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Date: 8/7/2023
EASTHAMPTON — The Easthampton High School Athletic Foundation is returning with its second annual Hall of Fame induction this September, and ceremonies will be just one event within a loaded homecoming weekend looking to celebrate and raise money for the high school community and sports programs.
This year’s Homecoming/Hall of Fame Weekend will take place from Thursday, Sept. 28-30 and features daily activities in Easthampton. The Athletic Foundation has partnered with the school for homecoming weekend for a total celebration of Easthampton High School and thought this was the perfect opportunity to return the Hall of Fame ceremonies and also raise money for their mission.
The Easthampton High School Athletic Foundation and Hall of Fame was established in 2019 by to honor and celebrate Easthampton High School athletics through recognition, support and service. The registered nonprofit works in cooperation with the school district to support and recognize the diverse community of current and former student athletes, coaches, teams and supporters. Last year was the Hall’s first induction ceremony at which they honored eight former Easthampton High School athletes.
“Our first goal was to establish the Hall of Fame and have an induction to recognize and honor those that have been involved in Easthampton athletics over the years,” said Hall of Fame Foundation President Jeff Sealander.
Athletic Foundation and Hall of Fame Board of Directors member John Opatkiewicz, a retired EHS teacher, coach and athletic director told Reminder Publishing the goal of the organization was a create a foundation that would support student athletes in Easthampton.
In the Athletic Foundation and Hall of Fame’s process of becoming an organization they set up a three-phase plan focused on recognition, support and service to Easthampton and its student athletes past and present. As they have established the Hall of Fame and growing support, focus is now shifting over toward giving back and showing gratitude.
Sealander explained part of giving back and showing gratitude involved creating more opportunities for student athletes to understand their role in the community. He added that in the past examples of doing this include clinics for youth leagues where high school athletes are leading the clinics, visits to Shriners Hospital and other community work through volunteering.
“There are a lot of things that our student athletes can do to show that we’re part of the community. We want to be seen because we know that we have to rely on the community to support us. We want people to see that this is more than just having an athlete and patting him or her on the back,” Sealander said. “It’s also saying toward student athletes, ‘Hey, we do have higher expectations for you. We have higher expectations academically, behaviorally, and in terms of giving back to your community,’ and we think that’s an important part of it.”
Sealander added the Board of Directors for the foundation and Hall of Fame were put together with Easthampton residents with commitment, enthusiasm and support for the town’s athletic programs as he has. There are 14 members currently on the Board of Directors. The ultimate goal for the foundation after being able to secure its foundation in the community is becoming a member driven and run organization in perpetuity.
Kicking off the weekend of events that Thursday, Sept. 28 is the Athletic Foundation’s first annual Hall of Fame Golf Tournament at Southampton Country Club. Easthampton High School Athletic Foundation and Board of Directors member Bob Canon is sponsoring the tournament through his local business Canon Real Estate. A former EHS coach himself, Canon told Reminder Publishing he got involved as a member of the Board of Directors and with his experience putting on similar fundraisers in the past.
“The golf fundraiser is a way to raise some significant money for it,” Canon explained.
The 5-person scramble formatted golf tournament has a 9:30 a.m. shotgun start at Southampton Country Club and entry costs $125 per person, or $625 for a full team. Entry fee includes a Hall of Fame golf shirt and ball marker, entry into a $2,000 skins pool, a chance to win prizes through a closest to pin competition on all par 3’s for men and women, a longest drive competition for men and women, a hole in one competition on Hole 2, a hole in one competition on Hole 10, a putting contest, a 50/50 raffle and a ceremony for winners and dinner following the tournament.
Registration for the tournament has opened and will remain available until the 32-team field is filled.
The deadline for registration is Sept. 1 and entry forms can be printed out at https://ehshof.org/event/1st-annual-golf-tournament/. The check must be payable to Easthampton High School Athletic Foundation and application and entry fee of $625 can be sent to John Opatkiewicz at 12 Picard Circle, Easthampton, MA 01027. For any further questions regarding registration, email Opatkiewicz at packy1212@icloud.com.
Canon said he hopes to raise $20,000 through the tournament and expects a quarter of that to go toward induction night while the remaining funds would move to the Athletic Foundation fund in order to help carry out its mission year to year. The board members explained to Reminder Publishing that funding raised would mainly go toward unexpected transportation costs, athletic fees for students, equipment when needed, and potentially team merchandise following team accomplishments like winning a championship.
“There are a lot of kids today who because they charge athletic fees, some families might not be able to come up with that money. Especially hockey is pretty expensive, and football so we could help in that way where we can help those kids be able to play sports,” Opatkiewicz said.
The Athletic Foundation and Hall of Fame’s foundation funds are to support, not supplant the school department athletic budget, Opatkiewicz explained.
Canon added this effort was important because athletics in a way is part of the overall education students receive in high school. He added he took the values ingrained in him as a student athlete through an old coach and put it into his business and career.
“I built this business with the values that I got on the court working together, building a team, sacrificing as a whole. We believe in the value of what athletics offer and our hope is that we can get a first-class program,” Canon said.
The Easthampton High School Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2023 induction ceremony will be Saturday, Sept. 30 from 2-5 p.m. at Easthampton High School. From 2-3 p.m., attendees are welcomed to stop by a “Meet and Greet” in the café commons before the induction ceremony in the auditorium.
Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For advance tickets send payment to: Easthampton High School Athletic Foundation, PO Box 1585, Northampton St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Advance tickets will be mailed, and a return address is needed with payment.
This year the Athletic Foundation is honoring eight more new members. Inductees feature Coach Erich Janes, Coach Rick Konieczny, Coach Larry Trinceri, Anita Dembek Dillman ’85, David Nalewanski ’03, Shaleighne FitzGerald Preneta ’82, Robyn Wainwright ’90, and the 1956 boys basketball team.
“The induction itself is our way of honoring and showing respect to those people,” Sealander said. “We want it to be an event where they come back to their community.”
According to Board members, an athlete nominated must have graduated from EHS a minimum of five years before being eligible for consideration; participated in a minimum of two varsity seasons while attending EHS, a member of a league or state championship team, recognized for individual honors or been recognized on the collegiate level.
Teams are eligible following seven years of its achievement as a title winner, and coaches can be nominated following three years of leaving the EHS coaching staff. The coach must have a minimum of three years of coaching at EHS and have led a team to a title at a league or state level.
Contributors can also be nominated for an outstanding contribution to the EHS interscholastic athletic program. Visit ehshof.org to find the nomination form for future use.
“If you don’t make the top 8 [inductees chosen] you carry over to the next year, for five years. If you still didn’t get it, you’re out but it doesn’t mean somebody can’t nominate you again,” Opatkiewicz explained.
Other activities during the weekend feature the Easthampton High School girls’ volleyball on Friday, Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. and the student council will be sponsoring a movie night following the game. The following morning are the boys and girls’ soccer games and cross country at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Nonotuck Park.
Opatkiewicz reiterated the foundation hopes the golf tournament serves as a good boost to its funding in order to maintain the new organization’s role in the community and continue to better EHS sports for the future.
“We obviously want to raise money but we just want as many people that came through Easthampton or not to just have a great day and we’ll try to make it as wonderful as possible and hopefully they’ll like it enough to do it again,” Opatkiewicz said.
Canon added community support has been key and there are still box sponsors available for the different holes at the golf tournament. Sealander said the community response to these efforts by the foundation showcases what it’s all about.
“The response has actually been more than I expected just in terms of the pride that people feel over it, how thankful they are for the recognition,” Sealander said.