SCFCA announces formation of football coaches hall of fame

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HAS ONE OF THE RICHEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TRADITIONS IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, AND THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION HAS TAKEN ACTION TO HONOR THE MEN WHO HELPED FORGE THAT HERITAGE BY ESTABLISHING THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME.

THIS YEAR'S INAUGURAL CLASS CONSISTS OF ONE INDUCTEE FROM EACH OF THE ACTIVE SCHOOLS IN THE SCFCA: BLUE MOUNTAIN, JIM THORPE, MARIAN, MAHANOY AREA, MINERSVILLE, NATIVITY, NORTH SCHUYLKILL, PANTHER VALLEY, PINE GROVE, POTTSVILLE, SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, SHENANDOAH VALLEY, TAMAQUA, TRI-VALLEY AND WILLIAMS VALLEY. SCHOOLS ARE FINALIZING THEIR HONOREES, WHICH WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER, AND INDUCTION CEREMONIES WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THE HALFTIME OF THIS YEAR'S SCFCA ALL-STAR GAME, WHICH WILL BY HELD SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 7 P.M., AT ROTARY FIELD, SCHUYLKILL HAVEN.

FOR THE INAUGURAL CLASS, THE ASSOCIATION UNANIMOUSLY VOTED THAT EACH SCHOOL BE PERMITTED TO HAVE AN INDUCTEE. EACH SCHOOL WAS PERMITTED TO USE ITS OWN CRITERIA IN SELECTING INDUCTEES, BUT IN FUTURE YEARS HEAD COACHES WILL VOTE ON A LIST OF CANDIDATES SUBMITTED BY A NOMINEE COMMITTEE THAT IS NOW BEING FINALIZED.

"SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HAS PRODUCED SOME OF THE FINEST COACHES IN THE HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL," SCFCA PRESIDENT AND POTTSVILLE COACH KEVIN KEATING SAID. "TWO YEARS AGO, WHEN OUR ASSOCIATION HELD ITS MEETING TO SELECT THE NORTH AND SOUTH ALL-STAR TEAMS, A DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO HONOR THE COACHES FROM THE PAST.

"MANY OF US WHO ARE NOW COACHING PLAYED FOR SOME OF THESE MEN, AND ALL OF US OWE SO MUCH TO THEM FOR HELPING MAKE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY FOOTBALL WHAT IT IS TODAY. "OUR PLANS ARE TO HAVE A CLASS INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME AT EACH YEAR'S ALL-STAR GAME, AND AN ENGRAVED PLAQUE WITH THE NAMES OF EACH YEAR'S CLASS WILL BE DISPLAYED IN THE MEZZANINE AREA OF MARTZ HALL. BEGINNING NEXT YEAR AN "AT-LARGE" CATEGORY WILL BE ADDED SO THAT COACHES FROM NOW-DEFUNCT SCHOOLS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR NOMINATION AND INDUCTION."