A pair of Olympians, including an Olympic champ. A legendary golfer who never golfed for the school, but did so much more for everyone else. The man who helped her do those things. State champions.
These are just a few of the people — and teams — in the inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class for Oregon High School.
Local high schools establishing their own halls of fame was rare until just a few years ago. Rockford Public Schools began their joint hall of fame for East, Guilford, Auburn and Jefferson — plus now defunct Rockford High and West High — 11 years ago. It is quickly becoming more common.
“We’re about to find out,” Oregon athletic director Mike Lawton said of how the hall of fame can help his school. “The goal is to elicit pride in the history. You want people to be proud of the things they have done. But for the current kids, it’s aspirational, something to aim for. It’s extremely difficult. You’ve got to be the elite of the elite.”