ELLICOTT CITY, MD – In honor of July’s National Park and Recreation Month, Howard County Recreation & Parks (HCRP) has revealed the name of the six newest inductees of the Howard County Community Sports Hall of Fame: Judy DeJong, Tim Krause, Eric McLamb, Vernon Seibert, Don Van Deusen and Laura Wetherald. Each year, the Community Sports Hall of Fame honors outstanding individuals for their commitment or notable contribution to community sports in Howard County.
Howard County is known for its youth sports programming and opportunities, and a large part of that sucess is due to the time, energy, and dedication of these outstanding six inductees. At the end of the day, their commitment to our community has positively improved the lives of hundreds of young residents and inspired many more.
Thanks to our volunteers and community leaders, Recreation & Parks is able to offer first-class programs to our residents and abroad. The experiences, talent and enthusiasm of these individuals, provides immeasurable opportunities to those they work and interact with.
One of the founders of the Volleyball House and former Volleyball House Inc.’s Board Chairman, Judy DeJong is considered the beating heart of Howard County’s recreational volleyball and indoor soccer scenes.
For more than 27 years, Tim Krause has volunteered his time with the Western Howard County Youth Baseball/Softball League, serving as a coach, official and umpire coordinator. In 2010, he was awarded Howard County’s GoodSports Award for his integrity and excellence as a sports official.
A man of many hats, Eric McLamb has served a number of roles within the Howard County Youth Program’s (HCYP) basketball leagues and programs, including volunteering as a travel and recreation coach, league commissioner and program director. He is also the creator of the HCYP Basketball Officials Certification Program, an accreditation process that trains individuals, 13 and older, on the fundamentals of officiating, mechanics, rules application and professional ethics.
Vernon Seibert, who passed away in 2013, began his athletic career as a running back, defensive player and later defensive coordinator at the University of Maryland. A beloved local educator and Howard County resident for more than 50 years, Vernon helped create one of the first local summer recreation programs in 1965. He also was instrumental in the formation of the Howard County Old Timers softball and basketball programs.
Since the early 1970s, Don Van Deusen has served as a teacher, coach and athletic director in Howard County and is the recipient of several high school Coach of the Year awards. He helped to launch the Allied Golf Program in coordination with the Howard County Public School System in 2015, which teaches disabled students the fundamentals of golf and gives them opportunities to play on county courses. Don currently serves as the Executive Director of First Tee – Howard County.
HCRP Bureau Chief of Recreation Laura Wetherald passed away this past February and in the wake of her passing, left an immeasurable impact on sports and recreation activities in Howard County. Among her many professional accomplishments, the County’s annual Celebration of Sports ceremony and the Community Sports Hall of Fame were both created under Laura’s leadership.
The 2021 induction ceremony will take place at the 18th annual Celebration of Sports on Tuesday, October 19th at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center. Tickets are $42 each or $420 for a table of 10. To RSVP or purchase tickets, please call 410-313-1691 or email mblevins@howardcountymd.gov.
To learn more about the Community Sports Hall of Fame, visit www.hcrpsports.org/halloffame.