Receiving a hearty round of applause was UCSB basketball star Orlando Johnson, who recently withdrew his name from consideration for the NBA Draft to try to lead the Gauchos to their third consecutive NCAA tournament in 2012. The final awards of the night went to almost 50 high school and college athletes for outstanding performances during the year. Crandell, known for his verbosity and wit, said: “I’d like to surprise my severest critics by saying, I love you all, and good night.” When he was introduced Monday night by emcee Marc Jacobs, a former Gaucho volleyballer, Preston said, “It feels like I just hit a career-ending, walk-off grand slam.”Īnother highlight was the speech by Larry Crandell, one of the early SBART leaders, who received a special award from Catharine Manset Morreale, outgoing president of the all-volunteer organization. The last class he recruited took the Gauchos all the way to the 2011 NCAA championship game. Ken Preston, who retired after 30 years as the UCSB men’s volleyball coach, has had a rewarding year. They worked to fund the Elings Aquatic Center at Dos Pueblos High even though their children had graduated by the time it was completed. “It’s about the fiber of the people.”Īffirming that statement were representatives of the South Coast Community Aquatic Center. “Santa Barbara is not about the nice weather,” Pintard said. He remembered how the community rallied around his cancer-stricken son, Eric, at a UCSB basketball game 18 years ago. Foresters, the summer baseball team he has managed since 1995. “This community will always be part of me,” said Shotwell, allowing that he might have to win the lottery to live here.īill Pintard has spread goodwill as far as Cuba with the S.B. Kyle Shotwell, a Dos Pueblos football standout, harkened back to the Friday after 9/11, when the Chargers ran onto the field behind the American flag and held hands with their opponents from Santa Maria. Omel Nieves described his junior year at San Marcos, when the Royals lost all their league basketball games, as “just torturous.” Valley Club golf pro Scott Puailoa, a former three-sport star at San Marcos, joined his late father, Satini Puailoa Sr., inducted as a coach in 1983. Linnea Mendoza Meister went from the Santa Barbara High volleyball court to Big Ten stardom at Michigan. Softball star Jenny (Santos) Lafferty recalled her “Kirk Gibson moment” when she hit a game-winning home run in a Little League game. The induction of seven new Hall of Fame members was the heart of the program. Grateful recipients stretch the time limits of their acceptance speeches to acknowledge their coaches, teammates, teachers, and families. Dozens of trophies and scholarships are handed out. It’s like an Academy Awards show for the sports community. The Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table (SBART) staged its 44th annual Hall of Fame Banquet on Monday night. Rick Wilson, Draper & Kramer Mortgage Corp.Ken Preston, Scott Puailoa, Omel Nieves, Jenny (Santos) Lafferty, Linnea Mendoza Meister, Bill Pintard, Kyle Shotwell Paul Wellman.Jim Callahan, Compass Real Estate (Sponsor of the Special Olympics Award).Dave Pintard, Pintard Commercial (Sponsor of the Phil Womble Ethics Award).Marc Gamberdella, The Gamberdella – Spruill Group at Merrill Lynch (Sponsor of the Scholar Athlete of the Year Award).The Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table wishes to thank its Members, especially the Platinum, Founders and Regal Members that support our weekly luncheons.Īlso thank you to the following Sponsors: Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Concussion Clinic Maho & Prentice, Santa Barbara Injury Attorneys If you are unable to attend in person, you may watch a live stream of the press luncheon on our Facebook page! Click here for more information and a copy of the press luncheon schedule. SBART is excited to continue our long tradition of Press Luncheons at Harry’s Plaza Cafe! We hope you will join us to recognize and support our local student-athletes.
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