OVER 200 WERE IN ATTENDENCE SATURDAY NIGHT, AS THE BISHOP BROSSART SPORT HALL OF FAME BELATEDLY INDUCTED THE CLASS OF 2000, IN WHAT FELT LIKE A RETURN TO NORMALCY
Using the Brossart Hall of Fame Class of 2000 Induction Dinner as a barometer, I’d say that we are all happy to be back to some semblance of normalcy, as over 200 unmasked attendees enjoyed the unrestricted socialization of a cocktail hour and sit-down dinner with their family and friends. I took special note of this, as the Boys Basketball Program is forging ahead with plans fo resume our Annual Euchre Tournament here at Brossart on October 29th.
Chris Holtz, now serving as our principal, has handed the reins of the Hall of Fame dinner and festivities over to Tony Harden who did a masterful job of orchestrating the event.
Both of our coaches inducting our basketball representatives did professional and eloquent jobs describing the exploits of our former players, and Scott Code went the extra mile of teaching even me, some of Nate Mutsch’s college baseball accomplishments. Both recipients gave gracious acceptance speeches and were referred to later on by former Principal Tom Seither as representing the quality of person and athlete that Brossart High School is proud to produce.
BRAD DUNLEVY ’92 – Provided Photo At Botom
I was so entertained and enthralled with Brad Dunley’s acceptance speech, that I failed to take his picture, resplendent in a valourish green jacket complete with the sheen. Brad gave an all-to-honest recap of his being one of Brossart’s “bad boys” living on the fringe during the early 90’s, while being one of our most famous track and cross-country runners, and then returning to Brossart to serve as our track coach from 1996 through 2002, when only 21 years old, His teams won a pair of two regional and two state titles in 2000 and 2002. I was happy to see him recognize Rose Dietrich who was a long time “team mother” and statistician. My major takeaway from observing and listening to Brad’s speech, was that he hasn’t changed a bit.
I was intrigued by Jennifer Hartig Carver’s story as Brossart’s first-ever femaile pole vaulter. As previously documented on these pages, Jennifer began by clearing five feet, and expanded that feat, all of the way to 10’6″ earning her a pair of state championships and a college scholarship to Louisville where she won a Conference USA title, and was a runner-up in Big 10 competition. Dave Schuh who inducted her passed on some of the obstacles that both he and she had to overcome in order to allow her to accomplish her goals.
Barb Kohls was recognized for her 41 years of service as our Health and PE instructor and coached three different sports. It was quite obvious from her acceptance speech that she is most proud of the accomplishments of the Boys Golf Teams she coached, and she named each player, team and their accomplishments. Coaching her son Clint, and his being named Golfer of the Year by the Kentucky Post, and she being named Coach of the Year in 2004, was her crowning achievement.
And then we came to Tom Sether, aka “The Big Guy” who served as our principal for the best part of his 43 years here, and Ron Heiert, who teamed up with Mr. Seither to serve as our Development Director back in our formative/transitional years. These two were the mutual admiration society, heaping (well deserved) accolades on each other and hitting on some of the highlights of Ron’s career, and some of the “home runs” that Ron hit during his tenure here. A major takeaway from Tom’s introduction, was that if you ever play three card – Faith, Hope, and Charity – monte with him, always bet on Charity. Tom has always lived our motto, “Charity First”. Things got a bit slap-happy when we were led in a Green-White cheer by Tom Seither, which actually received a hearty response.
Last on the agenda was the Team of Distinction – our 2007, first-ever Brossart Football team. As the dials on the clock moved past 10pm I was beginning to feel a bit sorry for these guys who had been here since 6pm, thinking that they could have rolled in at 10pm and still been early. Each sat politely through all of the presenters and acceptees, who I’m sure none of them knew, while getting a Brossart history lesson. Tony Harden introduced each member of the team, with about 50% of them in attendance. Joey Martin, a member of that first team, who serves as an assistant on Paul Wiggins staff, spoke on behalf of the team, and acknowledged how proud this group was to be the foundation on which our present day program has been built. Unfortunately i was seated on the opposite side of the room from where this group assembled, and missed the team/group picture. Coach Dennis Ollier, Jr., gathered the group and spoke to them at length, and at end of the talk, provided me with one the highlights of my evening, watching these guys who haven’t played football here for 14 years, raise their fists into the air, and concluded their night with a mighty 1-2-3 MUSTANGS!!! Some things never change.
