News
October 21, 2022
Athletic Hall of Fame Inducts New Class
Lindsay Frost-Bhasin
On Friday, October 14, the Dragon community celebrated the induction of five new members into the Glenelg Country School Athletic Hall of Fame. Ryland O. Chapman III, Brittney Jorgenson ʼ11, Griffin Keane ’15, Allison Hoke Thomas ’95, and Samantha Weinstein ʼ11 join a group of athletes, teams, coaches, and supporters who represent the best of Dragon athletics.
Inductee introductions to the GCS community occurred during the varsity field hockey team’s game against Catholic High School. Families, alums, faculty, and friends joined the inductees for a celebratory reception, followed by the induction ceremony in the GCS Athletic Center.
The Hall of Fame, established in 2017, honors individuals in the GCS community for their school athletics contributions. As Joey Sierzega, co-athletic director, commented during the induction ceremony, “[This] third class to enter the GCS Athletic Hall of Fame represents 25 years of dedication and support that helped lay the groundwork for steering GCS athletics to where it is today.”
The first inductee, Ryland Chapman III, former head of school, was introduced by Upper School teacher Walter Mattson. During his 17 years leading GCS, Chapman was a fixture on the sidelines of the school’s sporting events, a tireless supporter of Dragon athletics. He supported the growth of the athletics program by adding additional sports, promoting teams to higher and more competitive divisions, and improving facilities like the Athletic Center. Chapman was also responsible for introducing the Dragon mascot to GCS. According to Mattson, “when he came to GCS in 1990, Chapman saw a quaint and quirky athletic program with inadequate facilities. Its emphasis was basically to foster participation. But when he retired, Chapman left a school with up-to-date facilities and sports teams fit for serious competition. With these, he fostered schoolwide spirit and Dragon pride.” In his acceptance remarks, Chapman thanked students for letting him be their number one fan.
Allison Hoke Thomas ʼ95, by joining her sister, previous inductee Courtney Hoke Cox ʼ04, as the first sibling duo in the Athletic Hall of Fame. Former GCS teacher Dr. Patricia Ordonez ’80, who led the field hockey team to a championship in 1994, introduced Thomas. Sharing a scrapbook of the team’s successes, Ordonez noted news articles about the team became much more numerous after Thomas moved from defense to offense. Ordonez remembered not only Thomas’s prodigious goal-scoring but also her tireless work ethic, commitment to her teammates, and love of the game of field hockey. “Glenelg Country helped cultivate that love through school spirit and good coaches like Patty,” reflected Thomas. “Over the years, I have faced many challenges in my career,” she continued. “But the dedication, leadership, and perseverance I learned from playing sports at GCS helped me overcome and succeed.”
Jessica Dolan, co-athletic director, introduced three-sport athlete Brittney Jorgenson ʼ11, whom she coached in field hockey. Jorgenson also played basketball and lacrosse at GCS and was a competitive skier outside of school. “Brittney’s lacrosse IQ was one of the top in the league during her career at GCS,” noted Dolan. “She was reliable when the ball was in her stick, and you knew she would get the goal or find a way to set up her teammates for a score.” Jorgenson attributed her success on and off the field to the support she received from coaches and her family. “Coach Walton and Coach Dolan taught me so much about the kind of athlete and person I want to be,” she said.
Samantha Weinstein ʼ11 is a familiar face to our Middle School community, as she currently teaches seventh-grade science. Like her classmate and friend Jorgenson, Weinstein played field hockey and basketball, but lacrosse was her primary sport—she still holds the second and fourth GCS records for career goals scored and goals scored in a season, respectively. Yet, how she handled a knee injury in her senior year set her apart. “I will never forget how she carried herself as a teammate and supporter while recovering and unable to join her teammates on the field,” reflects Dolan. Weinstein thanked her coaches and teammates for their support and encouragement in her remarks. “My favorite memories at GCS happened on the lacrosse and field hockey fields or the basketball court,” she stated, “and to be recognized for what I left on those fields is something for which I will be forever proud. But I am prouder of the skills and lessons I learned from my coaches and teammates.”
The ceremony concluded with the posthumous induction of Griffin Keane ʼ15. Randy Beckford, a former Upper School humanities teacher, spoke about Keane’s love of sports and competition, his dedication to his teammates and friends, and the lessons learned from how he lived and played. “When it is time to leave,” Beckford noted, “make sure you have left it all on the field.” Keane’s parents, Thomas and Dana, accepted the award on their son’s behalf. The Keanes thanked teachers, coaches, friends, and the GCS community for their support.
The names of the Athletic Hall of Fame members are featured on a display wall at the entrance to the GCS Athletic Center. Past inductees include Courtney Hoke Cox ’04, Kirsten Blalock Gnipp ’92, Mary and Kingdon Gould, Jr., Herbie Hoffman ’79, William Gregory Koffel ’03, Lindsay Menton ‘09, Claire McAuliffe ’11, Anne Shippen ’04, James “Jimmy” Tangires ’10, Matthew Woodford ’00, and Mark Zimmerly ’92.
