Camillus/West Genesee Community Sports Hall of Fame seeking nominees

By Connor Fogel

From collegiate lacrosse coaches and professional athletes to youth sports volunteer directors, the Camillus and West Genesee community recognizes a group of local individuals each year who have made a significant impact on local sports and recreation.

Since the Camillus/West Genesee Community Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 2008, groups of six to eight people as well as a local team have been inducted each year. Nominations for 2017 inductees are being accepted through July 1, and the nomination form can be found online at camillusrecreation.com.

“Not only is it former athletes, but we’ve taken the approach that our volunteers are important,” Eric Bacon, director of parks and recreation, said.

Every year, Bacon and a committee of actively involved community members select a group of inductees, who then get recognized at an annual banquet later that year.

At the first ceremony honoring the inductees, about 75 people showed up to the Camillus Municipal Building, Bacon said. Since the community has become more engaged with the hall of fame, Bacon expects around 250 to show up to the banquet facility now used to host the ceremony.

During the banquet, each inductee is introduced before getting a chance to speak about their acceptance into the Hall of Fame. After receiving a plaque to take home, the inductees also have a plaque in their honor posted in the Camillus Municipal Building with the rest of the inductees since 2008.

Camillus has an extensive lacrosse history with highly-recognized collegiate coaches and players like Syracuse University’s John Desko, Kevin Donahue and Charlie Lockwood, and also SUNY Cortland’s head coach Steve Beville.

“I’m always struck by the lacrosse people who have gone on and done nationally just great things, and how much they look back at their time in Camillus and how special that is,” Bacon said. “That just reinforces to me how special Camillus really is.”

When it comes to selecting inductees, Bacon said he and the rest of the committee look at a few criteria that show a person’s dedication and involvement with the community — duration, success and making a difference in others’ lives.

“One thing that makes Camillus a little different than other communities is the connections,” Bacon said. “One thing that contributes to our success is that there are so many people who are willing to give their time.”

Volunteers like Dave and Liz Beebe, who founded and have volunteered at the Camillus Erie Canal Park since 1971, and Ann Schmutzler, who volunteered for the Camillus Ski Association for over 40 years, showed that connections and dedication to Camillus and West Genesee create the lasting impressions on the whole community, Bacon said.

“When I leave the ceremony, I always feel really good about where I live and our community,” Bacon said. “It’s just a good feeling of reminiscing, great stories and admiring the people this community has produced.”