School board approves MCHS Sports Hall of Fame

ANDERSON — Members of the school board approved district athletic director Bo Bergen’s recommendation to establish a “Hall of Fame” display for McDonald County High School’s elites. On Thursday, March 9, Bergen explained who would be eligible and how the selection process will work.

Bergen stood before the board, seeking approval to adopt the bylaws and begin construction of the McDonald County High School Athletic “Hall of Fame” display.

Standing alongside Bergen was former MCHS Principal Kim Harrell, who “has played a significant role in drafting these bylaws.”

Present at the meeting were president Frank Woods, vice-president Josh Banta and board members Andy McClain, Dennis Bergen, Bobby Parish II, John Carlin, Bob Campbell and superintendent Mark Stanton.

Bergen says the school district has had a lot of success in the past few years and believes the accomplishments of the athletes and coaches need to be recognized for the hard work they put in their respective fields.

A selection committee will govern the Hall of Fame. The athletic director and principal, through an application or nomination process, will choose the committee. It will have seven voting members: the principal, the athletic director, a school board member, and four members of the community.

Citizens might ask themselves: “Do I have a part in the nomination process?”

According to Bergen, “nominations can be made by any of the following: the committee, a current or former staff member, any alumnus or any community member. So that pretty much covers anybody in the county. There’s definitely a process that they have to follow.”

For example, word-of-mouth recommendations or personal opinions aren’t enough to induct someone into the hall of fame.

There will be an official nomination form that people will need to file. After the vote takes place, any nominees who weren’t selected will remain on the ballot for two years unless they received less than 10 percent of the vote.

The committee will meet at least once a year and select candidates based on the criteria.

“The final highlight is the induction ceremony,” said Bergen. “I want to do this right. I want it to be a really special thing. And in order to do that, we have to have a nice ceremony.”

The award ceremony will be a banquet with catered meals, awards, and flowers for the tables.

One faculty member asked if they would consider displaying “a big screen TV, and a plaque … (so) it wouldn’t take up (too) much room.” Bergen and Harrell said they looked into the matter and realize that it would eventually cost more than setting up a permanent display case because of the recurring costs. For example, the software to run the TV displays would require a subscription fee, which could cost at least $1,000 per year. This doesn’t include the initial cost of the machine.

The school board approved the plan. Residents may want to keep an eye out for their city’s sports elites because one day, someone they know might make it into the McDonald County Hall of Fame.