The Suburban One League celebrated its 90th anniversary on Thursday, April 19, with a banquet at Williamson Restaurant in Horsham. A highlight of the evening was the recognition of the following seven 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.
George Collins (Presenter – Kevin Munnelly)
– Harry S Truman athletic director 2005-11
– Health and physical education teacher for 34 years (12 years as department chair at FDR)
– Head coach of boys’ soccer for 20 years at Delhaas and Truman
– Recognized by the BCCT as the Boys Soccer Coach of the Year in 1975, the year his Delhaas Tigers won the Lower Bucks County League championship
– Founder of the Truman Varsity Club, which in three years raised nearly $20,000 for community organizations serving needy in Bucks County
– Inducted into the Bristol Township Hall of Fame for Distinguished Service in 2011
– Retired from the Bristol Township School District after 41 years of dedicated service in August 2012
Michael Dougherty (Presenter –Bart Szarko)
– Athletic director at Central Bucks South until his retirement in 2011
– Previously served as athletic director of Central Bucks West 2001-04
– Head baseball coach at Central Bucks East and District 1 representative (1978-83, 1998-2001)
– Head girls’ tennis coach at Central Bucks East and District 1 representative (1983-86, 1988-91)
– Head boys’ tennis coach at Central Bucks East (1986-87)
– Head golf coach at Central Bucks East and District 1 representative (1984-93, 1996-2001)
– Assistant football coach (1984-93, 1996-2001)
– Member of District One Steering Committee
– Treasurer Suburban One League and chairperson of Budget Committee and Officials’ Fees Committee
– USPTR Tennis Professional (1984-present)
Ernest Gash (Presenter – Kevin Munnelly)
– Officiated cross country, track and swimming at all levels, including league, district and state
– Central Bucks East athletic director from 1977-89
– Attended La Salle College on a full swimming scholarship
– First boys’ head swim coach at William Tennent and later the first girls’ head swim coach. Gash also started the first AAU swim team for Tennent
– Established the AAU swim team for the first time in 1969 for the Central Bucks school system
– Transferred to Central Bucks East in 1970 where he coached boys cross country and swimming
– Secretary and assigner for the Bux-Mont Swimming Chapter
– Gash helps assign officials for college and high school cross country, track and swimming
– Served as meet manager for cross country and track in the SOL, including the league championships at Lehigh University
Michael Holland (Presenter – Buff Raddick)
– Principal of Council Rock High School South 2001-07
– Assistant principal (1996-2001)
– Men’s basketball coach at Beaver College (1989-97)
– Men’s basketball coach at Montgomery County Community College (1981-89)
– Co-founder of the Philadelphia National Pro-Am Basketball League (1985)
– Founder of Martin Luther King All-Star Basketball Classic (1986)
– Founder of Montgomery County Community Basketball Camp (1986)
– Head boys’ basketball coach at Council Rock (1974-81)
– Founder of Council Rock community basketball program (1974)
– Member of West Chester University Basketball Hall of Fame (1991)
– NAIA District 19 Coach of the Year (1992-93)
– PA Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (1993-94, 1995-96)
– President of Suburban One League (2003-07)
– Council Rock School District Athletic Hall of Fame (2009)
– Lower Merion School District Basketball Hall of Fame (2010)
Gary Kochersperger (Presenter – Scott Layer)
– Athletic director at Upper Moreland
– Attended the University of Southern Mississippi on a full basketball scholarship
– Drafted by the New York Knicks
– Head boys basketball coach at Upper Moreland
– District One Basketball Coach of the Year
– Assistant baseball and track coach at Upper Moreland
– Member of District One Steering Committee
– Member of Suburban One Membership Committee and Officials Committee
– District One volleyball chairperson
– District One basketball chairperson
– Chairperson of Suburban One American Conference basketball
Rodney Stone (Presenter – Michael Dougherty)
– Principal at Central Bucks West and later Central Bucks South
– Athletic director at Central Bucks West (1985-92)
– PIAA District One Wrestling Steering Committee Chairperson (1989-92)
– PIAA District One Treasurer
– PIAA District One Chairperson (1994-Present)
– PIAA Board of Directors Vice President (2000-06)
– PIAA Board of Directors President (2007-Present)
– Chairman PIAA Board of Directors: Human Resources & Strategic Planning Committee
– Head wrestling coach at Central Bucks West (1974-92) where he had five undefeated seasons, led the Bucks to the 1981 District One and SE Regional titles, was named Bux-Mont Coach of the Year four times, PIAA District One coach of the year once, and SOL Coach of the Year once.
– Served on Suburban One Membership Visitation Committees
– PSADA Member (Treasurer 1991-92)
– Central Bucks/Central Bucks High School West Hall of Fame
– SE Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame Inductee
F. David Yates (Presenter – Dennis Warg)
– Suburban One League President (1999-2001)
– Principal at Council Rock High School (1993-2001)
– Interim administrator, assisted in opening of Council Rock South (2001-02)
– Interim principal at Plymouth Whitemarsh (2002-03), Klinger Middle School (2004) and Moorestown High School (2004-07)
– Assistant Principal/Athletic Director, Bristol High School
– Head football coach (1975-76), assistant football coach (1970-74)
– Head women’s basketball coach (1971-72)
About the Author
