Daniel Pototsky

Daniel Pototsky began playing baseball in Arlington in 1969. In 1972, he received the Arlington Better Sports Club’s Outstanding Player award for youth baseball. In 1977, he helped Washington-Lee High School to a regional championship and was selected All-Met and All State. In the Clark Griffith Collegiate League in 1979, he went 5 for 5 with four home runs, two right-handed and two left-handed. Collegiately, he played for the University of Kentucky where he earned All SEC honors in 1980 and was an All-SEC tournament selection in 1981. He took over the coaching helm from Del Norwood at Washington-Lee in 1987. In 1992, he was named Washington Home Plate Club Coach of the Year and, in 1994, was selected Coach of the Year by the Better Sports Club.

Pototsky began a long and rewarding teaching career in the Arlington Public Schools in 1987, primarily teaching at Carlin Springs and Ashlawn where he was named Teacher of the Year in 2005. After retirement, he coached Arlington Senior Babe Ruth All Star teams winning five state championships beginning in 2014 and the last in 2023. Two of those teams made it to the Babe Ruth World Series.

Presently, he coaches with his son Dane in the Potomac Collegiate League and plays in a couple of adult baseball leagues where he managed to hit a home run over the fence at Lake Braddock at the age of 63. He’s thankful to the coaches he had like Norwood, Sam Fox, Tim Hill, Keith Madison, and many others. He feels very lucky to have grown up in Arlington and, especially, to have been part of the Arlington Public Schools as a student and teacher.

John Randolph is a 1960 graduate of Washington Lee, where as an athlete he excelled in indoor & outdoor track and cross country. John continued his track career at William & Mary, running the 220, 440 and 880 events. After serving as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, John returned to his alma mater in 1967 to begin his distinguished coaching career capturing many Southern Conference and Virginia State championships. He became track coach at West Point in 1976, where his teams compiled a record of 54-4 in three years. For the next six years he headed the track program at the University of Florida during which time he also served as chairman of the U.S. Men's Olympic Development Committee, the group that prepared track and field athletes for the 1984 Olympics.

John served as Athletic Director at William & Mary from 1985 until 1995, when he died of cancer at the age of 53.

William Reinhart was the dean of coaches in local colleges and universities while at George Washington University, where he coached basketball, baseball and football. A resident of Arlington, he helped many athletes gain stardom from his tutelage. 

While he compiled a 193-133 baseball record and a 16-17-1 mark in football, it was in basketball that he earned a national reputation as an outstanding coach. In 24 seasons (1935-1942 & 1949-1966), his teams were 316-239, with 16 winning seasons in his first 18 years. His 1954 and 1961 teams made the NCAA Tournament after winning Southern Conference championships. His baseball teams won four conference championships. A champion throughout his athletic career, he was selected to the Helms Basketball Hall of Fame in 1956.

A collection of papers and memorabilia related to Reinhart is housed in the Special Collections Research Center of George Washington University, where he was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1993. 

He coached Red Auerbach at GW who once said Reinhart’s coaching and fast-break offenses were “15 years ahead of their time.”  He died in 1971.

Bob Rusevlyan played varsity baseball, basketball and football at SI. John's High School, in D.C., 1951-1953. Bob was All-Metropolitan in all three sports as a junior and senior, and received the Touchdown Club award as the Prep School Player of the Year in 1953 and 1954. As a senior, Bob was elected captain of all three teams and was named Scholastic Sports Association Football Player of the Year as well as Athlete of the Year.

Bob accepted a football scholarship to the University of Maryland in 1954 and became a three-year starter as quarterback, defensive back and kick returner. He still holds the Terps record for most minutes played in a career and twice played 60 minutes in a game during his senior year. Bob received the Terps Coaches Award as Defensive Back of the Year in 1957 and 1958, and Offensive Back of the Year in 1958, when he was named All-ACC.  As a senior, Bob received the A V. Williams Award given to the Outstanding Citizen/Scholar/Athlete and the TEKE Trophy (now known as the Terrapin Club Award) as the student who, during his four years at the university, rendered the greatest service to football.

In 1959, Bob accepted a football coaching positon at O'Connell and remained head coach for five years, gaining a reputation as an outstanding football strategist. In 1960, he became head basketball coach, winning two state Catholic League Championships in 1962 and 1963. In 1961, Bob became athletic director and head golf coach. His golf teams were undefeated 1962 through 1964. In 1964 he left O’Connell to go into the banking business.

From 1970 to 1982, Bob was a highly successful coach in the Arlington County youth baseball and basketball programs. His teams won numerous county championships in both sports.

Bob Rusevlyan played varsity baseball, basketball and football at SI. John's High School, in D.C., 1951-1953. Bob was All-Metropolitan in all three sports as a junior and senior, and received the Touchdown Club award as the Prep School Player of the Year in 1953 and 1954. As a senior, Bob was elected captain of all three teams and was named Scholastic Sports Association Football Player of the Year as well as Athlete of the Year.

Bob accepted a football scholarship to the University of Maryland in 1954 and became a three-year starter as quarterback, defensive back and kick returner. He still holds the Terps record for most minutes played in a career and twice played 60 minutes in a game during his senior year. Bob received the Terps Coaches Award as Defensive Back of the Year in 1957 and 1958, and Offensive Back of the Year in 1958, when he was named All-ACC.  As a senior, Bob received the A V. Williams Award given to the Outstanding Citizen/Scholar/Athlete and the TEKE Trophy (now known as the Terrapin Club Award) as the student who, during his four years at the university, rendered the greatest service to football.

In 1959, Bob accepted a football coaching positon at O'Connell and remained head coach for five years, gaining a reputation as an outstanding football strategist. In 1960, he became head basketball coach, winning two state Catholic League Championships in 1962 and 1963. In 1961, Bob became athletic director and head golf coach. His golf teams were undefeated 1962 through 1964. In 1964 he left O’Connell to go into the banking business.

From 1970 to 1982, Bob was a highly successful coach in the Arlington County youth baseball and basketball programs. His teams won numerous county championships in both sports.

Jake Scott came to Arlington County’s Buckingham neighborhood from Georgia as he was starting high school and his illustrious football career began at Washington - Lee High School where he played cornerback under legendary coach John Youngblood. Although he transferred to Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland in his senior year, he was later inducted into the W-L Sports Hall of Fame. Following high school, he earned a football scholarship to the University of Georgia, where he was the SEC player of the year and a consensus All- American as a defensive back his junior year. He was inducted in his alma mater’s Hall of Fame.

After a year in the Canadian Football League with the British Columbia Lions, he joined the National Football League’s Miami Dolphins as a free safety and punt returner. With the Dolphins, he was a five time All Pro and was selected as the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl VII, having intercepted two Billy Kilmer passes for the 17- 0 Miami Dolphins in their victory over the Washington Redskins. Fittingly, he finished his 13 year NFL career as a Washington Redskin. 

Thereafter, he lived in Hawaii as a life- long bachelor and free spirit, running a charter fishing business. He passed away at age 75, diagnosed, as have been many NFL players, with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is caused by repeated hits to the head.

Eric went to school in Arlington, kindergarten through high school and attended Washington-Lee (1973-1976), where he lettered in football, basketball and track. Eric was All-Met, All-State and Parade All-American in football. He represented W-L at Boys State, was a Who's Who in Nation’s High Schools, received the AI Harringer Memorial Award as W-L's Most Outstanding Athlete and was the 1976 Better Sports Club Athlete of the Year.

Eric accepted a scholarship to the University of Maryland in 1976. He graduated with a B.S. in Business Management in 1980. He lettered four years and played in the Cotton, Hall of Fame, Sun and Tangerine Bowls. Eric received the Outstanding Blocker award following the 1978 and 1980 seasons. He was selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl following his senior year and was awarded the 1980 A. V. Williams Memorial Award given to the Outstanding Citizen/Scholar/Athlete.

Eric played ten seasons in the National Football League. In 1981, he was drafted by the San Diego Chargers where he played for eight seasons. In 1981, he was named to the NFL All-Rookie team. He played one season for the Los Angeles Rams and completed his pro career with the New England Patriots. With the Patriots in 1989, Eric led all AFC tight ends in receptions with 54 and received the Patriots’ Unsung Hero Award.

Eric has received many awards for community service including: 1984, 1985 Good Scout Award; 1985, 1986 Jaycee's Outstanding Young Citizen finalist; 1985 Chargers NFL "Lite" Man of the Year; 1987 San Diego Health Citizen of the Year; 1986, 1987 nominee for the NFL Byron "Whizzer" White Humanitarian Award; 1987 Chargers Ed Block Courage Award winner; and 1987 Childhelp U.S.A. Award finalist. Eric raised over $150,000 with the "Sievers Receivers" Pledge Program for St. Vincent DePaul Homeless Center. He boxed an exhibition match with then Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes to raise money for an injured San Diego boxer. He served as Vice President of the Southern California Kidney Foundation. Eric has been a member of the United Way Speakers Bureau since 1984, and has filmed NFL United Way spots for the Chargers in 1985 and for the Patriots in 1990. Eric also served on the Board of Directors for "Winners Say No to Drugs, Inc."

Darrell Snyder exemplifies the attributes of the student-athletes that are honored by the Better Sports Club and Arlington Sports Hall of Fame. He attended Weirton High School in West Virginia where he was named All-State in both football and baseball his senior year. He also was president of the senior class. Darrell received a football scholarship to attend Shepherd College, now Shepherd University, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. In his freshman year, Darrell played on the only unbeaten football team in the history of the college as the Rams went 10-0. As a senior, in 1958, he was named Shepherd College's Athlete of the Year.

Darrell came to Northern Virginia in the early 1960's and served as the athletic director at Flint Hill School (1965-1974), where he also was the varsity football, basketball and baseball coach. In 1974, Darrell moved to O'Connell where he started out as the head football coach of the varsity football team and compiled a 55-33 record before stepping down in 1981. Darrell returned as head football coach from 1994 to 2002, and finished his football coaching career with an overall record, including Flint Hill, of 180-116-2.

In 1980, Darrell was named athletic director at O'Connell. He also took over as coach of the golf team and, through this year, the golf team has a 30-year record of 290-146. His teams won two Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships (1992 & 2000) and six Virginia Independent Schools state championships (1983, 1985, 1992-1994 and 2000) and he was recognized as VIS Coach of the Year each of those years.

In football, Darrell was named WCAC Coach of the Year in 1994 and 2000, and was named VIS Coach of the Year in 1976, 1979, 1981 and 1994. Darrell was named WCAC Athletic Director of the Year for 1995-1996. The Better Sports Club named him Sportsman of the Year in 1992 and Coach of the Year in 1995.

Warren W. “Woody” Taylor was involved in the Arlington sports scene for over forty years. He was a championship youth baseball and football coach. As manager of Vet Vans and Arlington Motors in the 1950's and 1960's, his teams won several Little Major league titles and he coached the Arlington Optimist All-Stars to a state title in 1959. He was named Arlington Coach of the Year in 1964. 

Woody had a keen affinity for the game of football. He coached the Arlington Optimist 115 lbs youth football team and spent many years as a gridiron official and member of the Board of the Northern Virginia Football Officials Association. In 1992, Woody became only the second person to be inducted into the Football Officials Hall of Fame. Woody was past president of the Better Sports Club in 1965, and received its Billy Castleberry Award in 1969 as Outstanding Member.