Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame Weekend

Friday-Sunday, June 5-7, 2015:

Our return and acclimation to America would not be a gradual one, as our first weekend home would be a family reunion of sorts revolving around Sunday's Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

Hall of Fame Program

For some reason a bit unclear to me, I was one of the five people being inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.

It is, needless to say, a great honor and I was humbled by the whole event.

A good thing about this ceremony is that it gave members of our family a chance to get together for a few days which is always a fun time.

Andy being attacked by Kevin and Jacob

at Mike and Vanessa's home

Kevin's new hairdo

Kevin challenging the slide at our

nearby park . . .

. . . MANY times

Andy and Kevin testing the strength

of the park's swing set

Kevin has balance!

Kevin, Jacob, toys and the

Juventus-Barça game . . . life is GOOD!

Andy with the kids in the back yard

Mike was with them too

Kevin passing the ball to Jacob

Kevin in serious iPad mode

Hall of Fame 2015 Inductees

From L. to R.,

Jack Kocur: All-American Water Polo player at Royal H.S. and Pepperdine University, eventually the Head Water Polo Coach at Pepperdine and a member of the coaching staff for the USA's Men's Water Polo team

Roger Evans: Long time Cross Country and Track and Field coach at Simi Valley H.S.  He had two CIF Championship Cross Country teams (2011 & 2013) and also a State Championship team in 2013.

Eric Reynolds: One of the greatest distance runners in California sports history at Camarillo H.S., he was the State Champion in the 3200 meters in 1982 and 1983. He was also a CIF Champion in Cross Country in 1982.

Me: See what I mean, how did I get in with this crowd?

Woody Woodburn: An award winning journalist who worked for several years at the Ventura Star-Free Press. He is also extremely active raising funds for underprivileged children.

It was good to have the support of friends and family on this day to be sure.

The Murphy Clan was in the house

Tori, Tim, Debi and Cyndy

Carl Stack and Tony Ponticelli

From our 1978-80 Westlake H.S. teams

Jim Parker and Derry Eads

Two of the best sportswriters

in county history

Andy, Mike and Vanessa

Linda, my Mom and Marilyn

Koreen and Brian FitzGerald

Hall of Fame Track and Field coach Brian FitzGerald is the Athletic Director at Rio Mesa H.S. and is the person who nominated me for induction.

Andy Andreolli

I coached with Andy at Westlake H.S. back in the 1980s. He is now the Athletic Director at Royal H.S.

Laurie and me

George Hurley reading a flattering

letter that Julien Urgenti wrote

Incredibly kind words that I will cherish forever.

My acceptance speech

The Hall of Fame plaque

I accepted it and ran as fast as I could before they changed their minds.

THANK YOU to everyone who had a hand in this honor and to all of you who came to the ceremony!