Harwood announces newest HOF class - and it's a great one

Harwood athletic director Sue Duprat sent over the release about the newest Harwood Hall of Fame class, and I have to say, this one is one of my favorites.

Fred LaRock is a hands-down choice, and I have loved covering his Highlander softball teams. There isn't a coach out there like Fred, and it really makes me wish I had played for him. His love of the game and passion for coaching comes through with every phone call he makes to us after games and in every game of his I've covered. Congratulations, Fred!

Merrie-Beth Maynard is another spectacular choice, as are Dac Rowe - the namesake of the softball field where LaRock elevated the Highlander program - and Brian Harwood - like I need to explain that choice.

- Anna Grearson

Here's the full release:

Harwood Union Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

5 individuals and one Team slated for induction June 2!

 

 

DUXBURY, VT: The Third Annual Class of the Harwood Hall of Fame was announced today by Dwight Fiske and Mitch Casey, co-chairpersons of the Harwood Union Hall of Fame Committee.

“The goal of the Hall of Fame committee each year is to elect individuals or groups who represent the best that Harwood, Waitsfield and Waterbury High Schools and their respective communities have to offer. Our Inaugural class set the benchmark for all other classes to follow and we are excited to announce the Harwood Hall of Fame Class of 2012 honorees,”

Fiske said.

“This group of inductees has left their mark on their respective high schools and through their actions and accomplishments during high school and beyond” Casey added.

 The inductees comprising the Third Annual Class (2012) are:

  

Dascomb Rowe, Principal at Waterbury HS; Brian Harwood ’56 (Waterbury HS); Coby Heise ’93; Merrie-Beth Maynard ’02; Fred LaRock, Varsity Softball Coach; and the 1976 Varsity Field Hockey Team!

 

DASCOMB P. ROWE

 

Waterbury High School Principal, Basketball Coach, Baseball Coach, Track and Field Coach Dac Rowe began his teaching career in Orleans Vermont, but soon came to Waterbury High School, serving as Principal for 33 years. At times he was the high school’s only math teacher and served as the Basketball, Baseball and Track and Field Coach as well. After retirement he stayed on as a math teacher; his last year as a teacher took place during Harwood Union High School’s first year in operation. The W

aterbury High School Alumni Association established a scholarship in his name, and the Waterbury Town Recreation Fields are named in his honor. Dac was a member of the Harry Cutting American Legion Post 59 of Waterbury and served as Post Commander. He was a Charter Member of the Waterbury Rotary Club. Dac passed away on December 30, 1995.

 

BRIAN HARWOOD WATERBURY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1956

Broadcaster, Community Leader

 

A 1956 graduate of Waterbury High School, Brian served as class president his sophomore, junior and senior years, as well as president of the Student Council as both a junior and a senior. Brian began his broadcasting career even prior to his graduation from UVM in 1960. He has worked at WDEV, WCVT, WJOY, WVNY, WCAX, and founded WRFB FM in Stowe in 1976. He has served his community in a variety of way. A few of the positions he has held are: served as a member of the UVM College of Nursing Advisory Board; as Chair of the Northfield Savings Bank, Chair of Vermont Public Television, Chair of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, President of the Vermont Association of Broadcasters. He received the University of Vermont’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007. Brian has served in the Vermont National Guard, and was on the original Harwood Union School Board, serving from 1963-1969.

 

COBY HEISE CLASS OF 1993 Soccer, Hockey, Baseball

 

Coby stands as the true embodiment of a “Student-Athlete”. He was on the Honor, High-Honor or Highest- Honor Roll every grading period throughout his 4 year high school career; a career that saw him earn All-League or All-State honors in Baseball, Soccer, and Ice Hockey. Achievements all the more notable as Coby has battled serious health issues his entire life. He was named the International Diabetic Association’s “Outstanding Diabetic Athlete” in the fall of 1992, and was honored at a year-end International conference. In his senior year, he was selected to play in the prestigious Rotary Senior All Star Hockey Game, as well as the Twin State Baseball Classic All Star game. Coby went on to be a 4 year letter winner for the University of Vermont’s Baseball team, graduating in 1997. He played one year of

professional baseball for the Wichita (KS) Wranglers, and is now the owner and lead designer for a Web/Graphic Design business.

 

MERRIE-BETH (MAYNARD) CLEARY CLASS OF 2002 Field Hockey, Basketball, Tennis

 

 

 

Merrie-Beth was an outstanding athlete who lettered in multiple years and was Captain of her Basketball and Tennis teams, but it was as a Field Hockey player that she truly found her calling and excelled. A four year letter winner in Field Hockey, she was Captain in both her junior and senior years. She was a Capital 1 st Team selection in each of her 4 years in high school, was named the Times Argus Field Hockey Player of the Year, and was named to the Burlington Free Press All State Field Hockey Team as both a junior and a senior. Being selected to the Junior Olympic US Field Hockey Northeast Regional team, she competed in the National Tournament in 1999, 2000 and 2001. She was named Harwood’s Outstanding Female Athlete and was selected to the Twin State Field Hockey team following her senior year. Merrie-Beth took her Field Hockey prowess to the University of Vermont, where the awards and accomplishments continued: she was named to the America East All Conference Team in her junior and senior years, was on the America East All Academic squad for four years, was named UVM’s Woman Athlete of the Year in 2006, and was MVP of her Field Hockey team in both her junior and senior years.

 

THE 1976 VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY TEAM Harwood’s First Girls State Championship Team!

 

Coached by Jeanne Modern (O’Brien) and Lyndy Wells, the 1976-77 Varsity Field Hockey Team won  Harwood’s first Girls State Championship, the Class I VPA Championship. The team was captained by: Pamela Barnard, Laura (Callan) Fortmeyer, Linda Chadwick, Lisa (Cota) Arnt, Anna Ferguson, and Bonnie (Lewis) Kerin.

 

 

FRED LAROCK Varsity Softball Coach

A lifelong Waterbury area resident, Fred has been coaching softball in the community for many years. As Harwood’s Varsity Softball Coach, he has led the Highlanders to the VPA Division 2 Semi-Finals and Championship games on 8 separate occasions. He has organized and coached summer ASA softball programs for younger players, creating a feeder program for his Varsity squad. A great teacher of the game, Fred’s players maintain their association with him and the program they are played so hard for. His players have gone on to excel at colleges and universities around the country. He has led his high school varsity team to the most wins of any softball coach at Harwood.

The annual Hall of Fame Induction and Dinner is the highlight of The Legends of Harwood Weekend. The weekend features Silent Auctions, a Golf Tournament, Alumni games and all events are open to the public. The dinner has been very well attended, and tickets will go on sale in mid-May. For more information about the Hall of Fame and to access nomination forms, log on to Harwood Union’s website at www.harwood.org or contact Dwight Fiske at mdwfiske@comcast.net or Mitch Casey at Mitch.Casey@gmcr.com

 

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Comments

[Lisa cota Arndt]

Love this write up! You can tell the author appreciates sportsmanship, leadership and the importance of leaving positive and lasting footprints in the sand of your community! Thank you for the thoughtful report!

I wish you had known the field hockey 1976 state champs .. The adversity we faced stretched us far and the result Of our determination and those that did what was needed to let the game take place ( rather than make two teams co- champs) was a day few will forget in the HARWOOD community.
Freezing temps, snow on the field, ice patches everywhere..our stick and ball skills , talented coaching strategies and short passing game, and a shear wll to not be beaten by the weather or the opponet , proved to be the forma for the win..immediately followed by the boys soccer team taking the state championship in the same day!

I was honored to be a member and co- captain of this top notch team and am deeply moved and humbled to be in the hall of fame.

Lisa Cota Arndt
HUHS class of 1977

[Anna Grearson]

Thanks for the note, Lisa! My mom played field hockey for the legendary Gail Jette at Middlebury at about the same time you were at HU. High school field hockey definitely holds a special place in my heart! I love that Harwood honors its athletes - present and past - it's great!

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