The St. Bernard Parish Sports Hall of Fame (SBPSHOF) held its most successful golf tournament ever, with continuous outstanding support from Gulf Coast Bank and Trust, the major corporate sponsor of the parish’s non-profit organization. With that success, the SBPSHOF was able to make a sizeable financial contribution to the sports department of each of the parish’s three middle schools, as well as the parish-wide AAU summer track club – The St. Bernard Flyers, announced SBPSHOF President Dr. Bryan Frichter.

The recent check presentation gathering of SBPSHOF members included middle school Athletic Directors from Trist Middle (Edie Rhodes) and Andrew Jackson (Patricia Hebert)— as St. Bernard Middle was not able to attend—in addition to Gus Riess, a major financial officer at Gulf Coast Bank and Trust, and Biggie Bickford, a coach with the St. Bernard Flyers. All attending said they were honored to receive the proceeds from this year’s SBPSHOF Golf Tournament, held in September.

Edie Rhodes, of Trist Middle, said, “We will probably use the money for new uniforms and the rising cost of game officials. Quality new uniforms are very expensive in these times.”

“I see it going to equipment and officials,” Hebert of Andrew Jackson pointed out. “They have increased their fees this year and the gate doesn’t always pay for the cost of a game if you don’t get strong support from students and fans.”

In continually fulfilling one of its prime missions—to financially aid athletics at parish schools both public and private as well as specific sports teams/clubs—a permanent display of all of the inductees into the SBPSHOF, since the group’s inception in the mid-1990’s, will go on display at the Val Riess Sports Complex in Chalmette upon the completion of the parish wide, sports-orientated building.

Resumes for 2012
Honorees sought
Now that the organization’s major financial event for 2011 has taken place – The Sports Hall of Fame is working on its other main mission: the selection of individuals for induction into the upcoming Class of 2012, to be held on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at the Fred Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette.

Nomination of an individual must be submitted in writing, along with a detailed list of accomplishments during that person’s career as an athlete, coach and/or sports personality. In addition to taking resumes for induction into the Hall of Fame, the non-profit sports organization is seeking resumes of individuals for the Humanitarian award and the Elphage Caillouette Special Recognition Award, noted board member Raymond Doran.

Also, Amateur Athlete of the Year Awards will recognize one female and one male athlete who competed in any sport or multi sports during the 2010-11 school year. Any amateur athlete application submitted for recognition must include a detailed resume of that particular athlete’s accomplishments during that specific school year. The athlete must have been attending Chalmette High School or was a resident of St. Bernard Parish and attending any high school, private or public, in the metro New Orleans area during the last school year (2010-11).
Nomination of an individual for the 2012 induction ceremony set for Saturday, March 10, 2012 must meet the deadline of Friday, December 16 of this year.

The criteria for induction into the Hall of Fame is an individual must have grown up in the parish, or made his or her mark outside of the parish in high school, college and/or professional sports. Also, a nominee could have grown up outside of St. Bernard Parish, but made a significant contribution to the sports world in St. Bernard.
Resumes in paper form may be submitted to any board member, or dropped off at Gulf Coast Bank Business Center on Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette, with attention to Eddie Appel of SBPSHOF.