Athletics Hall of Fame committee meets, plans

As it has for the past three years, the Odessa Athletics Hall of Fame committee has been meeting this spring to select inductees to be honored at the fourth annual induction ceremony to be held at the Odessa High School alumni reunion in the community center on June 15, 2019. This year the committee has selected six individuals and four teams to be honored at the reunion. They will also have their names, photos and brief bios added to the display case installed in the high school gym foyer.

The Odessa Record will publish the names of the newest inductees sometime in May when it produces a keepsake booklet with pictures and information on each year’s group of inductees.

The past year has brought about some changes to the Hall of Fame Committee. Current school athletic director and chair of the committee for the past three years, Bruce Todd, has chosen to devote his energies elsewhere. Larry Weber, who has been part of the committee from the beginning now replaces Todd as chairman. Committee member and former Odessa teacher and coach Gerald Ray has also resigned from the committee, and Tom Schafer has replaced him. The committee remains at 11 members.

Committee chair Larry Weber and vice-chair Jon Heimbigner encourage the public to contact committee members with suggested nominees and especially with information about anyone from the earliest years of Odessa High School athletics.

Donations are gladly accepted by the committee to help defray the cost of commemorative plaques awarded to each inductee and the metal plates mounted in the gym’s display case. Contact Jon Heimbigner on his cell at 509-701-5741 or Larry Weber at the Odessa High School office at 509-982-2111 to suggest a nominee or to donate.