District Names Six Inductees to Athletic Hall of Fame

The Athletic Department inducted six people into its athletic hall of fame Saturday morning before homecoming as part of it’s annual tradition, including a locally renowned cross-country coach and a championship team.

and his 2000 boys cross-country team were honored by the athletic department for their outstanding performance on and off the track. They were honored separately along with former Bayport-Blue Point High School students Katrina Svoboda (Class of 2001), Deborah Iden Huberty (Class of 1992), Mike Voyack (Class of 1972) and John Adams (Class of 1985).

Each inductee was presented with a plaque and a place on the wall of fame outside the high school gym as friends and coaches shared words of praise for each new hall of famer.

The program honoring stellar athletic accomplishments started four years ago as the brainchild of Timothy Mullins, the district’s athletic director. “The hall of fame recognizes those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the athletic programs at Bayport-Blue Point though their participation as athletes, coaches and administrators,” Mullins said.

Mullins said Bayport has always respected and appreciated the sportsmanship, dedication, commitment and loyalty of its athletic teams and was proud to honor them by creating the Hall of Fame.

Jim March, president of the Board of Education, said he was proud of the program because it was a way to congratulate inductees on the “grace and dignity that they perform with every day.”

Alex Lipsky and Connor Farrell, members of the 2000 boys cross-country championship team, said they were surprised and humbled to be awarded the honor of being inducted into the hall of fame.

“The year 2000 cross-country team did an amazing job,” Lipsky said. “We all worked as a team to reach that goal.”

Farrell said he worked extremely hard to be successful and even hold a NYS record for the 800m run. “That’s why being inducted here as a team is great because it was really all of us helping each other out,” he said.

Both Lipsky and Farrell sang praise for their cross-country coach Roger Kauffman, admitting none of their success would have been possible without his motivation and support. “He knew how to push us, he was the catalyst,” Lipsky said. “We learned how to push each other hard every day because of him.”

Take a look at some of the incredible accomplishments earned by this years inductees:

2000 Boys Cross-Country Team:

New York State Class B champions

 

Coach Roger Kauffman:

NYS Champions- 1999, 2000

NYS Runner Up- 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2010

Suffolk County Champions- 13 times

Division Champions- 14 times

Katrina Svoboda:

NYS Class B champion- 2000 for the triple jump and 2001 for the 400H and long jump

Deborah Iden Huberty:

2004 & 2000 Track and Field Olympic Team Trials 20km Racewalk participant

2004 5km Racewalk National Champion

2006 30km Racewalk National Champion

Mike Voyack:

Football- NYS National Guard Sportsman of the Year

Basketball- All league 1972, honorable mention 1971

NCAA Basketball coach for 20+ years

John Adams:

Football- All county, all league 1983 and 1984

Baseball- All league 1984 and 1985

Captain in both