When the new school year starts, Oxford High School is going to have something in common with all of the major pro and college sports leagues.
It is going to have a Hall of Fame.
OHS Athletic Director Mike Watson held the first meeting of the Hall of Fame selection committee on Wednesday, March 17 to finalize the by-laws and selection criteria.
‘I am just incredibly excited,? said Watson.
He added that he had been discussing the idea with Dr. Skilling and a few key supporters for a few years and decided that now would be a good time to put the plan into actions.
The purpose of the Oxford High School Athletic Hall of Fame was to serve as an extension of the athletic department in order to provide a means to assist the school in recognizing the efforts and achievements of past student-athletes, coaches, administrators and contributors to OHS athletics.
He added that the hall of fame also serves as an example for current and future student athletes.
‘It gives them a window to the past so they can see the tremendous accomplishments that are possible for graduates and people who have been affiliated with the high school,? he said.
Watson also feels that it would allow the school to better reconnect with alumni and people who have had close association with OHS in the past.
‘We’ve been through so many buildings in the past, it’s very important to reconnect with our alumni and connect our students to the past,? he explained.
According to the by-laws, nominees for the hall of fame have to meet very specific criteria.
Athletes have to be a graduate of OHS and completed their athletic career at OHS, earning at least one varsity letter. Some of the specific criteria include being selected to the All-Conference Team more than once, an Oxford Cup recipient and a varsity team captain among other qualifications.
Coaches and administrators who have been employed for more than one year and have made a long-term exemplary contribution to the athletic program are eligible for consideration into the hall of fame.
Contributors to the OHS athletic department who are not graduates, student-athletes, coaches or administrators at OHS are eligible for introduction based on their contributions to the athletic department.
Respected OHS alumni are also eligible if they have earned a varsity letter and bring honor to their alma mater by making a significant contribution to society in their chosen field.
The by-laws state that nominees must be at least five years removed from activities at OHS, have a nomination submitted on their behalf detailing their accomplishments and contributions and have represented OHS in a positive fashion, bringing credit to Oxford Athletics.
Twenty people will be selected over the hall of fame’s first two years, which will be considered the hall’s charter class. Starting in the third year, the selection committee will induct up to five people every year.
The selection committee consists of: Watson, Board of Education Member Bill Keenist, former Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach Steve Laidlaw, Former athletic Director Lee Noftz, Township Treasurer Joe Ferrari, OHS Science Teacher and Varsity Cross Country Coach Ray Sutherland, Booster Club President Scott Bocquet, longtime booster Helen Smith, longtime school district employee Corky Hallead, former Oxford Leader Publisher Jim Sherman, Sr. and Volleyball Coach Jen Bunting.
The selection process will start with the selection committee gathering nominations from the public until May 1.
Nominations can be found in this week’s paper on Page 9, in the April 14 edition of the Oxford Leader and under the athletics section of the school district’s website, www.oxfordschools.org.
After May 1, the selection committee will have until the last day of school to solidify the nominations. They will then contact the nominees? family and gather the necessary data before the end of June in order to send it to the award company.
According to Watson, a person can remain on the ballot for seven years and if they are not inducted, their name drops off the ballot, but they can be renominated at that point.
Once completed, an awards ceremony would be scheduled at a Varsity football that isn’t homecoming.
‘From an Athletic Directors standpoint, I would like to see butts in the seat every night, and homecoming we are guaranteed that. Maybe Hall of Fame night would allow us to have more people on that night too,? Watson said.
This year’s Hall of Fame night is tentatively scheduled for the Sept. 17 game against Harrison High School.
The ceremony would be moved indoors if there was inclement weather.
According to Watson, the actual hall of fame site would go somewhere in the athletic area. ‘It would most probably, but certainly not set in stone yet, be in the gym,? he said.
Watson indicated that the site would be comprised of some sort of lighting, school seal or something specific to highlight the area.
He said that the plaques would have two different etched metal plates on them. ‘One of the plates will be a biography of that person, explaining their accomplishments and the other would be a head and shoulder likeness of them drawn by an artist from a photograph.?
‘One of the positive things about this is creating dialogue about who should be in the hall of fame and who shouldn’t; who got left out or who got in that shouldn’t,? said Watson.
He told the committee that they will have a tough job and will face some criticism because of the people they did and did not select.
‘Those things, even though they seem controversial, have people talking about Oxford athletics and all the wonderful things we have done in the past,? Watson said. ‘We are really creating interest in athletics and in what athletics can do for a school and a community.?