Homecoming 2017 Marks Birth of New Athletic Hall of Fame

 

The next inductee, presented by current coach and faculty member Stan Waterman, was Jackie Pitts, Class of 1955, who was an athlete, coach, and teacher. Pitts played varsity hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. After beginning her teaching career, Pitts went on to play lacrosse for the Philadelphia Bandits and Philadelphia Women’s Lacrosse Association. She has also been the president and vice president of the United States Women’s Lacrosse Association and the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Association.

Joan Samonisky, director of athletics, presented the next inductee: Monick Foote, Class of 1994. Foote played four years of varsity basketball at Sanford, leading the team to the first state championship in Sanford’s history. She was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year and “Girls Basketball Player of the Decade.” She then attended the University of Virginia where she continued to play with success, and, in 2013, she was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum Hall of Fame.

The penultimate inductee, presented by Mark Anderson, was Chip Mayo—athletic director, coach, and teacher at Sanford. Mayo was on the soccer and baseball teams with great success at Brandywine High School. He then moved on to West Chester University where he played varsity goalie on their soccer team for three years, going to the All-Middle Atlantic Conference and being named a Tri-State all-star selection in 1970. He led Sanford’s tennis team to win the 2003 state championship and the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams to begin competitive runs in the state tournaments.

The final inductees, presented by Chip Mayo, were the 1986 Boys’ Basketball Championship Team. They won the conference championship for the fourth straight year. Several members of the team were also picked to play on the All-State teams, including Mark Harris who was also named Conference Player of the Year.

The ceremony was a momentous occasion for Sanford, and, as Amy Shirley, a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame Selection Committee, put it, “When we induct alumni and friends into the Athletic Hall of Fame we are provided with an opportunity to bring the community together, celebrate our history, and recognize the tremendous impact sports and relationships have.”

The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to commemorate Sanford’s heritage of excellent athletic programs. As stated in the inauguration ceremony, “It will serve as a means of recognizing, preserving and honoring the athletes, teams, coaches, and individuals who made significant contributions to these athletic programs.” Each spring, the Sanford community will be able to nominate players, coaches, and contributors as candidates for induction, though a candidate cannot nominate him/herself. A nomination form will be available through the Sanford School website, the Athletic Director’s Office, and the Development Office in the spring, and nominations must be submitted before the allotted due date. Nominees should show “the highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct, and moral character.” When judging the nominated candidates, the selection committee, a combination of Sanford faculty, parents, and alumni, will look at the candidate’s significant contributions and long-term commitment to athletic pursuits, acknowledged leadership in chosen field, and, as present, community, state, and national impact.

Congratulations to the 2017 inductees into the Sanford School Athletic Hall of Fame!