The Fayette County High School Distinguished Alumni and Sports Hall of Fame will be holding induction ceremonies Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24.
The inductees will be introduced Friday night at halftime of the Fayette County-Whitewater football game at Tiger Stadium. The annual banquet will be Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Fayette County High School Cafeteria.
Tickets for the banquet can be purchased for $20 at the high school in the principal’s office or at Fayette Sporting Goods on Glynn Street North (Highway 85) in the Fayette Place Shopping Center just south of Dairy Queen.
The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to recognize student athletes who achieved a first place finish in state competition in a sport sponsored by the high school or who subsequently competed in collegiate or professional sports. Also recognized are distinguished alumni who have made a significant contribution to society in their field.
The Hall inducted its inaugural class in 1999 and with the 2015 class, a total of 75 student athletes, 48 distinguished alumni and 9 coaches will be members of the elite group. Of particular note is the class of 2008 induction of eight service members who were killed in action serving our country in World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam Conflict.
The 2015 class is composed of three distinguished alumni and four student athletes. The distinguished alumni group includes Charles Ballard, Bobby Kerlin and Jason Thompson.
Ballard is a lifelong Fayette County resident, a Class of 1952 graduate, and practicing attorney since 1960. Kerlin is also a lifelong resident, a Class of 1958 graduate and very involved with the Fayette County Historical Society. Thompson is another lifelong resident, a Class of 1993 graduate, and currently a State Court Judge in Fayette County.
Mrs. Maynard Brown will receive special recognition as the oldest known living Fayette County High alum at 105 years of age. She also served as a teacher in the school system for many years.
The student athletes include Kacie Anson Dickinson, Lee Hyde, Chanda Lee Kearns and Drake McCoy.
Dickinson is a 2002 graduate who competed in tennis at FCHS and Georgia Tech and was a member of the ACC championship teams in 2005 and 2006. Kearns is a 1993 graduate and competed in multiple sports at FCHS, named All-American in softball at the University of South Carolina in 1996 and was a member of the SEC championship team in 1997. Hyde is a 2003 graduate, achieved numerous baseball accomplishments at FCHS including a complete-game no-hitter, and subsequently played for Georgia Tech and the Atlanta Braves system. McCoy is a 2005 graduate and achieved a 158-8 won loss record in heavyweight wrestling including winning the state championship in his weight class in 2004 and 2005.
All those interested are welcome to purchase tickets and attend the football game and banquet. Nominations for the Hall of Fame may be submitted in writing to Principal Dan Lane, Fayette County High School, 1 Tiger Trail, Fayetteville, GA 30214.
