Ali Williams and her sister Dani Williams shared tales with their coach Mark Moschella after dinner. / Mirror photograph by JD Cavrich
Throughout the 20th annual Blair County Sports activities Corridor of Fame induction dinner Saturday night time on the Blair County Conference Heart, every of the 5 2024 inductees — Mark Moschella, Alli Williams, Rachel Gehret, Artie Fink Jr .and Tom Turchetta – effusively praised the relations, associates, teammates and coaches who helped them attain the head of their athletic careers.
One other widespread theme expressed by every participant was the good relationship with and gratitude in the direction of every member of the neighborhood who honored them.
“There's no place like house,” mentioned Gehret, a mom of three and former three-sport athlete at Altoona Space Excessive College who turned an All-American in observe and discipline on the College of Louisville.
“It’s my best blessing to lift my kids in the identical constructive ambiance that I grew up in,” added Gehret.
Former Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic Excessive College athlete Turchetta, who performed soccer on the College of Miami and went on to an extended and distinguished teaching profession with a number of main school soccer packages, additionally saluted his hometown.
“It's an amazing honor,” Turchetta mentioned. “It is a
great neighborhood that has continued over time to embrace this glorious occasion. I used to be lucky to develop up within the glory years of Altoona athletics when many athletes had been closely recruited by school sports activities packages and plenty of went on to play skilled sports activities.
“Each lesson I discovered rising up in Altoona was about laborious work and teamwork, and I've tried to emulate these two issues in my teaching profession,” added Turchetta, who now lives in Tennessee. “I’m proud to develop into a member of the Blair County Sports activities Corridor of Fame and can proceed to proudly be an Altoona man.”
There have been loads of feelings expressed by these attending Saturday's ceremony, and Fink – who earned his choice by excelling in each bowling and golf – was essentially the most emotional as he expressed his gratitude to all these particular individuals who they helped him on his approach.
“I'm very honored to be inducted, together with so many different athletes,” mentioned Fink, a former member of the Professional Bowlers Affiliation and Pennsylvania Bowlers Corridor of Fame inductee, who began bowling on the tender age of seven years and arrived. an ideal 90 eye 300 video games. “All of this could not have been doable with out the love and assist of my household and associates.
“Later in life, I obtained into golf and despite the fact that it was fully new to me, I by no means obtained bored with it,” added Fink, who discovered the sport with the assistance of his grandfather, father and uncle and was taken beneath the wing of native golf legends like Greg Ferguson and the late Bob Sweitzer and Jimmy Gilliam. “I obtained my aggressive juices from my father, whereas my mom has all the time been my rock – a singular human being who all the time had the flexibility to say the precise factor on the proper time. And to see my son, Derek, now doing the identical issues that I do, is a treasure to me. He actually is my world.”
First-time grasp of ceremonies at Blair Corridor, Bob Pompeani, a veteran Pittsburgh sports activities tv persona, takes over emcee duties for his late pal and colleague, Stan Savran, who handed away final June after serving as emcee for Blair Corridor since its date. first induction banquet in 1987.
Pomepani carried Savran's torch effectively, expressing deep emotion in his video tribute to Savran, which was performed at Saturday's ceremony.
Pompeani additionally supplied some reduction after Fink struggled to maintain his composure.
“There's nothing mistaken with emotion,” Pompeani mentioned, comforting Fink after Fink completed talking. “Emotion is a part of life and it's good to point out it. I truly cry once I open a brand new Wal-Mart.”
The affect of Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic Excessive College was very evident at Saturday's induction dinner.
Together with Turchetta, Moschella, who coached the BG Woman Marauders ladies basketball program to 4 PIAA state championships and a Blair County basketball file 603 profession wins over 27 seasons, and Williams, a former basketball star at BG and Saint Francis College, which went on to play skilled basketball abroad, graced the stage with their presence.
“So many nice folks have had such a giant affect on my life,” mentioned Moschella, who coached three PIAA Class 1A championship groups led by Williams. “Bishop Guilfoyle gave me the chance to guide for 27 years, the college has all the time supported the basketball program and I used to be blessed to be there.”
Williams thought it was fairly becoming that she be inducted into the Blair County Sports activities Corridor of Fame on the identical night time Moschella was inducted.
“It's superior to be inducted into the Blair County Sports activities Corridor of Fame and I couldn't consider a greater technique to be inducted than to be inducted right here with my coach,” Williams mentioned, alluding to Moschella that “You was far more than only a coach for us.”
Williams additionally mentioned that taking part in basketball has taught him many priceless classes all through his life.
“By means of basketball, I discovered important life classes such because the significance of teamwork and the best way to negotiate each success and failure,” Williams mentioned.
Video presenters for the 5 inductees included: Vince Nedimyer Sr., for Turchetta; Ken love for Fink; Jake Jacoby for Gehret; Mary (Forr) Szoch for Moschella and Tom Fox for Williams.
Members of the 2022 Hollidaysburg Little League group that gained three video games within the Little League World Collection had been acknowledged individually, and native soccer icon Jim Price was honored with the corridor's Group Service Award.
Braden Ewing of Tyrone and Hailey Kravetz of Altoona acquired $2,000 scholarships.