GAINESVILLE — Gainesville High School athletic director Adam Lindsey announced this week that, starting in 2019, the Gainesville City School System will begin honoring both individual and team athletic achievements, along with long-standing traditions, by introducing a Gainesville Athletics Hall of Fame, and inducting an inaugural class.
The designed intention of the Gainesville Athletics Hall of Fame is to further accentuate the outstanding contributions of the many gifted and dedicated athletes and teams not just from Gainesville High, but also the former E.E. Butler and Fair Street high schools, while aiding in the support and constant growth of athletics in the City of Gainesville.
Nominations to the Gainesville Athletics Hall of Fame must be submitted in writing and received by January 1. A standard form established by the Hall of Fame Committee will be used in all nominations and can be found at www.gainesvilleredelephantathletics.com. Nominations are now being accepted.
Any former student who participated in at least one year of varsity competition, and graduated from a Gainesville City high school no fewer than 10 years ago, is eligible to be selected into the Hall of Fame. All athletes considered must have made significant contributions while representing their school in varsity competition.
A second category will allow for the election of an individual who has given outstanding service to athletics in Gainesville. A third category will be for individual teams that have achieved and performed at the highest level of competition.
Each inductee class with be comprised of one team, an athlete that graduated in the last 10-25 years, an athlete that graduated in the last 26-50 years, an athlete that graduated in the last 50 or more years, and an athletic supporter (i.e. coaching staff or administrative staff, media member, supporters or sponsors, volunteers, etc.).
The inaugural class, however, will include eight inductees (two from each category listed above except for team and athletic supporter), with five members being inducted in each class that follows. Each inductee’s likeness will be immortalized on a plaque permanently displayed at Gainesville High School. Further efforts will be made to include additional memorabilia belonging to the members of the Hall of Fame.
A committee comprised of eight members will govern the Hall of Fame and be responsible for the selection of inductees. The Gainesville City School System Superintendent, Athletic Director, and Gainesville Athletic Club President will be permanent fixtures on the Hall of Fame committee, with the other five members serving three-year terms. The first committee includes: GCSS Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Williams, GHS Athletic Director Adam Lindsey, GAC President Kris Nordholz, GHS faculty representatives Wayne Vickery and Katie B. Davis, GHS alumni appointees Jerome Yarborough and Wesley Martin, and GHS coaching staff member Kendall Gruhn.
For more information on the Gainesville Athletics Hall of Fame, including by-laws, log on to the Gainesville City School’s athletic website: www.gainesvilleredelephantathletics.com.
