IRVINGTON, NJ – The Irvington High School Athletic Hall of Fame has been dormant for 26 years.
But now it’s being resurrected, thanks to Dr. John Taylor, the first-year IHS Athletic Director.
The Irvington Board of Education on Wednesday, Oct. 18, approved a proposal to revive the Irvington High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Taylor, who began his tenure at IHS this past summer, started this initiative when he noticed an Irvington High School Athletic Hall of Fame plaque at the school. The plaque showed that the last time there was an induction was in 1991.
That puzzled Taylor, who wondered why there wasn’t an induction since then. Taylor was told that there was no interest anymore in the Athletic Hall of Fame.
Taylor also attended a workshop at the NJSIAA headquarters in Robbinsville. He noticed that Irvington didn’t have anyone in the NJSIAA Athletic Hall of Fame, even though Irvington had several outstanding athletes, coaches and teams throughout the years, including a few who have played in the NFL and competed in the Olympics. Taylor was told that no one ever nominated anyone from Irvington. Taylor will nominate current IHS cross-country and track coach Marvin Hawkins for the NJSIAA Hall of Fame.
Reviving the Irvington Athletic Hall of Fame is long overdue.
“The Hall of Fame is a great way to honor the coaches, student-athletes and teams…” said Taylor, adding that it helps bring the community closer by recognizing the dedication and sacrifices of those teams, coaches, and athletes.
Taylor has assembled an Irvington Athletic Hall of Fame Committee that includes individuals who are well-versed in Irvington sports history. In addition to Taylor, who will serve as the committee chairperson, but will not have voting power, the committee includes:
- Ralph Steele – former 30-year district employee, Golden Knights coach, public address announcer for the football and basketball teams and historian.
- Kyle Steele – former Irvington student-athlete, and current wrestling coach who is knowledgeable about the Irvington teams and athletes since the 1990s.
- Rashawnah French – current girls’ varsity basketball coach with eight years of in-district coaching experience.
- Pierre Moss – former Irvington student and current radio play-by-play announcer for the football team.
- Barnes Reid – former 30-year district employee and current head coach of the winter and sprig girls’ track teams who has coached four state championship teams during his coaching tenure.
- Marvin Hawkins – former district employee and current head cross-country, and boys’ winter and boys’ spring track coach who has coached 13 state championship teams during his coaching tenure.
- Gwen Murray – current athletics secretary with 25 years of experience.
- Richard Douglas – current Irvington teacher and head boys tennis coach, former Irvington student-athlete, and member of two state championship track teams
- Joe Ragozzino – Irvington Herald sports writer for 20 years and editor for 19 years.
Nomination forms will be made available to the public, including on the IHS athletics website, www.irvingtonblueknights.com.
The nomination cutoff date is Jan. 15. But in the future, the nomination process will be earlier (August 1 – September 30).
For more information about the Irvington Atletic Hall of Fame, email Taylor at jtaylor@irvington.k12.nj.us
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