Geneva inductee Norm Urcheck noted that as important as the lessons of his participation in sports as a player with the Eagles and a coach at Maplewood High School had benefited him, the fact he placed such importance on his education, at Geneva and later at Bluffton College, proved of even greater value.

“Athletics can open some doors for you, but education opens doors down the hall to success,” the 1971 Geneva graduate said.

Urcheck admitted basketball had taught him a great deal, but he had learned other truths that impacted him even more.

“Basketball teaches you discipline and dedication, challenges you and helps you develop character,” he said. “But your family and friends are invaluable.

“My wife (of 24 years) Candy has always been there to support me. My daughter Carli just graduated from Bowling Green with a degree in education and wants to coach. I couldn’t be prouder of her.

“My mom and dad (Ruth and the late Walter) were always there through the ups and downs of my life. And my brother Gary and sister Carol taught me how to be a good person.”

But he numbers the lessons of his high school coach, inaugural ACBF Hall of Famer Bill Koval as special ones, too.

“I owe Coach Koval a great debt of gratitude,” Urcheck said. “It’s more than the relationship of a coach and player. Coaches really can make a great difference in your life.”

St. John inductee Bill Brosky put his own interpretation on a quote from Mark Twain as his words of advice to young players.

“Dance like nobody’s watching. Sing like nobody’s listening,” he said in referencing Twain, then added his own postscript. “Play like it’s your last game.”

As much as basketball put Brosky, a 1974 St. John graduate, on the road to his career as a dentist, he said it has given him even more important things.

“I’m so blessed to have great friends and a great family,” he said in acknowledging his wife, Gretchen, sons Nicholas and Griffin and daughter Colby, along with former teammates like Lou Valentic, who came from Georgia, and Jerry Lamm. “It’s humbling that so many people that I grew up with would take the time to be here for this. It’s been great to rekindle old friendships.

“I was blessed with a mother (the late Beatrice Brosky) who was my biggest fan and a dad (the late Earl Brosky) who helped me so much with the game. And then there’s my sister, Debbie (Kane), who is the real Hall of Famer in our family for all that she’s been through and come through.”

His high school coaches, ACBF Hall of Famers Don Cannell and Denny Berrier, was also on hand and drew their share of praise from Brosky, too.

“I look at all the people I’m joining in the Hall of Fame and it humbles me to even be in the same conversation with them,” he said. “I want to thank Coach Cannell and Coach Berrier for what they did for me.”

Brosky also had an interesting thought about the state of basketball.

“Really, I’m not that big a fan anymore,” he said. “The game is about dunking and playing above the rim now. We played the game below the rim. I hope the all-county kids learn to get back to the fundamentals.”

Grand Valley inductee Chris Hammon said he got a lot more from basketball than just playing the game, albeit later than even he might have expected.

“My biggest number is 28,” he said. “That’s not points I scored. It’s the number of years I’ve been married to my wife, Cheryl.”

That was quite ironic since Hammon and the former Cheryl Kennedy didn’t connect until quite a while after they both graduated from GV in 1975. It’s all the more ironic because basketball was important to her in high school as a fine player for the Mustang girls of Cyndy Thomas and was also a statistician for the GV boys.

“The best part was meeting Cheryl Kennedy at the game,” Hammon said. “The proudest day of my life was getting married to Cheryl. The second was when our son, Eric, was born.”

Hammon said he couldn’t have made the Hall of Fame without his high school coaches, Larry Osborne and the late Terry Marsh, and his teammates.

“I want to thank my teammates, Ken Lawrence and Andy Holloman (who later received a special award as a county official) in particular, for making this possible,” he said. “They reminded me the reason I got the points I did was because they worked so hard and blocked out to get the rebounds.”

Geneva graduate Larry Cumpston easily won the award for most persons in attendance with 40, some of whom may have pushed Brosky and Valentic for the guest traveling the farthest.

“I’m so thankful for my friends and family, especially my wife Ellen, who’s put up with me for 42 years,” the 1967 graduate said. “We’ve been blessed with two wonderful daughters and six grandchildren.

“I want to thank my teammates. I want to thank Mr. (Al) Bailey and Mr. Koval (both inaugural ACBF Hall of Famers) for what they did for me. I want to thank my friends who cheered us on, too.”

There was a burden on Cumpston’s heart for one particular missing person from the day, teammate Steve McHugh, who is in the midst of an ongoing battle with cancer. Cumpston’s mother, Janet, was also unable to attend.

“I’m not sure how miracles work, but please pray for one for Steve,” he said.

Conneaut inductee Tim Richards actually had advice for what today’s players will encounter as years roll along.

“All young people should appreciate after they graduate how the stories seem to improve,” he said.

He also was thinking about some of his old teammates.

“I’d like to see Jeff Puffer and Rob Ferl up here someday (for Hall of Fame induction),” the 1972 Conneaut alumnus said.



Attitude of gratitude

Richards actually was on the receiving end, too, part of a heartwarming tale just a few minutes before his speech in a story told by Conneaut’s ACBF Player of the Year candidate Josh Furmage of the impact Richards’ late father, Mike, had upon the youngster and how Tim Richards had picked up the torch when his father died in 2007.

Ashtabula’s latest inductee, Deora Marsh, who resides in Ireland, sent greetings to the event through his sister, Queenie Marsh.

“I was fortunate to be a part of a great team with great Hall of Famers in Tom Hill and David Benton,” the letter from the 1978 Ashtabula graduate said. “I also think Coach (Bob) Walters and Mr. (Adam) Holman (also in the Hall of Fame) meant so much to my life. And I want to thank my parents (Pearlie and Veora) for my upbringing.”

Mike Mucci accepted for his father Leo Mucci, a 1948 Conneaut graduate who died in 2003.

“My dad was a really humble guy,” Mike Mucci said. “He didn’t talk a lot about him. But I’m sure he’d be very happy today.”

Edgewood inductee Jeff Cicon acknowledged the debt he owes to his family and coaches, including ACBF Hall of Famers Al Goodwin and Jon Hall.

“I’d like to thank my family, especially my dad (Pete) and my coaches,” the 1980 Edgewood product said. “I think Coach Goodwin and I grew up together, and Coach Hall certainly meant a lot to my career.

Harbor inductee Joe Rich took a similar path.

“I’d like to thank my coaches and my teammates,” the 1987 graduate said. “I’d like to thank my family, too.”

Kim Hitchcock, Pymatuning Valley’s inductee, who joined her father, Bob, an inaugural ACBF Hall of Famer, in the organization.

“It’s a great honor to be in the Hall of Fame with my dad,” the 1991 PV grad said. “I want to thank our fans who supported us when I played.”

Dave Clark, a 1952 Harbor graduate, accepted the award for his Mariner classmate, Jim Landis, the former Star Beacon sports editor.

“I’m accepting this for my best friend,” he said. “I’m grateful to the people who have made this possible for Jim. I know he would be really proud.”