Frederick, MD (PRWEB) January 08, 2014
The 38th annual YMCA of Frederick County Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held Saturday, February 1st, 2014 at 6:00 pm. Six new inductees will be recognized:
Robert T. “Rob” Ambrose
Rob was born and raised in Frederick County, where he achieved success playing football at Middletown High School. He went on to play at Towson University, graduating in 1993. After completing his playing days at Towson, Rob began his college football coaching career as the Tigers wide receiver coach. By 1997 he was the Offensive Coordinator at Towson, and later, from 2005 to 2009, held the same position at the University of Connecticut. The 2007 Husky team was Big East co-champions. Rob returned to his alma mater as head football coach in 2010, and his Tigers team was CAA Conference champions in 2011 and 2012. In 2011 he received the Eddie Robinson Award, presented to the Football Championship Subdivision National Coach of the Year.
Outstanding Coach – Top Recruiter – Champion
Robert Gary Bofinger
Robert was the captain of his high school soccer team at Woodrow High School in Levittown, Pennsylvania, and played college soccer at Penn State Abington and Penn State Harrisburg. Locally, he was a member of both the Frederick and Walkersville Soccer Clubs and was a USSF Referee and a youth soccer coach in Frederick County. But it is in the sport of canoeing/kayaking that Robert achieved national recognition. He first started racing while in high school and later was a seven-time member of the National Wildwater Team that competed internationally. He was National Champion in 1983, 2002, and 2004 in C-1 and C-2 Wildwater. He competed in the C-2 Slalom at the 1996 and 2004 Olympic Trials.
Canoe/Kayak National Champion – Soccer Official – Soccer Coach
Tina Leatherman Jones
Tina was an outstanding sprinter for the Frederick Track and Field Club, the Governor Thomas Johnson High School team, and at Penn State University, where she received a four-year track scholarship. She set the meet record for the 220-yard dash at the first Maryland State High School Girls’ Championships held in 1972. While competing for Penn State, she set numerous meet and stadium records in the 100-yard dash, the 440 and 880 relays, and in the long jump. In 1974 and 1975 she was named the Nittany Lions’ Outstanding Woman Track Athlete. She competed internationally in 1974 in the USA vs. Canada meet and in 1975 in the USA vs. Bermuda meet.
Outstanding Sprinter – Record Setter – Pioneer
Vernon Myers
Vernon, once labelled as “Thurmont’s Mr. Baseball,” was largely responsible for the growth of youth baseball and softball in the Thurmont community. He was president of the Thurmont Little League for 26 years, and under his leadership the program grew from four teams to 26 teams, with more than 400 participants. During his tenure, the number of playing fields in the league increased from one field to five. He was instrumental in the development of Thurmont’s Community Park and Eyler Park. Vernon also was largely responsible for starting the Little League Softball program for the girls in the area. His philosophy was “do what is best for the kids.”
Leader – Organizer – Youth Advocate
John Shade
John got his start in swimming at age eight with the Monocacy Aquatic Club. By the end of his high school years at Walkersville High, he had won 7 of 8 individual county championships and was undefeated in the 50 Freestyle. Earning a four-year swimming scholarship to La Salle University, he medaled in all of the Metro Atlantic Conference and National Catholic Championships in which he competed. He swam on conference record-setting relays and was named to the All-Conference Academic Swimming Team. In 1986, he was recognized by Swimming World Magazine as the sixteenth fastest 50-meter swimmer in the USA. As a teen, he set numerous Maryland state age group records.
Record Setting Swimmer – County Champion – Successful Coach
Charles “Chuck” Wills
Pick-up games of baseball, football, and basketball in the back yard with his three brothers played a key role in the early developmental years of Lewistown native Chuck Wills. He participated successfully in Little League baseball, junior high school basketball, and high school football at Governor Thomas Johnson High School, but it was in track and field that Chuck truly excelled. After winning his first Maryland state championship in the high hurdles as a Patriot sophomore, he went on to win four more state titles and set Maryland records in the 50-yard high hurdles and the 180-yard low hurdles. Although blessed with exceptional speed, it was his technique and work ethic that later earned him a full scholarship to Notre Dame, where he lettered three years.
Talented – Hard Working – Champion
About the Y
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,700 Ys engage 21 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. http://www.frederickymca.org