Donnellson, IA- The Central Lee Community School District has inducted three new members to its Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023.
The first inductee is coach Don Ford. You would be hard pressed to miss him at any Hawks sporting event as Ford coached six different sports in the span of over three decades.
Ford’s most notable achievement was founding the volleyball program and then holding the position of head coach for 31 years. Ford’s leadership led to nine conference titles in just a decade and personal recognition with multiple conference coach of the year awards.
Moreover, Ford was the head basketball coach for 11 years, spent 10 years as an assistant coach, was the head coach of girls’ track and softball for 10 years, spent a year on the football staff, and volunteered as the head girls’ golf coach for three years.
Ford has demonstrated unwavering support for Central Lee’s extracurricular activities, including school plays, show choir, band, and more. His mentorship has empowered countless young individuals to develop their skills and self-confidence, both on and off the field.
The second nominee is Jeff Brisby. A three-sport athlete, Brisby excelled in all of them with first-team all-conference honors in football, basketball, and baseball. Additionally, Brisby garnered all-state recognition in all three sports along with being named to the All-Hawkeye Land team in baseball and basketball.
Brisby’s most impressive season of basketball included an average of 22 points and nine rebounds per game for his senior season. On the diamond, Brisby batted 0.380 and tallied a 10-1 record on the mound with a sub-1.00 ERA. Brisby led the conference in tackles for football.
The third nominee is Christy Schrader (Holtkamp), another standout three-sport athlete. Her career stats for basketball are quite impressive with 1,311 points, 733 rebounds, and an amazing 273 blocks, which ranks among the top 50 in the history of girls’ Iowa high school basketball.
Her 1993 season saw Schrader score 550 points, collect 303 rebounds, and average 5.27 blocks per game
In addition to her contributions to basketball, Schrader showcased her talents in volleyball and golf. Off the fields and courts, Schrader demonstrated leadership by serving as president of the student council.
“We take immense pride in acknowledging the exceptional achievements of these outstanding student-athletes and coaches whose remarkable contributions continue to inspire our athletic community,” said Dr. Andy Crozier, Central Lee Superintendent. “This year, we celebrate two versatile, multisport athletes and an exemplary six-sport coach. We look forward to reuniting with these distinguished individuals and honoring their accomplishments together.”
Community members, families, staff, and alumni are encouraged to nominate individuals for Hall of Fame recognition. To be eligible for nomination, individuals must have graduated from Central Lee schools or have been a staff member and should be at least five years removed from their association with the district. A committee reviews all nominations and determines each year’s inductees. Central Lee also has Academic and Fine Arts Halls of Fame.
The Central Lee Community School District’s Hall of Fame ceremony to honor the 2022 and 2023 inductees will take place on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at Central Lee High School.