Sports
Bird athletes and coaches to be immortalized in school's hall of fame.
By Nick DeRatto
Sep 17, 2008 - 9:12:00 AM

Chevette Waller (right) is one of the 11 inductees to be inducted into the first class of L.C. Bird’s athletic hall of fame, started by Bird athletic director Ron Paquette (left).

Even 25 years later, former L.C. Bird wrestler Daniel Beasley remembers the feeling of winning the state championship in 1983. Clocking in at 185 pounds, Beasley was the underdog in the match, unexpectedly pulling out the win in a crucial situation.

“I don’t think anyone expected me to win, but I held on through the third period and went on to be the state champion,” says Beasley. “As soon as the match was over, I took off on a dead sprint to coach [Jim] Copp and jumped right into his arms. He had done so much for me and I learned so many great lessons.”

Though his high school wrestling days are long behind him, Beasley will soon have the opportunity to once again relive that glory. On September 27, Beasley will be one of 11 former Bird athletes and coaches to be immortalized in the school’s new sports hall of fame.

“We have had a lot of great athletes over the past 30 years here at Bird,” says Ron Paquette, Bird athletic director. “This is a great way for us to recognize them.”

Among those to be recognized include Beasley, Mike Williams, Marjorie Bessler, Jake Clarke, Chevette Waller, Quincy Waller, Brian West, Tom Hall, Billy Sinclair, Doug Chapman, and Dutch Schrotenboer. Inductees will be introduced during halftime at the Bird football game on September 26 and will be honored with a plaque during a celebratory dinner at the Highlands the following night.

“This is definitely an honor,” says Chapman. “There have been a lot of great players before and after my time, so it is amazing to be inducted into the hall of fame in its first year.”

A member of the All Dominion District and All Central Region football teams in 1993, as well as the All Dominion, All Region, and All Metro team and football MVP in 1994, Chapman found plenty of success after high school, eventually playing as a running back for the Minnesota Vikings from 2000-2003 and for the San Diego Chargers in 2004. After a career-ending injury to his vertebrae in 2004, Chapman now works for ESPN as a college football analyst on Saturdays. However, he has never forgotten the way Bird prepared him for life after high school.

“Bird did a good job of preparing me academically for college,” says Chapman. “Any student who wants to take their athletics to the highest level needs to take care of their academics. The percentage of athletes who make it into professional sports is so small. There are a lot of talented players; I had a lot of luck and good timing to get into the NFL.”

Though these players are being recognized for their athletic achievements, many of them, like Chapman, stress the importance of academics.

“Students need to remember that they are student athletes. Academics come first,” says Chevette Waller. “I also preach to my girls the importance of the way that they present themselves. People remember them for that, so they need to be accountable.”

Waller is a former Dominion District Player of the Year, and former member of the All Dominion District, All Central Region, and All Metro Basketball teams from 1992-1994, as well as the All State Basketball team in 1994. Now she is back at Bird, hoping to bring another hall of fame class of athletes as the head girls’ basketball coach.

“We have won the past two regional titles and are shooting for our third,” says Waller. “Plus, our girls keep their academics first. Last year, our team average GPA was 3.75.”

While Waller can see echoes of her playing days every time she watches her team step onto the court, she’s ecstatic to have the opportunity to go back to those days.

“I’m just so excited,” says Waller. “You think that your glory days are over, but something like this happens to remind you. As a coach now, I just want to keep Bird’s tradition of producing stellar athletes.”

Currently Paquette is looking for all former Bird athletes. Any former Bird athletes or anyone that knows a former Bird athlete can contact him at Ron_Paquette@ccpsnet.net to receive an application for the sports hall of fame. Athletes from any sport are welcome to apply and inductions will most likely be held in the fall of each year.

nderatto@villagepublishing.com | 751-0421


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