Honored Members

“The Wizard”

Arlington Attorney, Civic Leader and Sports Patron

Arlington Commonwealth Attorney

Member of the Virginia State Senate

Avid supporter and booster of Arlington sports and sportsmen

Attended Wakefield and W-L HS (Class of 1973)

Dominated Arlington Little League Baseball, setting numerous batting and pitching records

In 1973 at W-L, he was named All-District, All-Region, and Virginia Pitcher of the Year

Starred at James Madison U, becoming the school’s all-time leader in HR’s, RBI’s and walks.

Drafted by the Texas Rangers, in 1978 he was the Carolina League’s Player of the Year

Dominating softball pitcher for O’Connell HS (Class of 1986)

1st team All-Met as both a junior and senior

At Miami (Ohio) U., she was 1st team All-MAC two years in a row

Finished her career at Miami holding every single season and career pitching record

Member of the Athletic Hall of Fame at both O’Connell HS and Miami U.

Arlington Optimist Club Director of Youth Activities from 1971-99

Founded the Optimist Youth Basketball Program and coached for 22 years

Founder of the Arlington Babe Ruth League baseball program

Coached Babe Ruth teams to 7 District titles and 3 Virginia State Championships (1992, 1993 and 1998)

All-District in basketball at W-L HS (1998)

At Marymount University (Class of 2002) she scored 1,130 career points and led the Saints to the NCAA Final Four in 2002

Named 1st Team All-CAC and All-American her junior and senior years

Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Manhattanville College (2006-09) and Vassar College (2009- ), with several NCAA Tournament appearances

Attended W-L High School (Class of 1973)

Longtime Washington Wizards play-by-play announcer and DC area sports broadcaster

Began his local television career as Sports Director at WTTG in Washington, D.C.

Five-time Emmy Award winner

Famous for his emphatic expressions, including “Dagger!” and “NO, it’s not possible!”

All-Prep in Football, Basketball and Baseball at St. John’s College HS (1954)

Bishop O’Connell HS Principal, Teacher, Coach, and Athletic Director (1961-2004)

His varsity baseball teams were 262-52, and won 5 Catholic League Championships

His baseball team’s 42 consecutive wins in 1963-65 was recognized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame

  W-L HS Crew Coach (1949-1991)

His teams won numerous Stotesbury Cups and No. Virginia Championships

From 1957-1964, his teams won 11 National Schoolboy Championships and the Henley Royal Regatta

Helped organize and start crew teams at Georgetown and GW Universities

Helped organize and start crew teams at Georgetown and George Washington Universities

1,588 Career Hits

World Series Champion 1947

 Excelled in football, baseball, track and basketball at W-L HS (class of 1932)

Played football at Catholic University, where he was a member of the 1936 Orange Bowl Champion team

Pro football player, Washington Presidents

Coach, Teacher and County Sheriff

As a senior and 3-way starter for Yorktown HS’s football team, he rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 35 TDs and was an All-Met RB (2003)

In baseball, his senior year he set Yorktown records for RBI and Slugging Percentage, earning All-Met honors

Played fullback at the U. of Richmond, and was Captain of the 2008 NCAA 1-AA Champion team

Earned All-Conference honors 3 times at UR

Gymnastics State Champion (Rings) as a Junior at Yorktown HS (Class of 1973)

Developed gymnastics programs at Yorktown, Wakefield and W-L HS, where as coach (1976-) his teams have won numerous district and regional titles and twice State runner-up

Coach of VA HS Men’s Gymnastics team (1992-02), winning a National Championship in 2002

Founder (1984) ,Director and Coach of the YMCA Arlington Woodmont Gymnastics Center

 Track & Field star and Athlete of the Year at 

Yorktown HS (Class of 1979)

Member of the James Madison University Track Team, where she set school records in the 200-meter sprint and multiple relay teams

1983 Women’s Athlete of the Year at JMU

Multi-sport coach at various Virginia schools

Director of Student Activities at Wakefield HS 

from 1995-2020

Yorktown HS (Class of 1993)

Swam three years at the University of Michigan, where he won numerous NCAA Championships and was named All-American

Set world record in 400 Individual Medley at 1994 World Championships

Won Gold Medal in 400 IM at 1996 Olympics

Won Gold Medal and broke world record in 400 IM and won Silver Medal in 200 IM at 2000 Olympics

Starred in Track at W-L HS (Class of 1964)
Won 1st place in the 880 meter and mile races at the 1963 VA Outdoor Track Championships
Southern Conference Champion at William & Mary in the Indoor 880 and mile
All-American and 1968 Olympic Trials qualifier in the 3,000 Meter Steeplechase
Inducted into the William & Mary Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979
 

Football and record-setting track star at Bishop O’Connell HS (Class of 1961)

First-Team Track All-Met and MWCL Champion in the 100, 220 and 440 races Captained the LaSalle University track team to consecutive MAC titles in 1964-66

3-time MAC champion (440) and anchored the sprint relay and mile relay record setting teams

LaSalle University Track Hall of Fame (1993) 

2nd Team All-Met guard at Springbrook HS (1974)

Played 4 years for John Thompson at Georgetown 

Lead Asst. Coach at Georgetown from 1982-1998, winning a National Championship in 1984

Head Coach at Georgetown from 1999-2004, compiling an overall 103-74 record

Long-time Arlington resident, active in local youth sports and a member of the Arlington Sports Commission (Chair from 2012-2016)

U.S. Girl’s 15 and under Singles Champion in 1955

Better Sports Club’s Outstanding Tennis Player as a senior at Wakefield HS (1957)

U.S. Clay Courts Singles Champion (1962)

U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Champion (1966)

Ranked Top 10 Nationally by the USTA (1960-63, 1965-66)

Women’s basketball coach at Marymount University (1984-2010)

His teams had a record of 553-193 and won 11 CAC titles 

16 NCAA Tournament appearances (Final Four in 2002)

Four-time CAC Coach of the Year

Also served as women’s soccer coach, golf coach and Athletic Director at Marymount 

   Standout athlete at W-L HS (Class of 1967) 

Sports Coordinator for Langston-Brown Community Center for over 25 years

Coached a variety of sports, with his youth basketball teams winning more than 10 County championships

Longtime sports and rules official; Served on various boards and committees for state and regional officiating associations    

Top scorer on the 1948-49 GW University basketball team that reached the conf. finals

In his first year as Wakefield HS’s varsity basketball coach, they won the school’s only State Championship (1961)

During his tenure as coach at Wakefield (1961-84), his teams went to 3 other state finals

Recognized as a trailblazer in the civil rights movement and school integration in Arlington 

Linebacker and Co-Captain for Coach Lou Holtz at William & Mary (Class of 1972)

Asst and Head Football Coach and Wrestling Coach at Wakefield HS (1972-79)

Football Coach at Yorktown HS (1985- )

His teams have won over 250 games and 2 NoVA Regional Championships (1988, 1999)

Two-time NoVA Region Coach of the Year

  Pioneer in the sport of wrestling in Virginia 

VA HS wrestling coach for 50 years (1948-1997), including Wakefield, Yorktown and O’Connell

Coached Yorktown to 8 district championships and a 134-54 record

President of both the NoVA Wrestling Coaches Assn and NoVA Wrestling Officials Assn

Member of the VA Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame

As a senior at W-L HS (1968), he scored 6 TDs in the final “Old Oaken Bucket” game 

Broke the VA HS state record in the shot put

At the U. of Cincinnati (1969-73), he rushed for 25 TDs (top 10 all-time)

Played in the NFL as a running back for the St. Louis Cardinals (1974) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (1974-1977, Super Bowl Champions in 1975 and 1976)

W-L HS (Class of 1943)

7-time National Champion Sprint Canoeist (1950-52, 1954, 1956-57 and 1961)

4-time Olympian, winning a silver medal (1948) and a gold medal (1952) in the 10,000 m singles

At the age of 77, he won six gold medals in his age group at the U.S. Masters National Championships

Sports Illustrated Top 50 Virginia Athlete of the 20th Century

W-L HS (Class of 1937)

At 16, he won his first National Canoe Tilting Championship

Member of the U.S. Olympic Canoe Team in 1940, 1944 and 1948 (5th place)

Won 19 Canoe National Championships, 12 of which were in Canoe Tilting

Set records and won multiple gold medals in Senior and Master Canoeing and Kayaking events 

Starred on two State Championship teams at W-L HS (1961-62 and 1962-63)

First team All-Met, All-State, Virginia’s Most Outstanding Player and All-American

Member of Princeton University’s Final Four NCAA team in 1964-65

Earned All-Ivy League honors 

Drafted by the NBA Boston Celtics in 1967

Led W-L’s 1965-66 basketball team to the State Championship

First team All-Met, All-State, Virginia’s Most Outstanding Player and All-American

Played at Princeton University, where he was captain of the 1970 team and All-Ivy League in 1968, ‘69 and ‘70

1st round NBA draft pick by the Buffalo Braves

Six-year NBA career with the Braves, Chicago Bulls and Seattle Supersonics

Won the Metropolitan Schoolboy Golf Championship as a senior at W-L HS (1952) 

Played golf at Wake Forest, where he captained the team to the ACC Championship in 1956 

Won multiple Virginia and National Amateur and Senior Championships over 4 decades 

Founder of the NoVA Amateur Championship 

Inducted into the W-L HS Sports Hall of Fame in 2018 

Pitched his W-L HS baseball team to three straight District Championships (1964-66)

Threw numerous one and no-hit games in high school

Eight-year MLB career as a starting pitcher with the Padres (1969-73), Reds (1974, 1975 World Series Champions) and Expos (1976)

75 MLB wins, 1,061 strikeouts, a 3.83 career ERA and a 15-win season (Padres, 1971)

One of Arlington’s best all-around athletes

Earned numerous All-Met, State, Region and District honors in football, basketball and baseball at Yorktown HS (Class of 1970)

1st player in Yorktown’s history to score 1,000 career points in basketball

Drafted by MLB’s Montreal Expos 

Played football (wide receiver) for Coach Bobby Bowden at West VA U., where he also played basketball and baseball

Starred in football, basketball and baseball at W-L HS, where he quarterbacked the undefeated football team in 1939

Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team in 1942, but his career was cut short by his service in WWII (1943-45)

Charter Member and Past President of the Arlington Better Sports Club

Attended Bishop J. O’Connell HS (Class of 1994)

Began boxing at the age of five; his professional career began with a TKO win in 1998

During an 18-year career, he held various WBC, WBU and NABU titles as both a welterweight and junior middleweight

His professional record was 39-6-2

Fan favorite on the first season of the popular boxing reality TV show, “The Contender”

Starting center on the 1953-54 basketball team at the University of Maryland

Varsity Basketball coach at W-L HS from 1956-73

His teams won 219 games and three State Championships (1961-62, 1962-63 and 1965-66)

Arlington Better Sports Club Coach of the Year in 1962

  Washington-Lee HS (Class of 1957)

Olympic Gold Medalist in 100-meter butterfly (1956)

Set several world and American records in 100-yard and 100-meter butterfly, and 400-meter individual medley

Swimming Hall of Fame (Inducted 1966)

As a Marine in the 1950’s, he played on the All-Service Soccer Team in Southern Europe
President (1975) and Executive Director
(1977-2010) of the Arlington Soccer Association
Led growth of the ASA to 400 youth soccer teams and more than 6,000 players over 33 years
Inducted into the ASA Hall of Fame (2009)
2009 Better Sports Club’s Sportsman of the Year
 

  Washington-Lee HS (Class of 1929)

Major League Baseball 1936-47

Seven-time All Star First Baseman(Reds, Browns, Athletics, Yankees)

1,588 Career Hits

World Series Champion 1947

Longtime gymnastics, football, track, tennis and basketball coach at Wakefield and Yorktown

He was instrumental in developing gymnastics as a varsity sport in Virginia

His boys gymnastics teams at Yorktown won 8 state titles from 1963-73

His football teams at Yorktown compiled an 85-63-7 record with district titles in 1967 and 1968

Arlington Better Sports Club’s Coach of the Year in 1969

W-L HS (Class of 1964)

Physical Education Teacher in Arlington County Schools for 32 years

Co-Founder and Coach of the Arlington Aerials Girls Gymnastics Team (1979)

The Arlington Aerials won 579 State Medals and 29 U.S. Regional Medals from 2005-2012 in the Junior Olympic Championships

VA State Chairman for USA Gymnastics

  Standout in both football and track & field at O’Connell HS (Class of 1985)

Played football at the University of Texas, where he was the SW Conference Player of the Year and 2nd Team All-American in 1987

NCAA Long Jump champion in 1986 and 1988

Drafted in the 1st round by the Cleveland Browns 

Finished his NFL career top 10 in All-Purpose yards

Long-time Arlington resident and local radio and television sportscaster

“Voice of the Redskins” at Griffith and RFK Stadiums for 44 years

“Voice of the Arlington Better Sports Club” as MC for the Club’s Annual Awards Banquet for 26 years

Pro Football Hall of Fame (1968)

Washington Redskins (1936-1941 & 1945; Ring of Fame)

All-Pro; NFL Champion (1937)

NFL Career: Caught 124 passes for 1,578 yards and 12 TDs

NFL All-Decade Team (1930’s)Consensus All-American at Notre Dame

College Football Hall of Fame 

  Basketball standout at Wakefield HS (Class of 1999) All-District and All-Met Honorable Mention her junior and senior years, and National District Player of the Year as a senior

At Christopher Newport University, she was named All-Conference all four years and Conference Player of the Year twice

Scored over 1,500 points in her collegiate career and was inducted into the CNU Hall of Fame 

 W-L HS (Class of 1970)

Teacher, Coach and Athletic Director at several local high schools

Better Sports Club Coach of the Year (1978– Stratford JH Wrestling Coach)

Named Virginia AAA Athletic Director of the Year (1999)

Served as President of the Virginia HS Athletic Directors Assn and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Assn 

  Excelled in football and baseball at W-L, winning the Al Harringer Award as Athlete of the Year in 1966

Three-year starter at running back at Randolph-Macon College; NCAA Small College Co-National Champion his senior year

A youth baseball coach and avid supporter of Arlington sports, he has served on the board of Babe Ruth Baseball, the Arlington Sports Commission, Arlington Sports Foundation, and Better Sports Club of Arlington

Played professionally in Minor Leagues as a pitcher, and also coached and managed 

W-L HS Varsity Baseball Coach (1959-87)

His teams had a record of 384-180 and won 19 District and 14 Regional titles

Also coached soccer, basketball, cross-country and rifle at W-L HS

Named Arlington Coach of the Year in 1972 by the Better Sports Club

Inducted into the Football 

Bishop O’Connell HS Girl’s Varsity Softball Coach and Asst Athletic Director (1980-2018)

His teams won a record 770 games and numerous WCAC and VA Independent State titles

His Under-18 Shamrocks Girls Travel Softball Team won a national championship in 2005

Better Sports Club’s Coach of the Year (1991)

Inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame 

  All-Met and McDonald’s All-American in basketball at W-L HS (Class of 1988)

Played 3 years at Duke University, where he was a member of its 1991 NCAA Championship team

Transferred to Dartmouth his senior year, where he was team MVP and 2nd Team All-Ivy League

After college, he played professionally in Europe for 13 years, and was a member of France’s National Team that won the silver medal in the 2000 Olympics

  Outstanding basketball player at W-L HS (Class of 1986)

Attended Dartmouth College, where he was 2nd Team All-Ivy League as a junior and 1st team as a senior

Played two seasons in the NBA with the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks

Played professionally overseas for a decade, after which he began a successful career as an advocate for athlete’s rights

Longtime supporter and sponsor of Arlington County youth activities

Named “Arlington Sportsman of the Year” by the Better Sports Club in 1967

Active Arlington civic leader, serving as Chairman of the County Board, President of the Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of the County School Board

All-State track athlete at W-L HS (1960)

Continued his track career at the College of William & Mary, where he was named the school’s Outstanding Senior Athlete, running the 220, 440 and 880 yard events

Distinguished track coaching career at William & Mary, West Point, and U. of Fla.

Athletics Director at William & Mary from 1985-1995

  Basketball, Baseball & Football Coach

George Washington University (Hall of Fame 1993)

In 24 seasons, his basketball team was 316-239

Southern Conference Champions (1954, 1961)

NCAA Tournament (1954, 1961)

Baseball team won four conference championships

All-Met in football, basketball and baseball at St. John’s College HS (1951-53)

Touchdown Club Prep School Player of the Year in 1953 and 1954

Three year starter at U. of Maryland as QB, Defensive Back and Kick Returner

O’Connell HS football, basketball and golf coach and Athletic Director (1959-64)

Arlington sports legend over four decades in swimming, soccer and triathlons

25 Gold Medals at the VA State Senior games in freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke

Nationally recognized soccer goalkeeper for local and state teams over nearly 40 years

Has completed 16 triathlons starting at age 50

92-4 record as coach of Williamsburg MS’s girls soccer team (1987-99) 

  Began his football career as a sophomore cornerback at W-L High School in 1960

An All-American at the University of Georgia, he set a record for career interceptions and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011 

Played 9 seasons in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins

5-time Pro Bowler and MVP of Super Bowl VII

All-State Wrestler at Yorktown HS (Class of 1969)

At East Carolina U., his record was 101-13-1 

Earned All-America status by finishing 5th in the USWF Open Nationals (1975)

Won 10 championship titles for ECU

Defeated 3 NCAA Div. 1 national champions

As a HS Wrestling Coach in NC, he coached a state championship team and three state runner-up teams in three decades

Led the W-L HS football team to the regional finals and a 9-1 record in 1975, playing tight end, linebacker and kicker

1975 District and Regional Player of the Year, All-Met in both offense and defense, All-State and a Parade All-American

Lettered all four years as a tight end at the University of Maryland 

Played professionally in the NFL as a tight end for 10 years, primarily with the San Diego Chargers

Athletic Director at WL (1964-1983)

Helped form the Virginia High School Athletic Directors Assn. and served as its first president

Inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1988

Played football at Shepherd University, where he was Athlete of the Year in 1958

Football, basketball and baseball coach and Athletic Director at Flint Hill School (1965-74)

Football and golf coach and Athletic Director at Bishop O’Connell HS (1974-2010)

Six-time WCAC and VIS Football Coach of the Year

Better Sports Club’s Sportsman of the Year (1992) and Coach of the Year (1995) 

  Three-time AAA VA HS state diving champion at Yorktown High School (Class of 2009) 

At the U of Texas, she was selected as an All-American 10 times, winning 10 conference championships and runner-up twice at the NCAA Championships 

On the USA Diving National Team, she reached the finals twice at the   

Olympic Trials, and represented the U.S. at the World Championships and Pan American Games

Arlington baseball and football coach and gridiron official 

His baseball teams won several Little Major league titles 

He coached the Arlington Optimist All-Stars baseball team to a state title in 1959

Named Arlington Coach of the Year in 1964 by the Better Sports Club 

  Excelled at football, basketball and baseball at Washington-Lee HS (Class of 1972)

1st Team All-Met at defensive back his senior year, setting all-time W-L record with 12 interceptions

Leading hitter and pitcher on State Runner-up baseball team; named Player of the Year in Potomac District and 1st Team All-Northern Region Played both football and baseball at UVA

As a pitcher at UVA, he was named 2nd Team All-ACC in 1974, and set the all-time ACC record with 19 strikeouts in a game

Recognized as a driving force behind the success of youth soccer in Arlington 

Founded the Potomac Kiwanis Soccer Club in 1969 and a key founding member of the Arlington Soccer Association in 1970

President of the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (1982-1985)

Inducted into the Virginia/DC Soccer Hall of Fame in 2001

  Arlington Little League Baseball Coach (1950’s– 1970’s)

His American Legion and Unlimited teams won numerous championships

Sponsor of Arlington youth sports teams 

MLB Scout for the San Diego Padres

Inducted into the Sandlot Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974

Arlington resident and Senior Triathlete

Won 12 National Championships in Duathlon and Triathlon

3-time age group World Champion in Long Distance Triathlon (2004, 2005, 2017)

At age 52, was part of a 4-woman team that won the Race Across America bike race (3,000 miles in 7 and 1/2 days)

At age 63, she won her age group in the Beach to Battleship Ironman (140.3 miles)

Arlington’s Champion Distance Runner

3-time Olympic Trials Qualifier in the Marathon (2004, 2008 and 2012)

4-time U.S.A. Track and Field’s Ultrarunner of the Year (2008-2011)

Seven USATF national championships in the 50K, 50 mile and 100K events

Set world record for fastest time for 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days

Native Arlingtonian and Outstanding Track and Cross Country Runner

At James Madison U., he won 3 CAA Individual Cross Country Championships (1987-89)

Set JMU records in the outdoor 1,500 meter and indoor 3,000 meter races

Competed on 5 U.S. National Teams (1991-96), including 2 World Half Marathon Championships (top U.S. finisher in 1995)

Outstanding soccer player who founded the Arlington Women’s Soccer League in 1977

Arlington Soccer Hall of Fame (1985)

Coached youth girls teams to great success at state, national and international competitions

Began competing in running events at the age of 51; has set many local senior sprint records and has ranked in the top 10 nationally in the Masters 50m, 100m and 200m races 

Longtime Arlington resident and runner, race organizer, race director and coach

Has completed over 200 marathons and 3,500 shorter races

Coach of Arlington’s Hershey Youth Track and Field Program (1987-1995)

Co-founder and Coach of the Potomac Valley Track Club Young Flyers

  Coached Football, Track, Wrestling and Softball at Stratford Junior HS and W-L HS (1950’s-1970’s)

His football teams at W-L won three No. VA Championships and one State Championship

Athletic Director at W-L (1964-1983)

Helped form the Virginia High School Athletic Directors Assn. and served as its first president

Inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1988