mike Oliphant University of Puget Sound

1987 Jim Martinson Puyallup HS

Fellows finished tied for seventh in the Pac-12 in block solos with 16.

ATHLETIC TRAINER

Walt Horn

When Walt Horn was promoted from the Oakland Athletics’ Double-A affiliate to the Triple-A Tacoma Tigers in 1984, he couldn’t have had much idea of what the next three decades with the organization would bring. Nor of how long his stay in the South Sound might last. But the venerated certified athletic trainer made his home in Tacoma for the next 11 years, working here during MLB offseasons, raising his two children and working out of a physical therapy clinic when he wasn’t called into taking care of Oakland’s top prospects.

Horn joined the major league staff in 2008 before retiring nine years later.

“Walt has been an integral part of our organization for four decades,” A’s executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane said when Horn announced his retirement after the 2016 season. “He has had a positive influence on thousands of ballplayers both on and off the field.

“We thank him for his dedication and commitment to the A’s. He will be truly missed.”

Horn was awarded Pacific Coast League Athletic Trainer of the Year four times while he was with the A’s Triple-A affiliates, including in 1992 with the Tacoma Tigers and in 1996, 2002 and 2004 when he remained on with Oakland’s Edmonton, Vancouver and Sacramento affiliates.

He’s the only certified athletic trainer in baseball to have spent at least 30 years in the minors and still advance to the major leagues, being part of two Triple-A World Series champion teams in 1999 and 2007.

He was born in Ontario, Oregon, before eventually graduating from Fruitland High School in Idaho in 1973, where he played football, basketball, baseball and track and field and earned MVP his senior year playing baseball.

Horn then went to Boise State University, where he got his bachelor’s in athletic training. He began his professional career with the A’s the next year, serving as the club’s Double-A athletic trainer for six years, all in the Eastern League.

“I feel blessed to have had the career that I had in professional baseball,” Horn said.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Tyce Nasinec

Tyce Nasinec wasn’t the type of prep player destined to do his college reveal on ESPN or end up in the McDonald’s All-American game, but he was a dominant high school force at just about everything he did. He still holds several records at Rogers High School and was among the state’s best in both football and basketball for successful Rams teams.

He was going to play something and somewhere in college, it was just a matter of making a decision. Then, mid-way through his senior year that decision—in a manner of speaking—was made for him.

“I was more recruited to play football,” he said. “But I had mostly (then Division I-AA) offers… places like Montana and Eastern (Washington). In basketball, I did not have a ton of interest, mostly local schools like Western (Washington) and Seattle Pacific. Then Central (Washington) came along and saw me at state. I got a real bad concussion playing football my senior year and had to miss the last (part) of the season and so at 6–4 and 175 pounds, me and my family decided I should focus on basketball.”

While he might not have been big for football, he was a good sized guard in basketball… especially at the NAIA level, and Nasinec would spend the next four years becoming one of the

Oakland A’s manager Bob Melvin listens intently as trainer Walt Horn assesses the potential injury to a player hit by a pitch on the hand.

Tyce Nasinec was a Second Team All-West Coast player his junior and senior years.

quintessential leaders and winners in Central Washington University history. The numbers are impressive, especially that these standards exist more than 20 years after his last game for the Wildcats and the steroidal offensive nature of the current game: Seventh all-time in points (1,457), third all-time in 3-pointers made (198), sixth in assists (325) and third in steals (187).

Those numbers are telling, but most revealing is a smaller number: three. It’s how many years he was the Wildcats’ captain, an especially pivotal role for coach Greg Sparling, who was thrown into the head coaching role when Gil Coleman—who took over from the legendary Dean Nicholson—died from complications of cancer in the middle of the 1995 season. Sparling took over and Nasinec was one of his first recruits and a player he built his program around. Nasinec said the first year was tough as Sparling built the infrastructure of the program and he wasn’t sure if it was the right spot for him long-term.

“It was difficult and there was some points in my freshman year where I wasn’t sure, but I was encouraged to stay and I started the last 10 or 11 games of my freshman year,” he said. “I was one of just three guys coming back that next year and so I was captain but I kind of wondered if I deserved it.”

He deserved it.

Competitive toughness was always Nasinec’s signature and that was a useful trait and every team the Wildcats faced had to deal with his all-around game. He was a threat from 3-point range in high school, but was mostly determined to get to the rim or draw contact and get to the free-throw line. In college, the 3-pointer came more into his arsenal and was a big reason the Wildcats were fixtures in the postseason.

“We seemed to overachieve every year,” he said. “We worked hard and we won a lot.”

After that bumpy freshman year, Nasinec and the Wildcats won three straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference titles and Nasinec was a Second Team AllGNAC selection as a sophomore (1997) and a First Teamer as a junior (1998) and senior (1999). The Wildcats made the NAIA Elite Eight in 1997 and 1998 and moved up to Division II in 1999 and went to the national Sweet 16. Nasinec was Second Team All-West Coast as a junior and senior. He stayed on to serve as an assistant coach to Sparling for eight years after graduation and has been coaching back at his high school alma mater in one form or fashion ever since and working in sales for Auburn Dairy.

“I have big love for this school,” Nasinec said of Rogers, where he’s currently coaching jumpers in track. “It’s part of our blood.”

Beyond coaching, Tyce and his wife Gina spend a lot of time at the sporting events of sons Drew, 17, and Will, 14. He said playing and coaching aren’t always the best training to be a dad to two athletes, but he’s figured a few things out along the way.

“I was so competitive that it came out in my coaching and I realized real quick that they had to find their own spirit,” he said. “My job was giving them the tools and opportunities to let them find their own passion.”

Nasinec is seventh all-time in points with 1,457 for the Wildcats.

Tyce helped Central Washington qualify for the national NCAA Division II Sweet 16.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Debbie Miller

Looking back on it now, Debbie Miller recognizes it was all pretty easy. By the time she was a freshman at Wilson, Miller was one of the area’s truly dominant athletes. In the fall of 1989 Miller arrived a ready-made star, earning First Team All-Narrows recognition in soccer, basketball and softball as a freshman, publicly setting the stage for what had already been a fairly remarkable youth sports career. She was a known entity through various club and AAU endeavors, be it FC Royals in soccer or the remarkably successful Washington Cascades in basketball, a program where every player involved ended up on Division I scholarship.

Miller essentially made the Narrows League her playground for four years. She never played a sport where she was not a First Team All-Narrows selection and—after giving up soccer and softball to focus on hoops after her sophomore year—eventually picked up the javelin and set a school mark that still stands today at Silas High, Wilson’s new name. She punctuated her career as a senior in basketball, leading the Narrows in scoring (24 ppg), rebounding (14 rpg) and assists (7 apg) and headed off to Oregon. Her basketball coach, Mike McKay said: “Debbie was one of the most motivated athletes to ever play for me. She could play all five positions on the basketball court and was a good defender at the other end.” These days Miller is a physical education teacher, coach and athletic director at Hilltop Heritage Middle School—formerly Jason Lee—and tries to instill in her students the thing she wished she would have done just a bit better during her school days… the thing she knows coaches and mentors like McKay, Gary Wilson and Blake Surina surely were trying to help her understand.

“It’s kind of ironic… I am probably in the best shape of my life now and I look back on all that I accomplished and I wish I would have learned to have pushed myself more,” she said. “I could have pushed myself just a little bit more and led a little less with fear.”

Being a public school PE teacher post-pandemic, she said, has allowed her to see the strength and toughness the global health crisis has imprinted on her students.

“We’ve seen a lot of growth and courage,” she said. “They are willing to step out and try new things. That has been great for us to see. It’s something we stress and all of the sudden we see kids who are willing to play pickle ball and badminton and not just (the more popular sports). Guess what, we tell them… we are playing ultimate frisbee and it will make you competitive and you can do these things in your life. Our bowlers just won a city championship… and these are kids who would never have thought about bowling.”

Equally, Miller never thought much about a Division II school coming out of her high school career, but ended up having a successful run at Seattle Pacific. She was recruited to Oregon by long-time Ducks’ coach Elwin Heiny, but he was fired after three consecutive non-winning seasons, meaning Miller never played a game for the coach she committed to. In came Jody Runge and, with her, a less free-flowing style than Miller enjoyed. She still did well and had a future with the program, but after the season was one of multiple players to transfer.

She landed at Seattle Pacific University with coach Gordy Presnell and set Division II on fire. One year the Falcons averaged nearly 90 points per game and twice made it at least to the national Sweet 16. Miller didn’t just pile up stats, but endless honors as well and still holds the single game assist record with 15… a remarkable number for such a gifted scorer as Miller ended her three-year run in Brougham Pavilion with more than 1,000 points.

She played professionally briefly in Guatemala and was in training camp with the Seattle Reign just as the American Basketball League folded in 1998. It was the end of her competitive sports career but the start of where she is now.

“Honestly, growing up I guess I was just lucky enough to be pretty good at whatever I did, so I just played to my strengths and never really understood what the next level will be like,” she said. “I think if I would have learned younger to not be afraid to push harder I probably would have went even further. But I am really proud of all I was able to do.”

Miller was a driving force for the Rams, leading the Narrows League her senior year in scoring, rebounds and assists.

Debbie holds the SPU single game assist record with 15.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued) FOOTBALL

Johnny Spevak

A quick glance at the NCAA Division II football receiving record book offers just a glimpse into the prolific collegiate football career of Johnny Spevak. A two-sport star, he helped lead Central Washington University to six postseason football and basketball appearances during his four years at the school.

Born March 5, 1987, in Tacoma, Spevak first established himself on the gridiron and hardwood at Puyallup High School. A quarterback for the Vikings, he shifted from throwing passes to catching them for the Wildcats from 2006–09.

Spevak made an impact from the beginning, as he earned First Team All-GNAC honors all four years at CWU. Meanwhile, his national accolades began during his sophomore campaign when he earned Third Team All-America honors. He reached the National First Team the following year before claiming Honorable Mention as a senior. That season, he capped his career with GNAC and CWU Athlete of the Year recognition.

Spevak’s receiving totals are staggering. Fifth all time in Division II football with 54 receiving touchdowns. Sixth all time with 318 receptions. Seventh all-time with 4,426 receiving yards. All three of those totals stand as CWU and GNAC records, as do his total of eight 100-yard games in a season and five consecutive 100-yard games, while he tied the school and conference record with 20 receiving touchdowns in a single season and set the record for single-season receiving yards per game (120).

Among Spevak’s myriad honors were consecutive First Team All-Region honors (2007–08), Second Team honors (2009), and Third Team honors (2006), along with the Dick Hannula Amateur Athlete of the Year Award and the CWU Accountant of the Year Award.

Beyond all the personal accolades, Spevak helped the Wildcats reach the NCAA Division II Playoffs three times, including a No. 1 ranking in 2009. His teams made the quarterfinals twice. Meanwhile, following the conclusion of the football season Spevak was a four-year starter for the CWU basketball squad. Those Wildcats also made three postseason appearances during his time at the school.

Since graduating from CWU, Spevak has returned to the South Puget Sound region, where he lives in Puyallup with his family and works for Miles Sand & Gravel Company.

Johnny Spevak capped his career with GNAC and CWU Athlete of the Year recognition.

In NCAA D-II football, Spevak ranks fifth all time in receiving TD’s (54) and sixth all-time in receptions (318).

2022 Tribute of Champions

We’re so appreciative you’re on our team! You Rock! www.miles.rocks

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

Hillary Butler

Hillary Butler has maybe the most jaw-dropping sports memorabilia in Tacoma.

There’s his 1997 Super Bowl ring, with a Denver Broncos logo surrounded by a sea of diamonds alongside his Super Bowl jersey and helmet. Then there’s his 1991 National Championship ring from his second year as a linebacker at the University of Washington to go with rings from back-to-back Rose Bowl victories.

Remarkably, Butler is one of two Lakes High School graduates to go from playing for the Lancers to UW to winning a Super Bowl, with former Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse being the other.

But it’s the relationships and memories that Butler says hold far greater value to him than all those rings, jerseys and helmets.

“I owe so much of my success to my coaches, mentors and teammates,” Butler said. “I have learned so much more than just the games played. I have made relationships more than just teammates.”

Butler starred in football, basketball and track and field before graduating from Lakes in 1989, where he played for Dick Zatkovich, with current Lakes coach Dave Miller acting as the offensive coordinator. Before heading to the Huskies, Butler was part of the Lancers’ 4A-title winning 4x400 relay team alongside Myron Wise, Leon Taylor and William Knight in 1988.

That turned into three consecutive Rose Bowl appearances as a linebacker at UW, including on the 1991 national championship team when they routed No. 3 Michigan in the Rose Bowl, 34–14, with Butler frequently spelling the Huskies’ dominant linebacker trio of Chico Fraley, James Clifford and Dave Hoffman. The Huskies were awarded the top spot afterward in the CNN/USA Today coaches poll (in addition to several other publications), while the University of Miami, which won the Orange Bowl, was ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll. Butler’s brother, Aaron, also went on to play at UW.

The Seattle Seahawks then signed Butler as an undrafted free agent in 1994 before being cut and landing briefly with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was later signed to the Broncos’ practice squad for the 1997 Super Bowl season, though he was never activated.

When he was cut by the Broncos in October 1998 he went back to the Seahawks, getting some time on special teams. But he was so endeared by his teammates in Denver that when the Seahawks and Broncos played each other, he collected as many embraces from his former teammates as Terrell Davis did carries.

“I see myself in a couple years being one of the premier, standout special-teams players in the league,” Butler said at the time.

In 2012, Butler was hired as the defensive coordinator at Sehome High School in Bellingham before returning to Lakes in 2015 to reunite with Miller on his staff and help coach his son, Bomani.

“Being an ultimate competitor and appreciating my journey has led me to give back,” Butler said. “I look forward to helping make a positive impact for the next to follow in my footsteps.”

Hillary was a three-sport standout at Lakes—football, basketball and track and field.

Butler played linebacker on the UW’s 1991 national championship team.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

Sherriden May

There were some big-name talents playing South Puget Sound League football in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Guys like Billy Joe Hobert, Damon Huard, Torey Hunter, Singor Mobley and Steve Wolfe.

All went to state powers Curtis or Puyallup and continued their college careers in the Pac-10 at Washington or Washington State.

Then there was Sherriden May—who belongs in any conversation about the era’s greatest players but did it out of the spotlight, first at Spanaway Lake and then in college just eight miles away from Hunter, Mobley and Wolfe. While they were starring at Wazzu, May was putting together one of the greatest careers in the history of the University of Idaho.

“There is no doubt in my mind he is in their class,” said Rob Hill, May’s SLHS teammate and a First Team All-State center in 1990. “Work ethic wise… athleticism wise… if he had not played at Spanaway Lake on teams that went 0–9, 5–4 and 4–5, he would have received a lot more attention.”

The whole thing was fitting for May, who was most known for two things. One was a constant and clear aversion to talking about himself. The other? Scoring touchdowns. The man scored so many touchdowns.

“I never played football for recognition or stats or to be inducted into a hall of fame… I played the game because I enjoyed playing the game.”

He did it with a combination of speed and power reminiscent of Eric Dickerson, even if May was more inclined to personally emulate his football hero, soft spoken Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton, who also did his college business at the Division I-AA level.

“He was one of the most unassuming guys I ever played with. He just put his head down and did the work,” Hill said. “I never heard him brag. Even when he won a state title in (the long jump) it was the quietest state title ever.”

May’s Pierce County legacy might best be summed up by what the Sentinels were before and after he and his teammates suited up at Art Crate Field. The Sentinels went 0–9 in May’s sophomore year, the low point being a 72–0 dump-trucking by Hobert-led Puyallup. The next year the Sentinels stunned that same Puyallup team at Sparks Stadium, announcing the program would no longer be kicked around.

“That was scary,” former Bethel coach Mark Torgerson said. “I remember that very well and thinking, ‘uh oh,’ and now we have to play them, too. They had him and a bunch of other talented guys and a talented, NFL-sized line.”

Coach Bob Loose didn’t spend a long time at SLHS, but his four years produced 11 players who went on to college and he made a school with no football history believe they could win a state championship. “After my first year I called the team together and I said that we had to set goals and that there was only one goal that mattered and that was a state championship and that they had to believe we could do it,” Loose said. “And they believed it.”

After going 5–4 with the win over Puyallup, the Sentinels entered the 1990 season playing with a great deal of swagger. “Lake to State” shirts were everywhere in the halls and the student fanbase was boisterous and travelled well, too. Sentinel football was fun after a long time when that simply wasn’t the case. “At Spanway Lake, there was always a feeling that we were not good enough and that had to change,” Loose said. “Those players bought in, took a lot of pride in their school and what we were doing.”

May was a big part of that, Loose said: “He was well thought of around the school. They could count on him. They could trust him.”

Despite the talent on hand, the Sentinels weren’t fully ready to play with state powers consistently. Games were close, but with college-bound teammates like Albert Jackson (Pacific Lutheran), Daryl Wright (Eastern Washington, UNLV, UPS) and Rob Hill (Boise State, Central Washington) the Sentinels followed that 5–4 year with a disappointing 4–5. That season was as much about the toughness of the South Puget Sound League as anything else. The Sentinels were no longer doormats… but Curtis, Puyallup and Lakes were still plenty tough. A controversial, OT loss at Curtis punctuated that season

As a senior at Spanaway Lake HS, Sherriden scored 20 TD’s and another 62 in his career as a University of Idaho Vandal.

Sherriden played in the NFL—a dream achieved briefly with the New York Jets. Photo courtesy of New York Jets.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

and how hard it was for even a talented team to gain traction in the SPSL. May’s Sentinels never beat the Braves or Torgerson, who coached May at Spanaway Junior High before the job at Bethel opened. When he took the Bethel job, he knew what the rival Sentinels would have waiting for him.

“I knew when he got to high school he was really going to be a star,” Torgerson said. “And then when he went to Idaho I was like, ‘Wow, I coached that kid in junior high… should have got the ball to him more.’ He was always on time and he worked hard and never said much and was just a great kid to have around.” May’s last high school game was a loss to Bethel. The next year Spanaway Lake fell back to 0–9 and Loose moved on as well. Hill and May both cite Loose as a major part of their success, with May citing him as perhaps his greatest career for one big reason: “He believed in me.”

May scored 20 TDs as a senior and had offers from Oregon State, Utah, Boise State and the place with the strange dome and the brash coach who was everything May wasn’t with the sound bites—Idaho and John L. Smith.

“We were a close-knit team and not just the players but the coaches,” May said. “They all had their families around all the time. You can feel that and see that and that was good for me. I knew I just had to keep working. John L. was always great and we had a lot of fun.”

In May’s first camp in Moscow, Smith had steady seniors on offense but needed help on defense, so asked his young star to move to safety. May complied, started the opener and took a pick 98 yards to the house in his first college game. It would be the first of 62 career TDs for wildly successful Idaho squads. He moved back to running back as a sophomore and rewrote nearly every school, season and career mark despite having just three years to do it. He wrapped with 5,320 total yards and three First Team All-Big Sky honors and one First Team All-American award. His 1,894 all-purpose yards in 1993 remain a school record and his 1,634 in 1994 remains third nearly 30 years after he set them. The Vandals made the I-AA playoffs in all four of May’s years.

His last act was his least successful statistically, but was the achievement of a lifelong dream of playing in the NFL. It did not last long—two years and two carries for parts of two seasons with the New York Jets—but he is one of the very few who even get that.

“What I tell people about the NFL,” May said, “is that it’s crazier than politics. It’s about a lot more than how good you are at football.”

May’s now a mortgage broker in Seattle, having mixed in some coaching at Seattle Prep, where his 17-year old twins, Isaiah and Isabel, are starting to approach their college years. Isabel is a rower bound to compete in college and Isaiah a football player who also will likely play at the next level. “The thing I am most excited about is my kids and the journey they are ready to take, “ May said. “I have always tried to be modest when people ask me about (my playing days), but it is cool to be in position where I am recognized. I have never been a big ‘rah-rah’ kind of person. I just loved playing football.”

GOLF

Golfing Gorilla (Tom Tuell)

Matt Tuell lived a pretty normal childhood—until weekends and summers. That is when he sat among the most famous celebrities, sports personalities, politicians and civic leaders in the country—all to see his father perform a golf skit. His father was Tom Tuell, the acclaimed “Golfing Gorilla” from Tacoma. Thousands, ranging from famous people to full-household families, flocked to Tuell’s must-see exhibitions of golfing prowess for nearly two decades, lined with incredible ball-striking skill and an innate ability to entertain—all while wearing a gorilla-in-a-tuxedo suit.

The kicker was Tuell’s long driving: He could routinely send a golf ball into orbit some 350 yards.

“It’s almost like he transformed into a super hero,” his son said.

Tuell died Dec. 6 after a bout with cancer. He was 70.

“The guy had a love for the game of golf,” said four-time Washington Open Invitational winner Todd Erwin, who also played in a couple of U.S. Opens. “It was just a different love than most of us had.”

At 6 feet and 220 pounds, Tuell was a natural athlete. He was a letter winner in football and basketball at Wilson High School, but was best known as one of the school’s top golfers.

“Obviously being ‘The Gorilla,’ he was a great ball-striker,” said Russ Bloom, who was on the Wilson golf team with Tuell, eventually winning a state individual title before later becoming a teaching professional. “Probably his weakest part was from 100 yards and in. But he hit it long. He was pretty impressive.”

Tuell played on the University of Washington men’s freshman golf team in the late 1960s before transferring to the University of Puget Sound. He pursued a PGA Tour career, and played on U.S. mini-tours before a wrist injury derailed his dream.

The San Diego Chicken was the Golfing Gorilla’s inspiration.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

So, he returned home to found the Smiles Unlimited Singing Telegram Company in the mid-1970s, dressing in costume and delivering “Gorilla Grams” all around the Puget Sound area.

A few years into it, one of his stops was a local golf course. Waiting around, Tuell saw a few golf clubs nearby, grabbed them and started pounding golf balls on the driving range.

A couple of awestruck patrons suggested he expand his act to golf.

Just to see if he could elicit a reaction, he immediately drove to Tumwater Valley Golf Club’s driving range and started hitting golf balls with his gorilla outfit on.

“Next thing you knew, there were 50 people around him, watching,” said Bill Smith, a longtime area photographer who worked closely with Tuell.

And for the first time, the “Golfing Gorilla” has come out of the jungle, so to speak.

He tried his act locally—at municipal courses, at a minor-league baseball game at Cheney Stadium (he was a big admirer of the “San Diego Chicken”), and even the debut of the Safeco Classic, the annual LPGA Tour stop at Meridian Valley Country Club in Kent, in 1982.

The next step was trying to find a way to market the brawny mascot beyond the Pacific Northwest— and found that controversy was the best kind of publicity.

After qualifying out of state and regional long-drive contests, Tuell was eligible to compete at the 1982 World Long Drive Championships.

In those days, the world finals were held on-site in conjunction with the PGA Championship (in fact, Seattle’s PGA Tour star Fred Couples was in the field that year)—and that year’s competition was at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Andy Franks won first place that year, and took home the $15,000 cash prize. But it was Tuell who stirred up the media attention after long-drive event officials ruled he could not participate wearing the gorilla mask.

Suddenly, the “Golfing Gorilla” became in high demand by corporations all over the country. Tuell assembled a tight skit team strictly for corporate-event trips: The headliner was always the “Golfing Gorilla” himself, accompanied by a “human” trainer or caddie (which was filled by Johnny Mosich, Tim Templin, Smith and Erwin over the years).

For an appearance fee up to $10,000, the “Golfing Gorilla” usually arrived by helicopter, tossed bananas around to crowds, cracked lots of jokes and, of course, ultimately put his vast range-rat skill set on display by hitting a variety of trick shots and tee-shot bombs.

“He could balance a golf ball on the face of his club, and he could also hit one through a piece of plywood,” Templin said. “It was a good show—half comedy, half skill.”

He also let out a signature yell: A loud, deep “Whoa” roar.

In a busy year, since this was his primary source of income, Tuell would perform 60–70 shows all over the country, and plenty in Japan. He entertained at PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour tournaments quite often, rubbing elbows with the best golfers in the world.

He was a mainstay at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship Tournament at Lake Tahoe. And he was invited to let loose at a variety of NFL-, NBA-, MLB- and Olympics-organized celebrity tournaments.

“We did a lot of red-eye flights to the East Coast just so he could put his kids to bed that night,” Templin said. “We would do our show at the tournament and turn right around to get back on a flight so he could tuck his kids in on time the next night.”

Eventually, as Matt Tuell got older, he traveled to certain events with his dad—and met some of his sports heroes along the way.

“I probably had been to 50 or so of his shows,” Matt said. “The Michael Jordan tournament was in Raleigh every year, and he took me there. Will Clark was my favorite baseball player, and he actually contacted the Giants about performing… and talked his way into their tournament in San Francisco. Detlef Schrempf had him at his tournament. We went to a Super Bowl tournament in Miami.”

But one event really stuck with Tuell’s son—an appearance with the U.S. Olympic “Dream Team” in 1992 at Lake Oswego Country Club in Oregon. One of the funniest parts of the skit was when Tuell asked 7-foot center David Robinson to lay down on the ground with a tee in his mouth so he could smash a golf ball with his driver off of it.

“David looked pretty nervous,” said Matt, who later became a standout basketball player at Stadium High School. “So dad put a tee on a stuffed gorilla to show the crowd how it would go—and he destroyed the stuffed animal on contact.

The Golfing Gorilla hit golf balls from the top of the Tacoma Dome and the Space Needle.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

“He then turned around to David and said, ‘Maybe we should talk about how to replace our divots.’ That was the amazing part of it, his ability to be quick-witted and throw a jab at somebody, but then make that person smile.”

Tuell eventually hosted his own Gorilla Classic tournament, was a regular on local and national talk shows, was hired as a pitch man for commercials, had his own apparel line, wrote a guest column for the local newspaper—and eventually published a ‘Gorilla Books of Records’ book about the best feats accomplished by people wearing a gorilla outfit.

Eventually, by the early 2000s, Tuell’s aching body was giving out after two hip replacement surgeries and other ailments, so he retired—as a happy human and ‘Gorilla.’

“He was a very, very kind gentleman ... who was always concerned about others, and cared a lot about people, especially in the golf community,” Erwin said. “He was an ambassador for golf, in a sense, without being in the trenches.

“He is an icon. He really is. Who else has put on any type of gear and gone out and entertained people like that?

“He made the ‘Gorilla’ something special.”

MOUNTAINEERING

Eric Simonson

Eric Simonson was just 15 the first time he reached Columbia Crest, the 14,411-foot summit of Mount Rainier. It was 1970 and little did he know that the moment was the beginning of a legendary mountaineering career.

He’s climbed the peak at least once every year since. In 1973, he was hired as a guide by Rainier Mountaineering Inc. (RMI), and he’s worked as a professional mountaineer ever since. In 1986 he cofounded Ashford-based International Mountain Guides (IMG) and in ’91 he reached the summit of 29,035-foot Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak.

In 2001, Simonson became the 21st American to successfully climb the highest peak on each continent.

For all of his high-altitude athletic accomplishments, it’s his leadership that made history in the sport.

The little guide service he and his partners founded in ’86, is now the largest western guide service on Everest and one of the most respected in the world. IMG has led more than 570 people to the top of Mount Everest.

“We have done well,” Simonson once told The News Tribune. “I think it’s good organization and a good staff, guides and Sherpas. And we try to take good climbers. We certainly turn people away every year who aren’t ready to go.”

IMG won a 10-year contract to guide on Alaska’s Denali (the highest peak in North America) in 2016 and now leads climbs on each continent’s highest peak.

In 1999 and 2001, Simonson led two famous expeditions on Everest to find the remains of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, who died attempting to become the first to climb Everest in 1924. Simonson co-authored two books on the expeditions: “Ghosts of Everest” (The Mountaineers Books, 1999) and “Detectives on Everest” (2002). The first book was named one of the 20th Century’s 50 best mountaineering books by the American Alpine Club. The 2001 expedition culminated in the highest recorded rescue in mountaineering history. Simonson was born in Illinois in 1955 and moved to Tacoma when he was 2. As a teen, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout and started mountaineering in 1970. He graduated from Charles Wright Academy before attending Tacoma Community College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from Carleton College (Northfield, Minn.). Simonson later earned a master’s degree in geology from the University of Washington. He played for the Rugby clubs at both schools.

Simonson has led more than 100 expeditions around the world and is still a regular on Rainier. His original partners at IMG have retired so he is now the sole owner. With 297 career summits, he will soon enter the rarified air of the 300 Club. Only eight people—all professional mountaineers—have climbed Rainier 300 times.

Eric and the East Face of Everest: It takes a week of trekking to reach the “hidden side” of Everest. This is the massive East (or Kangshung) Face in Tibet which is rarely visited.

Eric Simonson’s first year as a guide on Rainier, 1973, as an 18 year old. He is approaching his 300th ascent of Mt. Rainier.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

Joey Gjertsen

Arguably the most dynamic soccer player to come out of Tacoma, Joey Gjertsen was a shining star in the youth, high school, collegiate and professional ranks before his retirement from the game in 2019.

Playing for then Wilson High School from 1998 through 2001, Gjertsen dominated the Narrows League. During those four seasons he compiled 72 goals and 54 assists while earning All-League honors each year. He was the Narrow League MVP and the All-Area Player of the Year in 2001, and he was twice named to the All-Area team.

In his one season (2001) at Tacoma Community College, Gjertsen was voted as the NWAACC Most Valuable Player after showing his offensive firepower with an incredible 31 goals and 14 assists, a school record. The following season, he helped lead Yavapai College of Arizona to the National Junior College Athletic Association national championship.

A highly sought-after player after his two outstanding junior college seasons, Gjertsen took the field for The Evergreen State College, and his record-setting talent made the difference in the Geoducks’ deepest run ever in postseason play. Gjertsen capped off his senior season in 2004 by taking Cascade Collegiate Conference Player of the Year, Region 1 Player of the Year and All-America Third Team recognition. He also earned All-Tournament honors in helping the Geoducks to the 2004 NAIA national tournament quarterfinal round.

Gjertsen, a midfielder and forward, garnered All-Cascade Collegiate Conference First Team and All-Region 1 recognition in both 2003 and 2004. A 2005 Evergreen State graduate, Gjertsen holds the Geoducks’ men’s soccer single-match records of five goals and 11 points, and he compiled three straight three-goal games. He is also the school record holder with 54 career goals in those two seasons.

Following his collegiate career, Gjertsen played for the Vancouver Whitecaps from 2004–07, where he was named Newcomer of the Year (2005), Fan Favorite (2006), United Soccer League MVP (2006) and AllStar First Team while leading the team to the league title. He led the Whitecaps with 12 goals and seven assists during his MVP season. Playing for the Montreal Impact from 2007–10, including the 2009 USL championship campaign.

Gjertsen concluded his outdoor career with the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer from 2010–12, helping the team take the league’s Supporters Shield with the best regular season record in 2012. He wrapped up an incredible professional career as the captain of the Tacoma Stars indoor team from 2014–19.

Joey Gjertsen, Newcomer of the Year in 2004 with the Vancouver Whitecaps, is seen here in the USL Championship Game in 2006 against Rochester.

Joey on the pitch in 2009 for the Montreal Impact at Stade Saputo.

San Jose Earthquakes versus Portland in 2010 at Providence Park.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

SWIMMING

Paige (Wright) Olson

Paige (Wright) Olson represented the pinnacle of both ends of the description student-athlete. She was a state champion swimmer at Foss High School in the 1980s who earned a scholarship to Northwestern University becoming an Academic All-American and an NCAA All-American in the pool.

Growing up in Tacoma, Olson was a nationally competitive swimmer for Tacoma Swim Club and legendary coach Dick Hannula. “She was the last of the really good swimmers of the Tacoma Swim Club,” Hannula said. “Her time of 2:04 for the freestyle 200 meters was the fastest Tacoma-Pierce County time for that event from the 1950s to today.”

At Foss, she had an exceptional career, breaking several school records. She was high school All-American, a state champion in the 500-yard freestyle and led the Falcons to three state titles. After graduating from Foss in 1986, she took her talent in the pool and the classroom to Northwestern, in Evanston, Illinois.

In 1987, 1988 and 1989, Olson was an Academic All-American each year and her Northwestern 800free relay team earned NCAA All-American status each year, setting the school record. She was a threetime All-Big 10 First Team swimmer.

Olson completed her undergraduate work in philosophy and political science with honors at Northwestern in 1990. Next up was the University of Chicago Law School.

Today, Paige is the chief legal counsel for Walt Disney Studios. A 25-year veteran of Disney, Olson leads the legal affairs team responsible for Disney Studios content encompassing Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures.

The opportunity to work at “the happiest place on earth” was preceded by many happy times with her friends in the pool.

“I am honored to be considered for the Tacoma-Pierce County Hall of Fame,” she said. “My teammates from club, high school and college swimming remain my closest friends and the values learned as an athlete have continued to serve me well in my career journey.”

The Tacoma Swim Club, a United State Swimming club team, competed in local regional and national championship events throughout the United States. The team was comprised of high school and college swimmers who competed in the summer in long-course pools as in the Olympics. Front row l. to r.: unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, Don Higgins, Paige Wright, Michelle Mazza, unknown, Marie Schlumph, unknown and Brent Foreman. Back row l. to r.: Coach Dan Wolfrom, Coach Mile Smithers, Coach Saadi Ghatan, unknown, Dave Higgins, Charlie Eberling, Susan Lenth, Sarah Rudolph, Missy Frost, Ellen Berg, unknown, Jason Hearn, Sean Victor, Brent Bessire and Coach Dick Hannula.

Paige anxiously waits for her turn in the relays at Northwestern.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued) TRACK

Sarna (Renfro) Becker

One state championship would be the highlight of most athletes’ careers. Sarna Renfro Becker won eight state championships in a three-year stretch with Bellarmine Prep High School before going on to earn seven All-America honors at Stanford, along with an NCAA team national championship. Born September 19, 1976, in Seattle, Becker competed in cross country, basketball, and track at Bellarmine High School. She claimed her first WIAA AAA cross country state title in 1992 as a junior and successfully defended her title the following year as a senior. The spring track season saw her claim back-to-back-to-back WIAA titles in the 1600 and 3200 meter races, with her 1600 meter time setting a state record.

Becker’s dominant abilities gave her opportunities to compete worldwide. She placed third at the 1993 Foot Locker National Championships

and competed for the USA Junior Team in Tokyo and at the Junior World Track Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1994.

After graduating from Bellarmine Prep in 1994, Becker attended Stanford University, where she took her athletic performance to another level. Part of the 1996 NCAA Div. I Cross Country Championship team, she was a team captain in 1997 and earned a total of six All-American honors—twice each in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track.

Following her collegiate career, Becker competed

semi-professionally for the Nike Farm Team from 1998–2004, ran the 5k at the USA Track & Field Championships in 2003 and placed 10th at the USA Cross Country Championships in 2004. Becker now lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she is a physician at Mercy Health St. Mary’s.

5k race at the USATF National Track Championships in 2003.

Sarna (Renfro) Becker (#283 on far left) makes her move in the 3k race at the Pac-10 Championships in 1996 UCLA’s Drake Stadium.

800 meter run—Lake Washington Invitational.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

TRACK AND TEAM HANDBALL

Blake Surina

When Blake Surina set the Jason Lee Jr. High record in the mile (4:52) in 1974, it was just the beginning of a decades-long trip through several sports and athletic endeavors that makes him one of the most versatile athletes in Pierce County history.

At Stadium High, he lettered in football, track & field and wrestling, graduating in 1977. At Western Washington University, he played football and became a decathlete, finishing sixth in the 1982 NAIA national championship meet at Charleston, West Virginia with 6,678 points, the WWU record at the time. He’s the only All-American decathlete in WWU history.

This was after a difficult start to his college track and field career that took him to court to earn the right to complete. He had initially been held out of training and competitions because of severe hypertension which was viewed as a health risk. He wasn’t allowed to use the WWU weight room for a time so he lifted vehicles in the parking lot instead. Eventually, he was allowed to compete under medical supervision. After college, he continued to compete in track competitions, primarily in the javelin, but also took up handball, reaching the national championships/Olympic Trials in Team Handball in 1984. He was a national team member in Team Handball, training out of Colorado Springs for a couple of years then the emphasis shifted to volleyball. He became a USVBA All-Star competing at national tournaments until age 44, in 2003.

Surnia’s competitive instincts never strayed far from track & field. He won USATF regional championships and set age-group records in the javelin, discus and shot put in 1993.

Surina has been a Scottish Highland Games Regional champion (setting regional masters records in three of the six events at the 1999 Highland Games). He also set a national record in the stone throw at 43’8½” with a 17.3-pound stone in 2000.

Over time, he recorded top 10 national rankings at the masters level in all weight throwing events. At one point, racewalking captured his interest and he competed in the National Racewalking Championships in 1985.

Since 1987, Surina has owned and managed the Exercise Science Center in Fircrest, improving the fitness and training techniques of members.

Surina’s athletic background is wide-ranging. Incredibly, his personal background covers as much territory. From homelessness and a troubled youth to serving as a twice-elected Fircrest city councilperson, his life experience has experienced extremes. He lived at Tacoma’s St. Ann’s Orphanage after his parents’ divorce led to his mom being admitted to Western State Hospital for a time. Arrested several times for breaking into cars, he made return visits to Tacoma’s juvenile detention facility, Remann Hall. A turning point came when he met Jason Lee Junior High teacher, Gerry Woodard, who hooked Surina with a weight-training program. A new focus on sports helped him deal with recurring difficult life circumstances when his mom suddenly departed for the East Coast leaving him to support himself. Along with the weight room, still in junior high, Surina found himself on the track at the University of Puget Sound training with college runners, gaining the attention of Loggers legend Joe Peyton, who help guide Surina’s life-long track exploits.

After a detour as a Tacoma longshoremen to earn some money, Surina enrolled at Western Washington University and became interested in exercise science. He finished his first Bachelor’s degree at WWU in 1982 majoring in physical education. He added a second in 1985 while working as an assistant track coach at WWU, this time with a secondary education major. He later added a Master’s degree from the University of Puget Sound.

Academically, athletically, as a business owner and a community member, Surina’s diverse life experience has truly made him one of a kind.

Blake finished sixth in the Decathlon in 1982 in the 1992 NAIA national championships.

Surina set an age-group record in the javelin at the 1993 USATF regional championships.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

VOLLEYBALL

Christy (Kubista) Brandt

During her freshman year at Wilson High School, Christine (Kubista) Brandt did something she had never done before. With her mom’s prodding, she turned out for volleyball. By today’s standards, it may have been a late start, but it was in time for her to excel in Tacoma’s Narrows League for the Rams and earn an athletic scholarship to continue playing at Gonzaga University.

The decision to let volleyball lead her journey still leaves her in wonder. “I sometimes have to pinch myself,” Brandt said. “This little white ball (volleyball), it became supernatural and it opened up so many doors for me. I wouldn’t have believed it.” Brandt played at Gonzaga from 1993 to 1996, compiling an impressive list of highlights. Besides helping Gonzaga win, she finished her career there sixth in school history in career total blocks (353) and in kills (1,159). She made All-West Coast Conference honorable mention her junior and senior year. She made the WCC All-Academic team as a senior.

Brandt had an inspiring teammate. Her twin sister Jennifer Kubista also excelled at Wilson and joined Christine on the team at Gonzaga. At Wilson High, the sisters were both All-Narrows League in volleyball, basketball and softball before graduating in 1993. In recognition of their accomplishments, they’ve both been inducted into the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame.

Brandt can see the positive impact playing sports has had on her life. “It just made me a stronger adult,” Brandt said. And today, as the principal at Tacoma’s Hilltop Heritage— the old Jason Lee Junior High—she can see the changing impact sports can have on students.

“The reality is I know how to be a teammate,” she said. “And I know how to support.” Because of the important life lessons learned on the fields and courts, Brandt supports sports at her school. She’s seen the luring impact of sports and how it draws students to school. “What I’ve realized is sometimes sports is why kids come to school,” Brandt said. “It’s not always the language arts, the math and the social studies that brings kids to school. It’s the art, the band, the orchestra. It’s the sports.”

Brandt remembers having two students who were NCAA Division 1 caliber athletes who were reading at a second-grade level. “We quickly started to talk with them about the balance of being a good student-athlete,” Brandt said. “The student has to come before the athlete part.”

And that lure of sports helps the struggling student excel. “There are a lot of things that sports gives you,” Brandt said. “It’s learning you have a good skill and how to put that to work, helping your team win. It’s all real-world skills learned through sports. It’s things like this that helps kids over the hump when they’re really struggling in the classroom.”

Christy (right) finished her career sixth in school history with 353 career total blocks.

Christy (left) and Jennifer (right) were a formidable duo throughout their Wilson HS and Gonzaga playing careers.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

Jennifer Kubista

They’re enjoying another dinner, chatting with their parents about what they did that day at volleyball practice. And then another prod pops up. Another “I did that better than you” comment. And that’s what helped turn Jennifer Kubista into a college volleyball player.

She and her identical twin sister, Christine (Kubista) Brandt, were competitive athletes, good at every sport they played. At Wilson High School they played volleyball, basketball and softball. They earned All-League honors in each sport.

After excelling at Wilson, graduating in 1993, they both accepted scholarships to play volleyball at Gonzaga University in Spokane. It’s one thing to have talent. It’s another thing to have that drive, that want to. And these twin sisters helped motivate that drive, bringing the most out of their talent. Competitively, they pushed each other to excel.

The tall twins both became All-West Coast Conference players at Gonzaga. Now both are being inducted into the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame.

At Gonzaga, Kubista finished fourth in school history in career attacks attempts and overall kills. Her 24 digs in a three-set match are tied for second-most in school history. She earned honorable mention AllWCC in 1995 and Second Team All-WCC in 1996.

Kubista went on to earn a Master’s Degree at the University of Connecticut and then her education Ph.D at Seattle U. After several years working in Tacoma School District administration, Kubista is now a district superintendent in Oregon City, Oregon, helping students grow and develop. She recalls her roots in Tacoma fondly.

“Tacoma made us. I can’t say that enough,” she said. “I wouldn’t be the leader I am if it weren’t for my roots. My family helped me grow that. But being a Tacoma School District kid, just the life lessons I learned going through that. Gonzaga taught me a ton, too. I wouldn’t be sitting where I am as a superintendent if it weren’t for all the people in Tacoma and for my entire family and friends that have been on the journey with us.”

Sports helped change her life and have defined much of how she looks at her role as an educator. “We struggled in middle school. And when we got into high school, athletics changed our trajectory. I think since we went into education it’s how do we help kids find their pathways,” Kubista said. “I think the sport of volleyball opened doors that Christy and I would have never imagined.”

Today, Kubista keeps her volleyball connection alive as an observer of Pac-12 Conference volleyball referees.

Jennifer’s 24 digs in a three-set match are tied for second most in school history.

Jennifer celebrates with teammates after another GU victory.

Sports Hall of Fame Inductees (continued)

WILL THE REAL DOUBLEMINT TWINS PLEASE STAND UP!!

A day in the life of the Volleyball playing and coaching Kubista Twins

Christy (Left) and Jennifer (Right)

Christy (Left) and Jennifer (Right)

In Memorium

Steve Van Wart, (March 5, 1954–March 30, 22), passed away at the age of 68. He attended Hilltop Elementary, Edgemont Jr. High and graduated from Puyallup High School in 1971 where he was an All-American swimmer.

Earning a scholarship to powerhouse Washington, he swam the breast stroke for the Pac-8 champion Husky medley relay team. As a member of the vaunted Tacoma Swim Club under coach Dick Hannula, Steve went to the 1973 National Championship in Louisville, swam on the 400-meter medley relay team that broke the American record, traveled with the U.S. national team that competed in Norway and Wales, and was invited to join the Canadian Olympics team. In 2020, Steve was inducted into the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame.

His athletic story was lifelong. Whether golfing, skiing, cycling, hiking or pitching BP to his kids, Steve was gung-ho. He was a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, winning national age-group championships in 2006, 2007 and a world federation title in 2008. For years, he competed in Iron Man events, then joined the triathlon circuit (swim/bike/run). He ultimately qualified in Florida for a spot on the U.S. Triathlon Team, then finished seventh in his age-group at the 2019 World Triathlon Grand Finale in Lake Geneva, Switzerland, with some 4,000 athletes and 60 countries.

To many, he was simply the Wart Man, an always playful but seriously super-hero mix of successful businessman, talented international athlete, go-to buddy and dedicated father and husband.

Steve died suddenly from a massive stroke caused by a blood clot to his brain. He is survived by his wife Martha, sons Zack and Jake, and sisters Rosemarie and Anne-Marie.

Jim Van Beek—Jim Van Beek came out of Franklin Pierce High School and went down the road to Pacific Lutheran College, where he joined with an outstanding group of players to create a legend.

Van Been was one of the “Big Three” stars (along with Chuck Curtis and Roger Iverson) during the glory years of PLC men’s basketball. During Van Beek’s career, the Lutes won 37 straight games against Evergreen Conference rivals and represented District I at the NAIA national tournament four straight years. Van Beek was a three-time All-EvCo pick and a 1959 NAIA All-Tournament selection. In the 1959 championship game loss to Tennessee State, Van Beek led the Lutes with a team-high 24 points. To this day, he remains on the top 20 scoring list at the NAIA national tournament.

He was PLC’s leading field goal percentage shooter and averaged 12.7 points per contest during the 1956–57 season. Van Beek averaged a career-best 16.8 points per game as a senior and finished his four seasons at Pacific Lutheran with 1,207 points, averaging 11.1 per contest.

Jim is a member of the Pacific Lutheran Athletic Hall of Fame. He was also a key member of the two-time National NABA Championship Plywood Tacoma team that was recently inducted into the 2020 Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame.

Jim was also inducted, individually into the TPC Sports HOF in 2005.

L. to R.: Jim Van Beek, Roger Iverson and Chuck Curtis.

Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame By Sport Inductees

Total through 2022: 604 individuals, 14 teams and 2 organizations

ARCHERY Harry

ATHLETIC

Sister City Cultural Baseball Exchange (1987–2009) 2009

Team includes Tony Anderson, Tak Ikeda, and Joe Kosai

Gary Moore 2010

Bob Christofferson 2016 (Groundskeeper)

Joe Keller 2016

Tony Barron 2019

Rick Barnhart (coach) 2020

Bill Murphy 2020

Scott Nielsen 2020

BASKETBALL

Marv Harshman 1958 Basketball/Football

AUTO

BMX

BASEBALL

Team includes Stan Naccarato, Morley Brotman, Doug McArthur, Tom Montgomery, Jack Johnson, Dale Bloom, Mike Dillon, Manly Mitchell, Max Braman, Dick Montgomery, Dick Schlosstein, Russ Wilkerson, Gordy Hersey, Jim Gallwas, Bob Maguinez, Earl Hyder, Ron Storaasli, Gordy Grubert, Pat Dillon, Ray Spalding, Monte Geiger, George Grant, and Jim Harney.

Frank Wilson 1958

John Kennedy (coach/official) 1962

Bill Vinson (coach) 1969 Basketball/Football

Vince Hanson 1971

Max Mika 1971 Basketball/Football

Harry Werbisky 1971 Basketball/Baseball/ Football

Don Moseid (player/coach) 2005

Clint Names 2005 Basketball/Golf

Bruce Alexander (player/official) 2005

Ron Billings (player/coach) 2005 Basketball/Football

Chuck Curtis 2005

Rod Gibbs 2005

Evalyn (Goldberg) Schultz 2005 Basketball/Volleyball/ Fastpitch Softball

Dan Inveen 2005 Basketball/ Administrator/FB/BB Official

Roger Iverson 2005

Gene Lundgaard (player/coach) 2005

Steve Matzen 2005

Harry McLaughlin 2005

Dean Nicholson (coach) 2005

Bob Sprague 2005

Vince Strojan 2005

Jim Van Beek 2005

Tom Whalen 2005

Charlie Williams 2005

Don Zech (coach) 2005

University of Puget Sound

Men’s 1976 NCAA DII

2007

John Pregenzer 2007

Pete Sabutis 2007

Bill Hobert 2008

Dave Minnitti 2008 Player/Umpire

Frank Morrone 2008 Player/Umpire

Cliff Schiesz 2008

Craig Parks-Hilden 2009

Jim Nettles 2009

Baseball Tacoma, Inc (1972–1991) 2009

Team includes Stan Naccarato (General Manager), Robert Alessandro, Tom Baker, Dr. James Billingsley, Mike Block, Harold Brotman, Morley Brotman, Francis Browne, Bill Cammarano, Sr., Ray Carlson, Brad Cheney, Warren Chinn, Larry Ghilarducci, Doug Gonyea, Norma Honeysett, Clay Huntington, Dr. Robert Johnson, Bob Kelly, Frank Manley, Carl Miraldi, Gus Paine, Frank Pupo, Frank Ruffo, Jim Topping, Mike Tucci, Sr., Walt Wiklund, Alden Woodworth, John Xitco, and E.J. “Jim Zarelli

National Champions 2005

Team includes Don Zech, Mike Acres, Jim Schuldt, Doug McArthur, Brant Gibler, Rick Walker, Curt Peterson, Tim Evans, Rocky Botts, Mark Wells, A.T. Brown, Mike Hanson, Phil Hiam, Jimmy Stewart, Mike Strand, Matt McCully, Mike Kuntz, Steve Freimuth, and Bill Greenheck

Hall of Fame Inductees by Sport (continued)

Clover Park HS Girls 1982

State High School Champions 2007

Team includes Rhonda Chachere, Michelle (Clark) Jones, Becky (Davis) Buchanan, Mary Ann Johnson, Alison Lotspeich, Netra McGrew, Donya Monroe, Fifi Robidoux, Ruth (Rufener) Allen, Kathleen Schumock, Darlene Seeman, Kathy (Taylor) Shelby, Karen (Turner) Lee, Jim Angelel (head coach), and Joel Parker (assistant coach)

Jim Clifton (player/coach) 2008

Steve Anstett (player/coach) 2008

Bob Angeline 2009

Alan Kollar 2009

Mike Mullen (coach) 2009

Kate Starbird 2009

1970–71 Puyallup HS

Boys Basketball State AAA Championship Team (23–1) 2009

Team includes Rich Hammermaster (head coach), Jim Clifton (assistant coach), Dave Normile (assistant coach), Jerry DeLaurenti (scorekeeper), Merv Borden, Dave Crouch, Randy Dorn, Steve Gervais, Rick Gienger, Bruce Graham, Ron Kitts, Tom Krage, Paul Krippaehne, Lanny Lewis, Dan Picha, Jamie Reno, John Trageser, Doug Weese, Managers Fred Angelo, Paul Baker, and Tom Drury

Curtis Allen 2010

Casey Calvary 2010

Kay (Koppleman) Peterson 2010

Robyn (Clark) Sharp 2010

Marvin S. “Tom” Tommervik, Jr. 2010

1971 Curtis HS Boys

Basketball Class AA State Champions Team (24–0): 2010

Team includes Gerald Redburg (head coach), Mike Mullen (assistant coach), Arne Handeland (assistant coach), Jim Ball, Tim Beard, Mike Berger, Tom Hargadon, Tim O’Connell, Cliff Peterson, Brian Roark, Tom Shoemaker, Gary Smith, Pat Swesey, Mark Wells, Paul Zurfluh, Dave Berger (mgr), and Ray Mahnkey (Athletic Director)

Kim (Butler) West 2016

Bob Ross (coach) 2016

Mark Wells 2016

Jim Black (coach) 2019

Jennifer Gray Reiter 2019

Tim Kelly (coach) 2019

Bob Niehl (player/coach) 2019

David Adams 2020

Dave Harshman (coach) 2020

Brendon Merritt 2020

Tatum (Morris) Brown 2020

Mary Ann (Stoican) O’Dell 2020

Kate Rue 2020

Jerry Williams (player/coach) 2020

Plywood Tacoma National NABA

Champions (1971 & 1973) 2020

Teams includes Mark Anderson, Steve Anstett, Jay Bond, Curt Gammell, Mike Dahl, George Grant, Jim Harney, Steve Hawes, George Irvine, Mike Jordan, Charles Lowery, Lynn Nance, Darron Nelson (player/coach), Clint Names, Tom Names, Lee Sinnes, Dan Steward, Keith Swagerty, Tom Tommervik, Jim Van Beek, Ted Werner, Dave Wortman, Gary Wortman and sponsor Dick Burrows

BOWLING

FENCING Harald

FIGURE

FOOTBALL

Marv Tommervik (player/official) 1958 Football/Baseball

John Heinrick (coach) 1959 Football/Basketball

Cliff Olson (coach) 1959 Basketball/ Administrator

Joe Salatino 1959 Football/Baseball

Leo Artoe 1961

Phil Sarboe (coach) 1962

Frank Gillihan (player/official) 1963

Don Paul 1963 Football/Baseball/ Basketball

Al Ruffo 1964

Ernie Tanner 1964 Football/Baseball/Track

Myron “Chief” Carr (coach) 1965 Football/Track

Chuck Horjes 1969

Carl Sparks (coach) 1969

Mike Tucci Sr. (coach) 1969

Dug Dyckman 1971

Harold “Ox” Hansen 1971

Al Hopkins (coach) 1971

Wes Hudson 1971

Everett Jensen 1971

Vern Pedersen 1972 Football/Swimming

Roy Sandberg (coach) 1972

Frank Spear 1972

John Anderson (coach) 2005

Gerry Austin (coach) 2005

Sam Baker 2005

Ralph Bauman 2005

Frank “Buster” Brouillet 2005 Football/Basketball

Dick Brown 2005 Football/Basketball

Ole Brunstad 2005

Luther Carr 2005 Football/Baseball/Track

Andy Carrigan 2005

Don D’Andrea 2005

Ed Fallon (coach) 2005

Fred Forsberg 2005

Doug Funk (coach) 2005

John Garnero 2005 Football/Track/Basketball

Tommy Gilmer 2005 Football/Track

Vince Goldsmith 2005 Football/Track

Billy Joe Hobert 2005 Football/Baseball

Ray Horton 2005

Mike Huard (coach) 2005

Glenn Huffman 2005 Football/Basketball/ Baseball

Norm Iverson 2005

Jim Jones 2005 Football/Track

Eldon Kyllo 2005

Bob Levinson (coach) 2005 Football/Track

Norm Mayer (coach) 2005

Tommy Mazza 2005

Ron Medved 2005

Bob Mitchell 2005

Don Moore 2005

George Nordi (coach) 2005

Carl Opolsky 2005

Joe Peyton 2005 Football/Basketball/Track

Earl Platt 2005 Football/Basketball /Baseball

Ahmad Rashad 2005 Football/Basketball/Track

Jerry Redmond (coach) 2005

2005

Al & Iria Beeler 2007 Administrator/Judge

Kathy Casey (coach) 2007

Scott Davis 2008

Mark Ross (player/coach) 2005

Bob Ryan (coach) 2005

Fred Swendsen 2005 Football/Track

Gene Walters 2005

Clyde Werner 2005 Football/Track

Frosty Westering (coach) 2005

Hall of Fame Inductees by Sport (continued)

Dave Williams 2005 Football/Track

Warren Wood 2005

John Zamberlin 2005

1944 Lincoln backfield 2005

Backfield includes Al Malanca, Dean Mellor, Len Kalapus, and Bob McGuire

Gail Bruce 2006

Phil Carter 2006

Rod Giske 2006

Robert Iverson Sr. 2006

Tim McDonough 2006

Tom Merritt 2006

Jack Newhart 2006

Jerry Thacker 2006

Billy Sewell 2006

Paul Skansi 2006

Jim Vest 2006 Football/Track

Art Viafore 2006

Jerry Williams 2006

1980 PLU Football Team 2006

Team includes Mike Agostini, Tom Amos, Eric Anderson, John Bley, Paul Berghuis, Ken Bush, Eric Carlson, Jeff Chandler, Scott Davis, Todd Davis, Dean DeMulling, Eric Dooley, Mike Durrett, Travis Eckert, Guy Ellison, Jim Erickson, Donn Falconer, Greg Farley, John Feldmann, Jay Freisheim, Chris Fritsch, Don Gale, Don Garoutte, Jay Halle, Dan Harkins, Rob Haskin, Dale Holland, Phil Jerde, Joel Johnson, Scott Kessler, Steve Kirk, Dave Knight, Mark Lester, Tim Lusk, Dennis McDonough, Scott McKay, Chris Miller, Eric Monson, Neal Otto, Martin Parkhurst, Mike Peterson, Dave Reep, Brian Rockey, Curt Rodin, Glen Rohr, Greg Rohr, Jeff Rohr, Rocky Ruddy, Jeff Shumake,Kevin Skogen, Rob Speer, Barry Spomer, Dave Turner, Chris Utt, Rich Vjranes, Tim Wahl, Tom Wahl, Kirk Walker, Jeff Walton, Garth Warren, Mark Warren, Mike Warsinske, Chris Weber, Scott Westering, Mike Westmiller, Craig Wright, Frosty Westering (head coach), Paul Hoseth (coach), Mark Clinton (coach), Larry Green (coach), Steve Kienberger (coach), Reid Katzung (coach), and Gary Nicholson (trainer)

Mike Baldassin 2007

Pat Hoonan (coach) 2007

Mike Levenseller 2007

Roy McKasson 2007

Ed Niehl (coach) 2007

Brock Huard 2008

Duane Lowell 2008

Bill McGovern 2008

David Svendsen 2008

Ed Bemis (administrator) 2009

Harry Bird (coach) 2009

Gregg Friberg 2009

Billy Parker 2009

Paul Walroff (coach) 2009

Jack Walters 2009

Paul Hoseth (coach/administrator) 2010

Dave Kinkela 2010

Steve Ridgway 2010

Jack Sonntag (coach) 2010

Joe Williams 2010

Damon Huard 2016

Jon Kitna 2016

Bob Lucey (coach) 2016

Lawyer Milloy 2016

Marcus Trufant 2016

Dick Zatkovich (coach) 2016

Singor Mobley 2019

Don Clegg (coach) 2020

Dane Looker 2020

1979 & 1980 MT. TAHOMA HS STATE CHAMPION TEAMS 2020

Team includes George Nordi (Head Coach), Morrie Boughton (Coach), Don Leebrick (Coach), Dan Gurash (Coach), Mike Deutsch (Coach), Ken Baker, Brian Barabe, Fred Baxter, Quinn Baxter, Garland Bearden, Steve Blomgren, Mike Bolte, Anthony Broughton, David Cabrera, Robert Callaghan, Mike Carrington, Ted Carter, Ivan Castillo, Curt Chojnowski, John Cole, Fred Cooper, Charles Dalton, Jeff Daschofsky, Earl Davis, Todd deCarteret, Ron Eckert, Dan Flannery, John Fuhrman, Bob Gibson, Brad Gobel, Ralph Gomez, Todd Goodson, Ken Gosteli, Louis Green, Ken Hanks, Maurice Hanks, Darell Harper, Joel Harper, Kevin Harper, Dan Hart, John Hayward, Dave Helzes, Frank Hobbs, Chris Horn, Steve Hoye, Brian Humphrey, Todd Hunter, Rod Jackson, Jody Jacobsen, Alonzo Jennings, John Johnson, Rich Lamonica, Rob Leonard, Todd Lundey, Vic Melton, Craig Meyer, Don Moore, John Moore, Ramon Moore, Larry Murphy, Robert Murphy, Dan Nelson, Scott Nordi, Alain Patton, Doug Parish, Dirk Pettitt, Todd Pressey, Arnie Richard, Robert Ross, Brian Rychner, Curtis Sanders, Dave Seago, Mike Sonnier, Ken Spencer, Angelo Suarez, Malcom Sorrell, Mike Vindivich, Lacy Walker, David White, James Whitford, Mike Young and Ray Richards (Trainer)

Hillary Butler 2022

Sherriden May 2022

Johnny Spevak 2022

GOLF

Charles Congdon 1960

Charles D. Hunter 1960

Shirley (McDonald) Fopp 1962 Golf/Skiing

Jack Walters 1963

Shirley Baty 2005

Ockie Eliason 2005

John Harbottle 2005

Pat Lesser-Harbottle 2005

Joan (Allard) Mahon 2005

Marjorie (Jeffries) Shanaman 2005

Ken Still 2005

Ruth (Canale) Ward 2005

Amy Lou (Murray) Young 2005

Al Feldman 2006

Bob Johnson 2007

Doug Campbell 2008

Brian Mogg 2008

Joan Teats (administrator) 2008

John “Jeff” Harbottle III 2016

John Rudy (club pro) 2020

Golfing Gorilla (Tom Tuell) 2022

GYMNASTICS

Roni (Barrios)Mejia 2005

Yumi Mordre 2005

Onnie (Willis) Rogers 2005

Tiffani (White) Rowland 2007

Catherine (Williams) Kadera 2008

Lindsey Lauderdale 2009

Elli (Maulding) McDaniel 2010

Hali (Saucier) Riechers 2016

Brad Loan (coach) 2020

HANDBALL

Gordy Pfeifer 2005 Handball/Slowpitch Softball

Lea McMillan 2008

HIKING/MOUNTAINEERING

Fay Fuller 2020

Bronka Sundstrom 2020

HOCKEY

Neil Andrews 2005

Joey Johns 2005 Hockey/Fastpitch Softball

Dick Milford 2005 Hockey/Fastpitch Softball

Louie Weir (player/administrator) 2008

HORSE RACING

Harry Deegan 1969

HUNTING

Marcus Nalley 1963

HYDROPLANE RACING

George Henley 2005

Armand Yapachino 2005

KARATE

Steve Curran 2019

MOTORCYCLE RACING

Don McLeod 2005 Motorcycle Racing/ Auto Racing/Roller Skating

Bob Malley 2007

MOUNTAINEERING

Lute Jerstad 2005 Mountaineering /Basketball

Lou Whittaker 2006

Dee Molenaar 2006

Eric Simonson 2022

OFFICIALS

Marty Erdahl 2006 Basketball

Merle Hagbo 2006 Football

Jerry Snarski 2006 Basketball

Chuck Gilmer 2007 Football

Wayne Gardner 2007 Volleyball

Ray Highsmith 2007 Football

Dave Kerrone 2007 Baseball/Football/ Fastpitch/Slowpitch

Aaron Pointer 2008 Football/Baseball

Ed Stricherz 2008 FootballBasketball

Bruce Osborne 2010 Wrestling

Jan Wolcott 2010 Football/Basketball

Kirk Dornan 2016 Football

Walt Gogan 2016 Volleyball

Ken Laase 2016 Softball

Jay Stricherz 2016 Football

Terry Beckstead 2020 (Wrestling)

Buddy Horton 2020 (Football)

Dan Spriestersbach 2020 (Football)

PHOTOGRAPHER

Bruce Kellman 2016

Bruce Larson 2019

RACQUETBALL

Sid Williams 2007

RIFLERY

Morgan (Hicks) Wallizer 2020

Hall of Fame Inductees by Sport (continued)

ROLLER SKATING

Lanny (Adams) Werner 2005

Tom Peterson 2006

Lin Peterson 2006

SAILING

Govnor Teats 2008

SNOW BOARDING

Liz Daley 2019

SNOW SKIING

Gretchen Kunigk-Fraser 1957

Joe LaPorte 2007

Marshall Perrow 2008

Rich Nelson 2020

SOAP BOX DERBY

David Krussow 2007

Greg Schumacher 2007

John West 2008

SOCCER

John Best (coach/administrator) 2005

Jeff Durgan 2005

Dori Kovanen 2005

Mark Peterson 2005

Jeff Stock 2005

Dan Swain (coach) 2006

Brent Goulet 2007

Frank Hall (coach/administrator) 2007

Colleen Hacker (coach) 2007

Danny Vaughn 2010

Joe Waters (player/coach) 2016

Tara Bilanski (player/coach) 2020

Brian vanBloomestein (coach) 2020

Gretchen (Gegg) Zigante (player/coach) 2020

Joey Gjertsen 2022

SOFTBALL (Fastpitch & Slowpitch)

Lloyd Blanusa 2005 Fastpitch

Vern From 2005 Fastpitch

George Karpach 2005 Fastpitch

Louise Mazzuca 2005 Fastpitch

Jack Hermsen 2006 Fastpitch

Art Lewis 2006 Fastpitch

Vern Martineau 2006 Fastpitch

Kathy Hemion 2006 Slowpitch/Basketball/ Volleyball

Betty (Hart) Bland 2007 Fastpitch

Jay Beach 2007 Fastpitch

Gene Thayer 2008 Fastpitch

Dick Yohn 2008 Fastpitch

John Rockway 2009 Fastpitch Player/Softball Administrator

Joyce (Jones) Wolf 2009 Fastpitch player/ Slowpitch coach

Bob Young 2009 Slowpitch

Bob Frankosky 2010 Fastpitch

Joe Kilby 2010 Slowpitch

Earl Mahnkey 2010 Fastpitch

Steve Orfanos (administrator) 2010 Fastpitch/Slowpitch

1965–71 Players Tavern/Heidelberg

Slowpitch Softball Team 2016

Team includes Ken Alban, Doug Armstrong, Dave Bishop, Jerry Brodigan, Ed Burmester, Dick Dahlstrom, Jerry Ehnat, Jerry Foss, Bob Grant, Bill Hain, Bob Hause, Bill Herbert, Ken Laase, Jim Lane, Wayne Lange, Denny Larsen, Don Leaf, Don Kitchen, Marco Malich, Don Martelli, Terry Martin, Ron Moseson, Butch Pasquale, Gordy Pfeifer, Mike Prentice (batboy), Bud Reed, Al Reil, Bill Royne, Dick Samlaska, Steve Sand, Ron Schmidtke, Ken Schulz, Scott Schulz (batboy), Bob Sonneman Sr., Tom Sonneman, Jerry Thacker, Terry Trowbridge, Ted Whitney, Bob Young, Mike Zenk and Dick Zierman

Todd Cooley 2020 Slowpitch

Steve Shackett (coach) 2020 Slowpitch

Cleon Tungsvik (player/coach) 2020 Fastpitch

SPEED SKATING

KC Boutiette 2016

SPORTS MEDICINE

Dr. Sam Adams 2010

Dr. Bob Johnson 2010

SWIMMING

Don Duncan (coach) 2005

Janet (Buchan) Elway 2005

Kaye Hall-Greff 2005

Dave Hannula 2005

Dick Hannula Sr. (coach) 2005

Bob Jackson 2005 Swimming/Football

Chuck Richards 2005 Swimming/ Pentathlon

Miriam (Smith) Greenwood 2005

Dick Hannula, Jr. 2006

Dan Hannula 2006

Dan Seelye 2006

Mike Stauffer 2007

Sarah (Rudolph) Cole 2007

Dan Wolfrom (coach) 2007

Susan (Lenth) Moffet 2008

Rod Stewart 2008

Mark Smith 2008

Robb Powers 2008

Dana (Powers) Hubbard 2008

1970 Wilson HS Boys Swimming

State Championship Team 2008

Team includes Dick Hannula (Head coach), Jim Boettcher (Diving Coach and Assistant Swim Coach), Dave Asahara, Dave Burkey, Tom Dickson, Jeff Edwards, Jim Gagliardi, Dan Hannula, Dave Hannula, Brent Heisler, Gary Holmquist, Mark Hoffman, Randy Hume, Chuck Johnston, Kevin Kambak, Kurt Knipher, Scot Knowles, Dennis Larsen, Steve Lindeman, Bob Music, Bart Rohrs, Herb Schairbaum, Greg Searles, Brandon Smith, Kelly Smith, Dale Sowell, Bob Tonellato, Rick Unrue, Dave Williams, Hans Wold, and Dave Wright

Debbie Gratias Williams 2009

Kathryn “K.C.” (Cline) Lemon 2010

Evan Martinec 2010

Jamie Reid 2010

Jim Baurichter (coach) 2016

Megan (Quann) Jendrick 2016

Dennis Larsen 2019

Chris Myhre (coach) 2020

Roxanne (Carlton) Raubacher 2020

Bert O. Thomas 2020

Steve Van Wart 2020

Paige (Wright) Olson 2022

TEAM HANDBALL

Blake Surina (See Track) 2022

TENNIS

Wally Scott 1959

Mike Benson (coach) 2005

Don Flye 2005

Pat Galbraith 2005

Dave Trageser 2005

Sonja Olejar 2006

Marilyn Kropf Appel 2009

1938 Stadium tennis team 2009

Team includes Darrell “Righty” Eden, Donald “Lefty” Eden, Bill Guyles, Dick Meyer, and Bill Taylor

Steve Finnigan 2016

Vern Ball (player/coach) 2020

TRACK & FIELD

Herman Brix 1961 Shot Put

Gertrude Wilhelmsen 1971 Javelin, Discus

Doris (Severtson) Brown Heritage 2005

Running

Casey Carrigan 2005 Pole Vault

Jim Daulley (coach) 2005

Sterling Harshman 2005 Track/Football

Dana LeDuc 2005 Shot Put

Mark Smith 2005 Discus

Chuck Soper 2005 Javelin/Discus

Dan Watson (coach) 2005

Mac Wilkins 2005 Shot Put, Discus

Robert A. “RAB” Young 2005 Race Walking

Mitch Angelel (coach) 2006

Hal Berndt 2006

Bob Ehrenheim (coach)

Ericka Harris

Sam Ring

Jim Angelel (coach)

Donna Dennis

Keith Tinner 2007 Curt Corvin 2008

Michelle (Finnvik) Biden 2008

Warren Logan (coach) 2008

Jim Martinson 2008

Aaron Williams 2008

Burt Wells (coach) 2008

Joline Staeheli Andrzejewski 2009

Cecilia (Ley) Hankinson 2009

Brian Mittelstaedt 2009

Joel Braggs 2010

Jakki Davis 2010

Patty Ley 2010

Darold Talley 2010

Wes Smylie 2010

Sarah (Burns) Hannula 2016

Richard “Dick” Keniston 2016

Calvin Kennon 2016

Mark Salzman (player/coach) 2016

Pat Tyson 2019

Joel Wingard (coach) 2019

Brie Felnagle 2020

Terry Rice (coach) 2020

Tom Sinclair 2020 Javelin

Sarna (Renfro) Becker 2022

Blake Surina (see Team Handball) 2022

Hall of Fame Inductees by Sport (continued)

VOLLEYBALL

Laurie (Wetzel) Hayward 2005 Volleyball/Basketball

Sarah (Silvernail) Elliott 2005

Cindy (Pitzinger) Willey 2005

Lisa Beauchene 2006

Lorrie Post Hodge 2006

Karen Goff-Downs 2007

Carla (Reyes) Redhair 2007

Suzanne Vick 2008

1996 Bethel HS Class AAA

State Champions Team (34–0) 2010

Team includes John Reopelle (head coach), Monica (Lee) Aikins (assistant coach), Christine Nelson (assistant coach), Michelle Barlow, Dori (Bartusch) Shick, Corinn (Breon) Gallegos, Jorden (Gienger) Whittington, Rachelle (Gienger) Downie, Holly (Hobbs) Repp, Joanna Johnson, Jennifer Ladwig, Valerie (Lee) Jackson, Heather (Mayo) Sloan, Malissa Reed, Donja (Walker) Asonte, Vera Wright (scorekeeper), Tynne Swick (manager), and Jim Ball (Athletic Director)

Jan Kirk (coach)

Stevie Mussie

Christal (Morrison) Engle

Christy (Kubista) Brandt

WATER POLO Jerry Hartley (coach)

WRESTLING

SPORTS

NOTE: Officiating can be a great part-time job for high school and college students as many assignments are in the afternoon. With proper training, you can officiate two afternoons a week and earn $100. Don’t wait—call us now!!

MEDIA (TEAM TNT 1987–2000) 2020

1987–2000 Tacoma News Tribune Sports Staff: Mike Bainter, Dave Boling, Don Borst, Joe Breeze, Corey Brock, Gary Brooks, Russ Carmack, John Clayton, Patricia (Greenleaf) Clayton, Bob Condotta, Glenn Crevier, Doug Drowley, Ursula (Muecke) Fagerstrom, Roy Gallop Jr. , Greg Gibson, Peter Haley, Greg Harris, Craig Hill, Chuck Hufford, Frank Hughes, Mike Kahn , Dean Koepfler, Robert Kuwada, Larry LaRue, John Lawrence, Arnold Lytle, Casey Madison, John McGrath, Rodney McKissic, Paul Miller, Todd Milles, Bob Mottram, Ron Newberry, Scott Oberstaller, Bob Payne, Dale Phelps, John Piekarski, Paul Ramsdell, Bill Reader, Mike Sando, Bill Schey, John Scott, Gordy Sholtys, Teresa Smith, Sheldon Spencer, Jim Trotter, Rob Tucker, Pete Wevurski, Eric Williams, Lui Kit Wong, Bart Wright and Victor Yoshida

ADMINISTRATORS

Bob Hager 1969

Harold “Wah” Keller 1969

Tom Cross 2005 Athletic Admin./ Basketball/BB & FB Official

Doug McArthur 2005 Athletic Administrator/ Baseball (coach)

Stan Naccarato 2005 Athletic Administrator/ Baseball (player)

Dr. Dave Olson 2005

Milt Woodard 2005 Athletic Administrator/ Sportswriter

Jim Kittilsby 2008

Karl Benson 2020 (College Athletics)

John Bodenhamer 2020 (Golf)

Frank Colarusso 2020 (Baseball/Hockey)

Robin Hamilton 2020 (College Athletics/Coach)

Hello Sports Fans I

Thanks for joining us for this evenings inductions into the Tacoma/Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame. Don't miss your chance to bid on a selection of unique sports items and some gourmet wine baskets too!

The Silent Auction will run during the Dessert Social with bidding starting at 5:30 PM and ending at 6:30 PM. All proceeds go to the Sports Museum.

Here is a sample of some items that will be auctioned off!

VERY RARE. Framed photos of Babe Ruth during his appearance in Tacoma in 1924 while on a barnstorming tour with New York Yankees teammate Bob Meusel. This game was played in Stadium Bowl. Photo was taken by Sal Bichsel. The images and original negatives have remained in the family since 1924 and are rarely made available for public purchase. Courtesy of Bichsel family and ARTCO Frames in Tacoma.

Minimum Bid $750.

Hey Mariner Fans! Here is your chance to take a swing at bidding on this rare, Limited Edition (1261 of 2001) bat facsimile signed by the entire Mariner squad that played during the 2001 season. Stated

Value $50.00

Minimum Bid $150.00

Minimum Bid $75.00

Autographed baseball signed by Joe DiMaggio. Joe was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.

Autographed baseball signed by Ron Santo. Ron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012.

OLD SCHOOL SPORTS PROGRAMS NOW AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING FLIP BOOK PROJECT DISPLAYS COMPLETE CONTENT OF PROGRAMS

The Shanaman Sports Museum currently has over 1400 sports programs in its collection spanning multiple sports. This includes auto racing, baseball, basketball, boxing, figure skating, figure skating, football, golf, hockey, fastpitch and slowpitch softball, soccer, swimming, track and field, volleyball, wrestling and much more for high school, collegiate, semi-professional and professional sports played throughout Tacoma and Pierce County. The goal of the Old School Sports Program Flipbook Project is to make the contents of every page in each program accessible to the public.

The content in programs often include a history of the event, the location, team rosters, biographical profiles of athletes and coaches, results of past events, awards, photographs and in some instances information about the host institution and the event sponsors. It is not unusual for individuals working on their genealogy to contact the museum staff to find out when a family member might have participated in a certain sport. This project is a valuable research tool for the public to enjoy.

If you have old sports programs hidden in boxes in the attic, garage or scrapbook please consider donating them to Shanaman Sports Museum for the public’s enjoyment. Financial contributions are also appreciated in helping this labor-intensive effort continue to evolve as more programs are donated to the collection. Contact Marc Blau at 253-677-2872 or mhblau@comcast.net