Since its inception in 2006 the Surry County Sports Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor has been dedicated to preserving the history of sports for Surry County. Nominations for 2022 class of inductees are open and will be accepted through 5 p.m., Monday, Sept. 12.
The Hall and Ring have the purpose “to recognize and perpetuate the noteworthy athletic tradition of Surry County by honoring and memorializing individuals, teams, corporations, companies and/or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to this tradition.”
Bradley Key works for Surry County Parks & Recreation as coordinator of programs, volunteerism and special events. He said from their offices in Dobson, “I was just thinking about how many great candidates we have that have been nominated for the Hall of Fame. We have tons of folks with tremendous athletic backgrounds that have hailed from or contributed to the sports of Surry County.”
Parks and rec Director Daniel White advised that even after inducting several classes, there need be no fear of the future talent pool for the Hall of Fame waning, “There are people who are ready to enter but just haven’t qualified yet time wise.”
There are two ways to nominate individuals, teams or organizations the first being the Hall of Fame. The Hall recognizes individuals for outstanding achievements in the field of athletics as a player, coach or administrator. Nominees must have completed their athletic achievement or service at least five years immediately preceding the date of induction.
Also, Ring of Honor nominations are used to recognize individuals, teams, companies, or organizations that have made a significant impact on Surry County sports through contributions in the field of athletics. The Ring holds the likes of the Dobson Lion’s Club and other groups which has supported athletics through financial donations as well as donations of time and support for local athletics.
There are some criteria established for those who may be inducted into either the Hall or the Ring, such as the five-year waiting period for entry into the Hall of Fame. For those submitted within the athlete category those nominees shall have received local, state or national recognition for their athletic achievements. They must meet two of the following: have been born or raised in Surry County, attended at least two years of high school in Surry County, had two years of athletic achievement while a resident of Surry County, or made a significant impact on sports in Surry County.
Similarly nominated coaches or administrators shall have received recognition while also meeting residency criteria. Nominees must have been born or raised in Surry County and had ten years of achievement while either inside or outside of Surry County or were not born or raised in the county but had ten years of coaching or administrative achievement while in or made a significant impact to sports in Surry County.
Criteria for inductions in the Surry County Sports Ring of Honor require that the individual, team, corporation, company and/or organization made a significant impact on sports in Surry County through contribution in the field of athletics.
The list of past Ring of Honor inductees is like thumbing through the pages of an old Surry County yearbook with the 2001 East Surry High Ladies Basketball team warming up next to a 2011 inductee: the Elkin Blanketeers,
Don’t leave out the likes of Gary York, Linda Fowler Davis, the 1935 Dobson High Basketball team, or the 2003 East Surry Little League Senior Softball — your World Series Champions — all of whom have been given the veneration they deserve.
Apart from the most recent winners, the former Surry County Sports Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor winners, along with a group photo, are found on the parks and recreation website.
Nominations for the Hall of Fame and the Ring of Honor may be made posthumously so those with long roots in the county and a long memory to match may think of a coach, principal, team, or athlete who deserves to be honored for posterity.
Nomination forms can be found on the Surry County webpage at https:// www.co.surry.nc.us. From there choose “Departments” and “K through Z,” clicking on “Parks and Recreation,” then scrolling over “Sports Hall of Fame” and clicking on 2022 Nomination Form.
Key said they encourage newspaper clippings or other documentation in support of submitted candidates if possible. Supporting documentation will not be returned, so those offering such documents should attach copies of all documents to the submission, not originals. There are a few rules on formatting the submission that are found on the county’s website.
Completed nominations will be accepted at the Surry County Parks & Recreation Department Office located at 122 Hamby Road, Dobson. Their offices will be found in the Central Permitting Building across the parking lot from Health and Nutrition Center.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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