National Sports Gala honors amateur, pro sports figures

The honorees — 21 strong — were introduced.

Stylish medals were placed around their necks.

Balloons dropped.

And the party was on at the National Sports Gala & National Sports Achievement Awards Dinner at the Radisson Beach Suite Resort. A ballroom full of 230 guests attended on Saturday, June 24, with proceeds benefiting the Marco Island YMCA.

For nearly three hours, the mood was upbeat as Marco's Dave Rice presided over the first-time event that paid tribute to amateur and professional sports figures young and old. It was a high-energy evening of entertainment as well, with impersonators ranging from Liza Minelli to Elvis Presley to Marilyn Monroe.

Even a group acting as The Village People made an appearance, leading the audience through the classic "YMCA" gyrations made popular by the 1980s group sometimes referred to as "the original bad boys of disco."

The tune seemed appropriate, given the charity beneficiary of the gala.

"I think it was fun, and that's the main thing," said Rice, who pulled together the details of the evening in about two months. "The second thing is that we asked wives to come to a sports banquet, which can be a bit tricky. But when we read off all the accomplishments of the celebrities we honored, you could tell from the response that all the people were listening and were very impressed.

"It was super mix of guests we had tonight, that's for sure," Rice added.

In addition to the dinner itself, an silent auction was held in the lobby throughout the evening, with bidding taking place on everything from a Yogi Berra-autographed baseball to dive trips and hotel vacations.

Cindy Love, CEO of the Marco Island Y, said the goal was to generate $45,000 and that preliminary totals appeared favorable.

The red carpet was rolled out for:

• Allan Bristow, former NBA player, coach and general manager;

• Brian Shimer, Olympic bobsled bronze medalist;

• Don McNeal, former Miami Dolphins great;

• Don Healy, formerly of the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills;

• Steve Grant, formerly of Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers;

• Dave Kocourek, formerly of the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders;

• Herman Weaver, former Detroit Lions punter;

• Reggie Berg, Florida Everblades all-time leading scorer;

• Buddy Fowlkes, Hall of Fame college track coach;

• Joe Davis, Minor-league football Coach of the Year;

• Steve Mott, Jacksonville Generals quarterback and minor-league football Player of the Year;

• Jimmy McDowell, All-American Football Foundation;

• Stephi Sorensen, Miss Florida High School Basketball;

• Mary Jane Hiestand, women's amateur golfer;

• Dave Balza, Florida Gulf Coast University men's head basketball coach;

• Karl Smesko, Florida Gulf Coast University women's head basketball coach;

• Eddie Chesser, world-champion swamp buggy racer;

• Nancy Eberhardt, Barron Collier High School girls tennis coach;

• John Weber, Immokalee High School head football coach;

• Javarris James, Immokalee High School Parade All-American football standout;

• Roy Eaton, Hall of Fame high school wrestling coach.

The advertised guest list did wind up four marquee honorees short. Unable to attend were Mike Vanderjagt of the Dallas Cowboys, Edgerrin James of the Arizona Cardinals, Reggie Wayne of the Indianapolis Colts and Larry Pasquale, former NFL player and coach.

Rice, while disappointed that some of his bigger names were not on hand, carried on in an unruffled manner.

"When you plan events like these, sometimes people can't make it at the last moment," Rice said. "It kind of goes with the territory. The main thing is that we're here for the YMCA. That's what it's all about."

In addition to those who lined up in front of the audience to be recognized, Rice also introduced several younger islanders who have made noteworthy impacts in their various sports endeavors.

Those singled out were Lauren Embree, Keith Embree, Ryan Hornsby, Smantha Scheeler, Brandon Love, Mike Radlovacki, Mike Cassio, Samantha Buddemeyer, Zig Allen, Maggie Antaramian, Wesley Blassneck, Cedric Sanderson and Jonathan Perez.

Asked if the Gala was an event that he would do again next year, Rice played the role of ambassador.

"I don't know. I just do whatever the Y asks me to do," he said. "I enjoy helping them out however I can."

Healy briefly took the microphone to thank Rice for his involvement.

"Dave Rice works his tail off. He absolutely loves the people of Marco Island and I hope you love him, too," Healy said.

A capsule look at those honored at the National Sports Gala & National Sports Achievement Awards Dinner on Saturday, June 24 at the Radisson Suite Beach Resort (in alphabetical order):

• Dave Balza — recently completed his fourth season as men's head basketball coach at Florida Gulf Coast University; his FGCU teams to date are 87-33 for a won-loss percentage of 72.5 percent; his Eagles have averaged 79 points per game; a graduate of the University of Michigan; spent five years at Division I Cleveland State University; team was 24-7 in 2005-06 season, earning a berth in the NCAA Div. II national tournament.

• Reggie Berg — known locally for his play with the ECHL Florida Everblades; graduated from the University of Minnesota and drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League; in college, played 160 games with Minnesota Golden Gophers, tallying 158 points; in 222 games with the Everblades, has notched 224 points, becoming the franchise's all-time leading goal scorer this past season; as a pro, has 281 points in 286 games; conducts annual summer hockey camp and is a role model for upcoming players.

• Allan Bristow — former NBA player, coach and general manager; In college at Virginia Tech, paced the Hokies to National Invitational Tournament championship; holder of Tech's single-game scoring record of 52 points and still holder of Tech records for career scoring average, most points in a game, consecutive double-figure scoring games and most field goals in a game; played 10 years in the NBA, beginning with the Philadelphia 76ers before moving to San Antonio, Utah and Dallas; had a five-year stint as head coach of Charlotte Hornets, leading the team to the playoffs twice; after coaching in Charlotte, served as Hornets' general manager; retired and now a resident of Marco Island who is actively involved in Special Olympics, swimming and volunteering at the Marco Island YMCA.

• Eddie Chesser — a fifth-generation native of Florida whose grandmother was born on Marco Island 85 years ago; a seven-time Budweiser Cup Series world champion swamp buggy racer with 12 Big Feature wins; featured on TV numerous times on the former The Nashville Network, the Discovery Channel, ESPN, The Learning Channel and the Travel Channel; recently featured on the popular Junkyard Wars television show.

• Joe Davis — owner and head coach of First Coast Generals, a minor-league football team in Jacksonville; National Minor League Football Coach of the Year; record in Sunshine States Football League is 60-15 over the last six years; back on April 29, his Generals clinched the SSFL Championship at the Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando; named SSFL Coach of the Year.

• Roy Eaton — showed proven dedication to high school wrestling in Connecticut at Saint Bernard's High School; has coached numerous All-State wrestlers, two nationally ranked wrestlers and a United States Amateur Athletic Union finalist; his team captured Connecticut's Open Wrestling Championship and the members were honored by then Governor William O'Neil; has coached more than 40 major-tournament wrestling champions and more than 80 major-tournament medalists; SBHS Hall of Fame; honored in Who's Who to be published by Tate Publishing this summer.

• Nancy Eberhardt — Girls tennis coach at Barron Collier High School team that recently was undefeated and placed second in the state Class 3A tournament; won state championship in 2005; committed to player development and pleased that Brittany Delaney is the first girls tennis player in BCHS history to receive a full athletic scholarship to a Division I college (Boston College).

• Douglas "Buddy" Fowlkes — 30-year tenure at Georgia Tech as an athlete and coach honored in numerous ways, including ACC Track Coach of the Year, a member of the Georgia Athletic Hall of Fame; in 2005 inducted into the United States Track Coaches Hall of Fame; in college was recognized as one of the greatest all-around athletes, competing in sprints, hurdles and broad jump; National Indoor Champion in broad jump; competed in track for 12 years after college and established a world record in his age group in the 100-yard dash at 9.5 seconds; as head track coach at Georgia Tech, he produced three Olympic gold medalists, two world record-holders, eight NCAA champions and 49 All-Americans.

• Steve Grant — prior to his seven-year career in the National Football League, attended West Virginia University and was All-Big East, second-team All America and team captain his junior and senior years; Most Valuable Player of Blue-Gray All-Star Game; John Russell Award winner for spirit and leadership; drafted by the Indianapolis Colts to play defense and special teams; finished career with Tampa Bay Buccaneers; through his work as a member of Sports World Ministries, delivers message of healthy lifestyles to school children.

• Don Healy — began football career at Rome Free Academy in Rome, N.Y.; played at University of Maryland and while there, competed in the Orange Bowl, East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl; playing defensive tackle for the College All-Stars led by head coach Otto Graham, the collegians defeated the NFL's Detroit Lions; an offensive guard for two seasons with the Chicago Bears prior to playing with the Dallas Cowboys for two seasons; was the first offensive lineman to be awarded a game ball for outstanding play by Cowboys legendary coach Tom Landry; still holds the Cowboys record for the recovery of fumbles in a season; ended playing career with the Buffalo Bills after a injury; a Naples resident; recently completed his fourth year of study to become a Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church.

• Mary Jane Hiestrand — as a collegian, her performance on the golf course earned her induction into the University of Michigan Golf Hall of Fame; still active in golf and her most recent accomplishment was a runner-up performance in the Florida Women's State Golf Association Amateur Match Play Championships; Player of the Year and Player of the Decade by the Golf Association of Michigan; nine-time champion of the Detroit Women's District Stroke Play; a 12-time club champion at the Forest Lakes Country Club; three-time club champion at Hideout Golf Club, Naples; member of the United States Golf Association's State of Florida team; runner-up National Club Championship for Women in Las Vegas; champion of Florida Women's State Golf Association 4 Ball Match Play; champion of Mid-Gulf Coast Ladies Amatuer Championship; presently girls golf coach at St. John Neumann High School in Golden Gate.

• Javarris James — star running back of Immokalee High School football program; in the footsteps of his cousin, Edgerrin James of the Arizona Cardinals, at the University of Miami; as a junior at IHS, ran for 1,700 yards in 220 carries and was recognized as Naples Daily News Offensive Player of the Year, Fort Myers News-Press Offensive Player of the Year and was first-team All-State; as a senior, missed four games because of a leg fracture, stilling rushing for a total of 1,100 yards in 120 carries and 14 touchdowns; first-team All-State and a Parade High School All-American.

• Dave Kocourek — attended the University of Wisconsin and began his career in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers; in the former American Football League (now the American Conference of the National Football League), played five years with the San Diego Chargers, one year with the Miami Dolphins and two years with the Oakland Raiders; totaled 249 passes receptions and 24 touchdowns; a first-or second-team All-AFL tight end who played in seven AFL Championship games; became an analyst for NBC and then joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers radio broadcast team as a color commentator; presently in the real estate business on Marco Island.

• Steve Mott — outstanding minor-league quarterback under the tutelage of Minor League Coach of the Year, Joe Davis; in last six seasons with First Coach Generals of Jacksonville, has accumulated 18,640 yards for a per-season average of 3,076 yards; responsible for 187 touchdowns over six seasons; overall pass completion record is 60.5 percent; 2001 Minor League All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in Miami's Orange Bowl stadium; a five-time All-League selection; four-time Generals team MVP; Offensive Player of the Year in 2006 championship game that was won by the Generals in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

• Jimmy McDowell — currently president, All-American Football Foundation; began long association with sports as a sports writer in his home state of Mississippi and was honored as a member of the Mississippi Sports Writers Hall of Fame; worked in numerous capacities as a sports publicist for print and television media; served 27 years as executive director for the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame in New York and was the key organizer of the Hall of Fame Bowl; University of Mississippi Hall of Fame; Distinguished American Award; former Mississippian of the Year.

• Don McNeal — played football collegiately at University of Alabama and as a junior and senior, was an integral part of back-to-back national-championship teams (1978, 1979); College All-America his senior year; drafted by the Miami Dolphins and played in two Super Bowls; had 18 career interceptions in 110 games; his 10 years with the Dolphins earned him being named to the Dolphins' "Silver Anniversary Team" and twice he was a Dolphin Player of the Year; now a drug-rehabilitation counselor and spokesman for Sports World Ministries, speaking to youth organizations and in schools.

• Brian Shimer — Naples native and Naples High School graduate; former All-Stater in football and wrestling state champion; attended Morehead State University in Kentucky; known most now for his involvement in bobsledding and his Olympics medal-winning performance at the Park City, Utah, Winter Games; his bronze-medal run was decided on the final race of his 16-year bobsled driving career and helped the United States end a 46-year medal drought in the sport; competed in five Winter Olympics: Calgary, Albertville, Lillehammer, Nagano and Park City; was chosen by his fellow American athletes to carry the American flag and lead them into the stadium for the closing ceremonies; currently working as a coach for the American bobsled drivers and in real estate in Naples.

• Karl Smesko — entering his fifth season as women's head basketball coach at Florida Gulf Coast University; his FGCU have a won-loss record of 98 wins and 20 losses for an 83 percent winning percentage; college coaching career started in Ohio where he led NAIA Division II Walsh University to a national championship and was honored as NAIA National Coach of the Year; served as assistant coach at University of Maryland prior to arrival at FGCU; his Eagles team went 30-1 its first year and last season, the team earned a berth in the NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament after a 29-2 season.

• Steffi Sorensen — Miss Basketball for state of Florida as result of stellar career at Bartram High School in Jacksonville; All-State and Class 5A Player of the Year; 5-foot-10 guard averaged 19 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, six steals and three blocked shots per game with a career point total of 2,147 — a Duval County record; will play at Florida Gulf Coast University.

• Herman Weaver — made his mark as a punter; at the University of Tennessee, had the best "hang time" ever at 5.7 seconds and a punt of 71 yards; while punting for the Detroit Lions was nicknamed "Thunderfoot" by Howard Cosell during a Monday Night Football telecast; a National Football Conference Punter of the Year; named one of the top 20 punters of all time by The Sporting News; finished his playing career with the Seattle Seahawks; as a member of Sports World Ministries, has spoken at more than 3,000 schools and nearly a million students.

• John Weber — head football coach at Immokalee High School; Social Studies Teacher of the Year in both Collier and Lee counties; South Florida Conference Football Coach of the Year; Florida Class 2A Coach of the Year; Southwest Florida Coach of the Year; head coach of Class 2A state champions in 2004; known for the number of student-athletes he has helped obtain college scholarships. — Mini-profiles compiled by Dave Rice