Recently, the Westfield Athletic Hall of Fame (WAHOF) welcomed three new members to its Board of Trustees: Ron Allen, Marcie Williams and Jay Cook. According to Athletic Director Sandra Mamary, the WAHOF was created in 1993 by the Westfield Bicentennial Commission with the goal of  “perpetuating the memory of those who have brought distinction and honor to the high school through athletics.”

These three individuals will be joining a legacy of athletic excellence as members of the Board of Trustees. According to westfieldathletichof.com, “The fraternity of inductees embodies confidence, strength of character and a collaborative commitment to sportsmanship. [The inductees] strive to celebrate our rich athletic history through preserving the legacies of our athletes, teams and programs.”

Athletes who graduated from WHS and received at least two varsity letters are eligible to be nominated for the WAHOF 10 years after graduation. Teams are also eligible for nomination 10 years after their achievement and coaches after retirement. Current members of the WAHOF, as well as members of the community, can nominate candidates for the WAHOF.

All the candidates are evaluated by the Board of Trustees before inductees are selected. The board evaluates candidates based on athletic achievements while at WHS, post-grad achievements, and other areas of service. There is an induction dinner held every two years to honor the new WAHOF members. 

Allen (class of ‘79) played basketball and football during his time at WHS. Allen has served as the Executive Director of the Westfield Police Athletic League (PAL) for 38 years. According to Allen, the objective of PAL is to “bring kids and police officers together in a positive aspect through sports and other activities.”

Allen is looking forward to using his position as a member of the Board of Trustees to help advance the tradition of athletics at WHS. He said, “This organization is going to have an ever-changing perspective as it goes into the future.” One example of this is the fact that all three new inductees to the Board of Trustees are African American. “[This] adds another element to the organization. Before there were no African Americans on the Board and now there are three,” continued Allen.

Williams (class of ‘90) was a three-sport athlete at WHS; she played soccer, basketball and ran track. She was inducted into the WAHOF in 2006 and is currently a volunteer coach for the girls basketball team WHS.

Williams is honored to join the Board of Trustees alongside other members she has always respected and admired. She said, “I take pride in what it means to be among the best in WHS history and I am honored to be part of the group that recognizes the accomplishments of these amazing former athletes who wore the Blue Devil uniform.”

Cook (class of ‘02) played football, basketball and baseball during his time at WHS. He is currently a physical education teacher at WHS and an assistant football and baseball coach.

As one of the newest members of the Board of Trustees, Cook said, “My role is to bring a younger perspective to the discussions in order to bring all the generations of [athletics] together.” 

The members of the WAHOF Board of Trustees have a special position that allows them to recognize and honor the contributions of former athletes at WHS. Allen said, “[Being a board member] is a great way to give back to the community and those who have played a part in the rich heritage of WHS sports.”