M-A inducts new class into hall of fame

“We’re very excited to put back together the Menlo-Atherton Athletic Hall of Fame,” said Steven Kryger, M-A athletic director and hall of fame chairman. Kryger went on to explain that the hall of fame was started in the 1990s and seven classes were inducted with a total of 292 members. The last induction class, however, was in 2005.

When Kryger and co-athletic director Paul Snow took over the athletic department four years ago, one of their goals was to “resurrect” the program.

Kryger said the selection process began last December. He estimated the committee came back with 50 to 60 names and those were whittled down to the dozen who were chosen.

“We have a great committee,” Kryger said. “We’re fortunate … we have alumni (on the committee) from different eras. They had a really good sense of the teams, the players, the coaches (of their era of expertise).”

Connie Hawkins and her husband Owen started M-A’s booster club in 1989. Their sons were involved in athletics, but they saw that many of the teams were underfunded and set about to resolve that. Connie Hawkins said in a release, “We began by soliciting funds from interested parents and service clubs in the area.”

“We funded those (sports) that needed it the most,” Hawkins said.

Mohr became co-chair of the M-A Boosters in 2004 and helped start in 2005 the school’s annual Big Bear Run, the boosters’ biggest fundraiser.

Mohr was also instrumental in getting lights installed at the school’s stadium.

“Susan was big in getting the lights up,” Kryger said. “She played a huge role in that.”

The inclusion of Yanicks in the M-A Athletic Hall of Fame essential means all the track teams he coached are going with him. As much as track and field is all about individual effort, Yanicks incorporated an esprit de corps that turned the Bears into the track and field power they continue to be.

“I treated track like a team sport. I wanted to track to be like football,” Yanicks said. “Track is a team sport if you make it that way.”

The 1989 boys’ basketball team, on the other hand, will be honored as a group. Despite watching future NBA player Tracy Murray drop 64 points for Glendora in the state title game, the Bears prevailed to win 89-83,, a year after losing in the championship game.

Williams credited playing at Onetta Harris Rec in Menlo Park for helping him and his teammates prepare to play against the best players California high school basketball had to offer.

Playing in pickup games, the M-A players were playing against top-level college players — including Stanford’s Todd Lichti and Howard Wright.

Coached by Jeff Klenow, the 1988-89 Bears posted a 32-4 record and won second straight Central Coast Section and Northern California championships in addition to the state title.

“It was an amazing experience,” Williams said. “That’s something we have for life.”

The hall of fame induction banquet is scheduled for Nov. 4 at the Palo Alto Elks Lodge. The rest of the 2014 hall of fame induction class include:

Greg Camarillo (1999, football); Kelly Eaton (2006, swimming/water polo); Jeremy Mineau (2004, cross country/track); Kitty Moore (1969-2012, parent volunteer-boys’ soccer); Brent Vartan (1994, football/soccer/track) and the 1978 girls’ swim team.

For ticket information, call 322-5311 ext. 53761 or email skryger@seq.org and psnow@seq.org.