Menlo-Atherton High School Athletics Induction Ceremony
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Menlo-Atherton High School Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony November 5, 2016 The 2016 Menlo-Atherton High School Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees Cheryl Nicholson Baker, Class of 2000, Softball Kerry & Howie Dallmar, 2001-2004, Athletic Boosters Fred Decker, Class of 1973, Soccer Jan Margo Henne, Class of 1965, Swimming Saana Rapakko Hunt, Class of 2004, Golf T.C. Ostrander, Class of 2003, Football Edwin Pech, Class of 2007, Wrestling Pamela L. Wimberly, 1968-2012, Coach – Girls Varsity Basketball 1961 Boys Water Polo Team 1960 Boys Track Team 1990-1991 Girls Basketball Team Menlo-Atherton High School Athletic Hall of Fame Mission Statement The Menlo-Atherton High School Athletic Hall of Fame’s mission is to recognize those athletes, coaches, teams, and community service individuals who, through their dedication, contributed immeasurably to Menlo-Atherton High School athletics. Each nominee must have made a significant achievement in his or her sport at the high school, college, professional, or amateur level. Individuals nominated as coaches must have exhibited sportsmanship, leadership, and integrity. A team may be nominated that has achieved an outstanding record in league play, and recognized as a high place winner in post season competition. Individuals nominated for a community service award must have demonstrated leadership and promoted sports at Menlo- Atherton High School. It is not our intent or mission through the order of induction to determine the best athlete or athletes in a particular sport, and the year of induction is also not an indication of an athlete’s value as a player or person. Criteria for Selection to the Hall of Fame 1. An individual must be five (5) years out of high school prior to his/her being inducted into the Menlo-Atherton High School Athletic Hall of Fame. The Community Service Award is excluded from this requirement. 2. A Community Service Award induction may be presented to an individual who has demonstrated, over an extended period of time, the promotion of athletics at Menlo- Atherton High School. 3. Each nominee must have made a significant achievement in his/her sport. This may take place at the high school, college, professional, or amateur levels. 4. Individuals nominated as coaches must have exhibited sportsmanship, leadership, and integrity. 5. An athletic team that competed for Menlo-Atherton High School may be honored by the Hall of Fame for its outstanding performance. Program I. Honoree Entrance II. Welcome Address Steven Kryger, Athletic Director III. Dinner IV. State of the Athletic Department Paul Snow, Athletic Director V. Presentation of Inductees VI. Closing Remarks Simone Rick-Kennel, Principal A huge thank you goes out to the M-A Hall of Fame Committee for their time and dedication to making this special event a reality. Additional thanks goes to the M-A Athletic Boosters for their continued efforts to fund our athletics program and their help with tonight’s event and to skilled photographer, Betsy Snow, for capturing tonight’s event. M-A Hall of Fame Committee Bob Beckstrom – Class of 1960, Hall of Fame 2016 Pam Wimberly – M-A teacher, former Athletic Director, Girls Basketball Coach 1968-2012, and Hall of Fame 2016 Paul Snow – M-A teacher, current Athletic Director, and Girls Soccer Coach 2005-Present Steven Kryger – M-A teacher, current Athletic Director, and Lacrosse Coach 2008-Present Karl Losekoot – M-A teacher and administrator, 1999-Present Rick Longyear – M-A teacher 1982-Present, former Swim & Water Polo Coach Jim MacKenzie – Class of 1963, M-A teacher 1982-2007, and Hall of Fame 1994 & 2016 Plato Yanicks – M-A teacher, Cross Country and Track Coach 1965-1994, and Hall of Fame 2014 Tod Spieker – Class of 1967, and Hall of Fame 1995 2016 Menlo-Atherton High School Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees Cheryl Nicholson Baker Softball Class of 2000 Cheryl Nicholson earned All-Peninsula Athletic League honors all four years playing varsity softball. A three time All-League 1st Team selection at shortstop, Cheryl also was the team MVP her junior and senior seasons. Known for her rifle arm at short and power at the plate, Cheryl helped build Menlo-Atherton’s softball team into a respectable program. Upon graduation, Cheryl was the school’s record holder for highest slugging percentage, on-base percentage, triples and RBIs. She was selected to the 1st Team All-Central Coast Section softball team and earned a full scholarship to play softball for Saint Martin’s University in Washington. Kerry & Howie Dallmar Athletic Boosters 2001-2004 Kerry and Howie Dallmar were the driving force behind the resurrection of the Menlo-Atherton Athletic Boosters after the organization had gone dormant for many years. Howie, an M-A alumnus and Athletic Hall of Fame inductee for basketball, and wife Kerry rallied the M-A community to get involved in M-A Athletics, were responsible for the Boosters gaining 501(c)(3) status, and significantly increased financial support for M-A athletic teams. By organizing mixers and getting local companies to participate in various fund raising events, the Boosters were successful in getting Menlo- Atherton’s athletic program back on track. After their children Molly (Class of 2007) and Christopher (Class of 2005) graduated, the Dallmar’s groundwork continues to thrive and has made the Boosters the solid organization it is to this day. Fred Decker Soccer Class of 1973 Fred Decker was the starting varsity goalkeeper on the 1972 and 1973 South Peninsula Athletic League championship soccer teams. Decker was an All-League selection both his junior and senior years and was named the league MVP his senior year. Upon graduation, Decker attended UCLA and earned a starting position as a freshman walk-on. UCLA was the 1974 Conference champion and won the Western Regional bracket earning a berth in the Final Four, losing the final in double overtime, sudden death to St. Louis University. Decker was named the tournament defensive MVP and was named honorable mention All-Conference his freshman year. Decker was named to the All- Conference team his sophomore year, as UCLA again advanced to the Final Four. After his sophomore year at UCLA, Decker signed with the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League, playing professionally for one season. After his playing career, Decker has been active coaching and refereeing in both Northern and Southern California. Jan Margo Henne Swimming Class of 1965 Jan Henne is one of the most decorated swimmers in Menlo-Atherton history. In Jan’s era, there were no organized high school athletics for females so all female athletes competed for local club teams. Jan swam for the Palo Alto Swim Club for seven years and then the Santa Clara Swim Club beginning in 1968. At the Santa Clara Swim Club she swam with fellow M-A Hall of Fame members Greg Buckingham and Dick Roth. After graduating from M-A, she continued swimming for Santa Clara where she qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team. At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Jan won gold medals in the 100 meter freestyle and 400 meter relay, silver in the 200 meter freestyle, and bronze in the 200 meter individual medley. In the 400 meter relay, her team set a new Olympic record of 4:02.5 in the event final. After the 1968 Olympics, Jan attended Arizona State University where she was a member of the Sun Devils’ AIAW national championship teams in 1969, 1970 and 1971, and won individual AIAW national championships in the 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard freestyle and 4x100-yard freestyle relay in 1970. She was inducted into Arizona State University’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1976, the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1979, and the San Mateo County Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. Saana Rapakko Hunt Golf Class of 2003 Saana Rapakko Hunt was a four-year letter winner in golf and two-year letter winner in swimming. Her freshman year (1999) was the first year M-A had a girls golf team. Finding enough girls to play was a challenge at times, resulting in M-A finishing last in the Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) during Saana’s junior year. However, during her senior year, Saana led the team to not only a first-place finish in the PAL Championship but also a first-place finish in the Central Coast Section (CCS) Championship. The Bears were undefeated in PAL conference play that season (12-0). Individually Saana finished in 1st place at the PAL Championship and in 4th place at the CCS Championship. Saana was MVP of the team during both her junior and senior seasons. Saana was recruited to play golf at a number of colleges but chose to walk on to the Stanford team. She owes a huge portion of her college success to her incredible swing coach and mentor Dan Schwabe. Saana played under Stanford coach Caroline O’Connor at Stanford for four years, capping off her senior season as co-captain of the team. Highlights of her time at Stanford included shooting her career-low round of 72 on her 21st birthday at the Vanderbilt tournament, earning Pac-10 All-Academic Team honors in 2006-07 and 2007-08, and earning Academic All-American honors in 2007-08. In addition to her collegiate career, Saana finished as runner-up at the California Women’s Championship in 2006 and was among a handful of players from California who qualified to play in the 2005 USGA Public Links Amateur Championship T.C. Ostrander Football Class of 2003 T. C. Ostrander was a quarterback on the M-A football team from 1999-2003. In his final season he led the Bears to their first CCS Football Championship in school history completing 67% of his 288 passes for 3,059 yards, 44 touchdowns, and only 7 interceptions in 12 games.