Fifteen athletes and two coaches will be inducted into Cherry Hill East’s Athletic Hall of Fame on Nov. 26 at Indian Spring Country Club.
For the first year since its inception seven years ago, the hall of fame committee will induct athletes who graduated after 2000.
“Up to this year, we only inducted athletes that graduated up to 2000, because there were so many of them,” said committee chair Fred Belchikoff. “And we’re still at the point where we have so many athletes we have to look at.”
The athletes from East are:
- Todd Barrett (Class of ‘85), Soccer, Baseball
- Theresa Cattuna (Class of ‘07), Cross Country, Track
- John Coen, (Class of ‘90), Football, Track
- Jackie Herb (Class of ‘05), Tennis
- Margie Krzeminski (Class of ‘87), Soccer
- Elyse Mitchell (Class of ‘03), Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Track
- John Newcomb (Class of ‘80), Tennis, will be inducted posthumously.
- Tara Owens (Class of ‘92), Field Hockey, Lacrosse
- Cathy Richter (Class of ‘03), Tennis, Softball
- Kevin Roche (Class of ‘97), Volleyball, Cross Country
- Chris Santo (Class of ‘11), Basketball
- Ryan Shore (Class of ‘03), Swimming
- Debbie Wilkinson (Class of ‘84), Swimming
- Kim Wilkinson (Class of ‘82), Swimming
- Ravi Yega-Raman (Class of ‘08), Tennis
Also honored will be girls tennis coach Dave Cole and boys soccer and boys and girls volleyball coach Karl Moehlmann.
The East hall of fame committee was formed in 2015 to honor the district’s athletic director, Ginny Whitaker, as the hall’s first contributor after she had passed away earlier that year.
“There were four of us who were driving down to her funeral,” Belchikoff recalled. “We were talking about it for years that we should have a hall of fame. We were really upset that we didn’t. We said we were going to try and find a group of people and get it done because it needed to be done.”
In the end, about 13 people ended up forming the committee, which was made up of retired faculty members and parents.
“I said to them at the first meeting, ‘The only thing that’s going to get this done is our commitment,’” Belchikoff said. “‘When it’s time to get this done, you need to be committed.’ They committed themselves and we got it done.”
The committee now has 15 members including alumni, who consider nominations from all athletic teams the fall, winter and spring. Of those, 15 people are inducted each year.
“It’s based upon their accomplishments at Cherry Hill East,” Belchikoff said of the inductees. “What they did after they graduated East is above and beyond, but the reason they are inducted is because of their outstanding accomplishments at East.”
Tickets for the 11:30 a.m. banquet are $50 per person or $15 per child. Those interested in attending should send name and address to Belchikoff at 45 Lakeview Drive, Cherry Hill, or email him at [email protected].
Nominees must have graduated from East after attending for a minimum of two years, and must be graduates of a minimum 10 years. To nominate an athlete, request a form from Belchikoff at (609) 472-8093 or email him at the above address.
