On Saturday, April 14, Brother Rice High School celebrated the induction of the Class of 2012 at the 2nd Annual Circle of Champions ceremony, an athletic hall of fame which honors both players and coaches for their athletic success during their time as Crusaders. The Circle of Champions induction ceremony is a way of connecting present Crusaders to legends of Rice’s past, giving them a warm welcome home
The night included a cocktail reception in the north gym where inductees, alumni, staff, and supporters got the chance to mingle with one another and catch up. Guests then took their seats in the south gym for the banquet and presentations. They were welcomed to the event by the President of Brother Rice High School, Dr. Kevin Burns, followed by remarks from Athletic Director Phil Cahill, who shared the importance and the honor behind the Circle of Champions by thanking the inductees for their contributions to the Crusader athletic community.
As dinner came to an end, the inductees were formally introduced into the 2012 Circle of Champions by master of ceremonies Shaun Jacob, member of the Brother Rice Board of Directors and founding member of the Crusader Alumni Athletic Club. Each inductee was honored with a video presentation commemorating his success.
This year’s list of inductees is quite impressive, with athletes and coaches representing a variety of Crusader sports. The twenty gentlemen inducted include James Coleman, Jr. ’74, Jerry Mader ’61, Bob Cummings ’78, Mark Telander ’00, Chris Ulrich ’87, Michael Stritch ’93, Brian Kelly ’90, Ray Crowley ’71, Arthur Bibbs ’73, Pat MacFarlane ’70, Jim Harkness ’90, Jim Stalley ’69, Brother John B. Moore, CFC, Dr. Bob O’Conner ’64, Louis Pasierb ’65, John Walsh ’61, Don Cranley ’64, Lamar Summers ’78, Ed Riska ’71, and Tom Gorman ’85.
The event proved to be a great success; many inductees expressed gratitude for being honored as they enjoyed an evening back at Rice. Dr. Burns said, “I think it is wonderful when we can come together as a school community to honor our fellow Crusaders. The real silver lining of the evening is so many people came back and reconnected with Brother Rice.”
It is apparent that the Circle of Champions will continue on as an annual event that attracts many alumni and proud supporters to return to the halls of Brother Rice. Not only does the event honor inductees, but it also allows all the men that graduated a chance to fondly relive the memories of their Crusader glory days.
