Ashe County Sports Hall of Fame now seeking Nominations

By Joel Frady

Know anyone who has made a large contribution to sports in Ashe County, or someone from Ashe County? If

so, The Jeffersons Rotary Club has recently opened up the nominations process for their second annual Ashe County Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony that will be held on Saturday, April 25, at Ashe County High School.

Vicky Moody, president of the Rotary club, said "the idea was to recognize sportsmen in all areas who had been in Ashe County," noting that it does not just apply to "ball sports" like baseball, football, basketball or soccer. It can also include anyone who has excelled in other competitive sports like hunting, game fishing or racing. They are also looking for nominations for those who have passed away, as Moody said "every year we will induct one posthumous member to recognize those who could be easily forgotten."

It does not have to be a player, either, as nominations will be accepted for coaches, teams (such as the 1964-65 Ashe Central High School state champion boys basketball team that was inducted in 2008) or anyone that has made other contributions to sports in Ashe County.

Moody said they hope to continue the success they had with the event last year, which she describes as "one of the most emotional events I have ever attended or been a part of.

"We had people from Florida, Georgia and Tennessee come in just for that event," she continued.

Mike Badger, who was a member of the 1964-65 Ashe Central championship team, has joined the committee for the second annual Hall of Fame event. He said he thought the first ceremony was "one of the most well-organized activities I can remember in Ashe County" and that it was "quite an honor to be in the first class that was ever inducted into the Ashe County Sports Hall of Fame."

He added that "there's a lot of people out there who are just as deserving as I am, and we'd like to get those nominees in here."

Moody said that they hope to raise enough money with the event to not only fund the 2010 Sports Hall of Fame event, but also to help the charitable causes that the Rotary takes on such as combating infant mortality, promoting literacy and fighting to eradicate polio.

Five members will be inducted into the Ashe County Sports Hall of Fame in April. Nomination forms are available at the following businesses: the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce, Ashe Mountain Times, Jefferson Post, Parker Tie, Peoples Rexall Drug Store, Sears and WKSK 580 AM. Forms are also available from the committee members: Charlie Bowers, Graham Caddell, Glenn Hentschel, Lane Hurley, Billy Smith, Bradley McNeill, Marc Payne, Doug Spell, MaryAnne Moore, James Young, Moody and Badger.

The event will be held at 6 p.m. and will also include a catered meal. Tickets will be $20 for adults and $15 for children ages 18 and under when they go on sale in April. To find out more, call Moody at (336) 977-1427, Caddell at (336) 246-6001 or e-mail AsheHallOfFame@aol.com.