Al Black

Al Black has made numerous contributions to football. He excelled as a coach, a clinician, and an author. Al came to Chester County and Coatesville High School in 1971 by way of Springfield High School (Montgomery County), where he was very successful. His teams won the Buxmont and Suburban One Championships, and he was Coach of the Year twice. His success transferred to Coatesville as well, where his teams won 7 Ches-mont Championships, and 7 runners up finishes as well. Adding to their success, Philadelphia Newspapers twice named the teams Eastern Pennsylvania Champions. Al was also named Best High School Football Coach by Philadelphia Magazine in 1981.

After Coatesville, Al would move on to Widener University, Millersville University, and Delaware Valley College, where he found great success once again serving as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator. Widener won a Division Championship his first year there. While at Millersville, the Offense helped lead the team to a league championship and ECAC Team of the Year. He also spent two years with Central Penn in the National Minor League Football League. His teams found great success there as well, winning the National Championship in 1996.

As a clinician, Al traveled all over Europe as a speaker and coach. He worked and spoke for the British American Football Association, NFL Europe, the British National Coaching Convention, and the German National Convention. He served as an Offensive Coordinator and Team Advisor. In 2003, he was an Offensive Consultant to Team Europe in the Junior World Championships. In 2011, Al Black finished his coaching career.

Al authored four texts on Coaching Football. His subjects of the Belly Option and Coaching the The Run and Shoot Offense were well received in both the United States and Europe.

Nancy Coffman is nominated to the Chester County Sports Hall of Fame for her outstanding 40-year career in officiating field hockey and lacrosse and her 20 + years of selfless service as a lacrosse administrator.

Nancy is a graduate of Penncrest High School & West Chester University where she played both field hockey & lacrosse. After her playing days, Nancy turned to umpiring the sports she loved so much.

Beginning as a locally rated umpire, she umpired most of the middle schools and virtually every public and private school in Chester County and beyond. She was recognized for her ability and quickly moved up the ranks to become a National and International official. In addition, she has worked an NCAA schedule in both sports as well, traveling officiating on the East coast and across the US.

Recognition of her dedication & professionalism led her to be chosen to umpire the PIAA State Finals and NCAA Championship games. Internationally, Nancy worked the 2001 Lacrosse World Cup in England. In addition, she has umpired at the European Championships in Germany, Sweden, Czech Republic, England and Scotland.

Administratively, Nancy has chaired the PWLUA (Philadelphia Women’s Lacrosse Umpires’ Association), has served as a board member of the PBOWS (Philadelphia Board of Officials for Women’s Sports), and was an executive officer of FIL (Federation of International Lacrosse).

For over a decade, Nancy headed up the officials training course for youth and adults at USTC (United Sports Training Center) in Downingtown. A critical service to help alleviate the shortage of umpires in the Philadelphia area, she has trained over 100 new umpires. Nancy has been a tireless clinician in the United States and abroad.

Internationally, she has taught courses & served as a Technical Delegate at five U-19 World Championships between 1999 & 2015 in Australia, USA, Canada, Germany & Scotland. In 2017, she was selected as Head Clinician for the World Cup in England.

Nancy has been awarded the PIAA 25 Year Award for field hockey & lacrosse, the US Lacrosse Meritorious Service Award, the PBOWS 25 Year Service Award & the FIL Service Award. In addition, she has been inducted into the Penncrest High School Hall of Fame & the Eastern PA Lacrosse Hall of Fame. In 2020, Nancy received the Collegiate Women’s Lacrosse Officials’ National Emeritus Award. Representing the great tradition of sports in Chester County, Nancy is most deserving to be included in the CCSHOF.

Erika Flamer is being nominated for her outstanding accomplishments in gymnastics at B. Reed Henderson High School in West Chester, PA and at the University of Pittsburgh.

Erika led Henderson’s Women’s Gymnastics Team to three consecutive District One Team Championships and three consecutive PIAA State Team Championships during the 1992, ’93 and ’94 seasons.

The team set District and State Team scoring records during two of the three championship years. Erika led the Henderson team in overall scoring during the team scoring portion of all three District and State Championships.

During her outstanding high school career, Erika won nine individual District One Championships and five PIAA PA State Championships. In 1994 she was the PIAA Uneven Bars and All Around Champion setting records for both events.

In the 1995 United States National Gymnastics Association competition in San Jose, CA, Erika placed second in Vault, third in Floor Exercise and fourth in the All Around. For her accomplishments, she was named Elite All American in High School Gymnastics.

Erika was also twice named the Daily Local News All Area Athlete of the Year, twice a Genuardi All Area Athlete winner, as well as being cited a Philadelphia Inquirer Athlete of the Week and Daily Local News Athlete of the Week multiple times.

Erika was awarded a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh where she continued to excel in gymnastics. She was an NCAA Individual and Team Qualifier three consecutive years and a Varsity letter winner all four years.

Michele Doyle is nominated for her outstanding contribution to women’s athletics as a player, administrator & contributor.

A graduate of Unionville High School where she played Varsity lacrosse & co-captained the cheerleading squad, Michele went on to a stellar lacrosse career at West Chester State, where she received the coveted Beth Allen award in ‘81. Her 1979 college team won the Collegiate National Championship (before the NCAA came into being for women’s sports). After college, Michele played club ball and eventually was a member of both the US Reserve Team and the US National Team. She was on the 1981 Touring team to Australia and the 1982 World Cup team to England. Her club play continued for 19 years.

As a national player, Michele taught at clinics across the USA from 1980 –1990. As a representative of US Lacrosse, Michele has traveled as far as Japan and the Czech Republic to teach players the fundamentals of the game.

Michele’s coaching career included field hockey, basketball & lacrosse at a number of Chester & Delaware County schools, culminating in her 32-year teaching career at Penncrest High School. While at Penncrest, Michele was named the Athletic Director, the first female to hold that position in any Central League school. Recognized by her peers for her leadership skills, she served 16 years as the Central League AD’s chairperson.

Michele was a co-founder of the summer lacrosse league in the area which grew to 4 sites and over 20 teams. She served 18 years as the PIAA DI Lacrosse representative and organized the first girls’ lacrosse tournament for the Keystone Games. As part of the Unionville Recreation Association, Michele coordinated a lacrosse program for elementary & middle school girls.

In addition to serving on the USWLA Executive Board representing schoolgirls, she helped organize the first Schoolgirls Division for the USWLA National Tournament & was on the U-19 World Championship Committee. For many years, Michele served on the Alumni & Friends of West Chester University Women’s Athletics Executive Committee.

Michele is a member of the US Lacrosse Phila/Eastern PA Chapter Hall of Fame (2000) and the US National Lacrosse Hall of Fame (2016) for her outstanding play & contribution to lacrosse.

Rosalyn Greenlee’s main objective as a teacher and coach was providing opportunities for Girls in Coatesville High School and the community. Her dedication to developing a strong athletics program for the girls of Coatesville still resonates today. She is a pioneer in Scholastic Athletics in Coatesville and Pennsylvania. For forty-plus years, Greenlee was a coach and mentor to hundreds of athletes, and she helped establish girls’ sports and activities for the school and community. There was barely a sport that she wasn’t involved in. Greenlee coached Field Hockey, Swimming, Cross Country, Track and Field, Softball for Coatesville and Scott High, and she also found time to coordinate a Synchronized Swim Club (Coatesville Dolphins) for the Community.

Greenlee began her teaching and coaching career in the late 1960s at Scott High. She coached field hockey and swimming. A highlight for Greenlee was the 6th place finish in the Pennsylvania State 50m Freestyle by one of her athletes, Cyndy Sherota. From there, Greenlee would move on to leave a mark for girls Cross Country and Track and Field.

Lyn started the Girls’ Cross-Country Team at Coatesville with help of Boys’ Coach Bill Renfrow. Her teams earned the Ches-Mont League Cross Country Championship three years in a row. Lyn also served as a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Board Member and played a part in the establishment of the first PIAA State Cross Country Championship for girls. She then worked to help create the Girls’ Track and Field Team. As head coach, her teams again won the Ches-Mont League Championship multiple times.

Greenlee was also the first head coach of the 9th grade Softball team for Coatesville, coordinated and ran a cross country training camp called “Huff and Puff,” and organized and directed synchronized swimming shows for the Coatesville Dolphins. She was inducted into the Coatesville Hall of Fame.

Coatesville, PA. native Calvin Grove, born August 5, 1962, began amateur boxing at the age of fourteen. His 59-fight pro career spans the years 1982-1998. Going 46-4 in amateur ranking, Calvin won the Pennsylvania Golden Gloves in 1982 in the 125lb division. He made his professional debut on June 3, 1982 by knocking out his opponent in the second round.

Calvin’s success continued with him amassing an astonishing 34-0 record, with 13 KOs before encountering his first defeat. Winning the USBA Super-Featherweight Championship on August 29, 1989 by unanimous decision, the championship bout was the main event on the first professional boxing card to occur in Moscow, Russia. Calvin continued to reign and campaign as a professional boxer challenging for the title repeatedly.

Known as one of the best in his day, Calvin currently trains amateur boxers and UFC fighters in Coatesville and Phoenixville, PA.

Rick Hicks is a graduate of Coatesville Senior High School in 1987 where he was an All-Chesmont selection and captain of the basketball team. He attended and graduated from West Chester University (1987-91). Rick is the all-time leader in assists at WCU (455), three time all PSAC player, and is second in WCU career assists per game (190). He is seventh at WCU with 351 free throws made. Rick was the team captain during his junior and senior season, team scoring leader both years (15.1ppg). He was also the team leader with 57 steals during his senior year which is the 4th highest in WCU history.

Rick was the Assistant Basketball Coach at Coatesville High School (1991-96) and was instrumental in the Coatesville State Championship in 2001. He was also the head coach at Coatesville for three years and recently the assistant basketball coach at Kutztown University from 2006-2018 where he has been a successful recruiter and mentor to the Kutztown team.

Rick was inducted into the West Chester University Hall of Fame in 2003. He has also coached many AAU basketball teams over the years and has mentored many Coatesville area athletes. In addition, Rick was the personal trainer and mentor to NBA great Rip Hamilton as well as CCSHOF members John Allen and Ramzee Stanton. Rick has coached one age group of kids for the Rip City AAU program for 8 years. During that time, 37 out of 40 young athletes have received scholarships for basketball, football, and baseball.

George Holmes Jr. was born June 9, 1955 and had a highly successful career in Track & Field during High School, College and the 1984 Olympic Trials. He set a national record in the 120 yard high hurdles during his Junior year at Coatesville High School, and placed third in the high hurdles at the National Junior Olympics Championship during his senior year.

He was undefeated in dual track meets during high school, and he won seven District 1 Track & Field Championship gold medals and eight gold medals at the PIAA State Track and Field Championships. For his record setting performances as a member of Coatesville High School’s Track & Field team District 1, State, and Penn Relays champions, George was named Track and Field High School All-American and earned a scholarship to Essex County College. At Essex he was named Junior College All-American six times. At one point in his career Holmes was ranked among the top ten athletes in the world in the 110-meter hurdles,160-meter and 200-meter dash.

George was inducted into the Coatesville Area High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 and later inducted into the Pennsylvania High School Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2008 for his outstanding achievements in Track and Field.

Eric Horsey started his 32-year coaching career in 1989, as the assistant track and cross-country coach for Cheyney University, and in 1994 became the head track coach at Devon Prep. His coaching accomplishments began to blossom after 1996 when he became head coach of the cross-country and indoor and outdoor track and field teams at Church Farm School in Exton.

While at Church Farm School his teams won the Keystone League track and field team championships (1998, 2001 & 2003). In 2004 they were named the Outstanding High School Team at the Hampton (VA) Relays. In 2004 and 2005, the team won the Pennsylvania Independent School Track and Field championship. In 2004 the 4X400 relay team won the Independent Schools Division at the Penn Relays. Shortly after Church Farm School joined the PIAA, the track team won the 2009 District I Championships.

Eric was named Delaware Valley Track Coach of the Year by the Philadelphia Inquirer (2001) and Track Coach of the Year by the Daily Local News (2004, 2009 & 2015). The Pennsylvania Independent School Cross-Country Coaches Association honored him as coach of the year in 2007, he was inducted into the school’s Wall of Fame in 2016, he and was named to the Who’s Who of America’s Teachers in 2005.

Since 2011 Eric has continued his success as track and field coach at Downingtown East High School. The. team has placed second in the 1600-meter race at the PIAA state meet in 2013. The Ches-Mont division 4X400 relay won the Penn Relays in 2014. In 2015, the Winter track team placed second in the 4X200 at the state championships and came in second at the Yale Invitational in New Haven, CT, in 2015. That spring the DHS East won the 100, 200 and 4 X100 at PIAA meet. In 2017 the spring track team placed second in the 4 X100 relay at the state championships. Also, a Cougar on the winter track team came in second in the 60-meter dash at the state meet.

During Eric’s tenure at Church Farm, he became head coach of the West Chester Track Club, one of the oldest track programs in the Delaware Valley. He continues to head the summer program for Chester County runners, many of whom have competed in AAU and USA Track and Field Junior Olympic meets. In 2016, the track club won the 17-and 18-year-old 100 meter in the AAU championships, and team member Terence Laird, holds the world record for 200 meters.

escribed by many as the best all-around athlete in the history of Coatesville High School, Abel was All Ches-Mont in football, basketball and track. Voted to the All State First Team in football in 1972, he was also a Scholastic Magazine All-American. In Track & Field, Abel was a two-time Ches-Mont Champion in shot-put and discus, as well as District Champion in discus. He still holds the school discuss record at 172 feet.

joe won the Maxwell Club Award for the Outstanding Area High School player, in addition to receiving the Order of Purple Heart Award issued to Chester County’s top football player. After High School graduation, Abel enrolled at Cheyney University where he led the conference in rushing as a senior and was also selected as All-Conference First Team in 1975 and 1976. Abel signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 1976, but injuries prevented ended his professional football career.

Lee Krug is nominated for the Chester County Sports Hall of Fame as an outstanding Girls’ Lacrosse & Boys’ Soccer coach. He has coached Girls Lacrosse for over 40 years, having started the program at Unionville High School in the mid 1970’s.

Lee coached the Varsity Girls Lacrosse team for 33 years. His teams had only one losing season, won 13 league championships during his tenure & most of those years were involved in post-season play. His teams won the 1991 & 1992 PIAA District 1 titles which were then considered the state titles since District 1 was the only district in the state to play lacrosse. When he retired from Unionville in 2006, his career record was 474 wins, 110 losses & 15 ties.

Since leaving Unionville, Lee has continued to coach in the Chester County area. He was the Head Coach at Octorara High School in 2010, an assistant coach at Downingtown East High School from 2011-2017 and has been the Head Coach at Avon Grove High School since 2018. He is still listed among the top 10 Philadelphia Area lacrosse coaches in career victories. Because of his accomplishments, Lee has been inducted into the Ches-Mont League Hall of Fame & the Pennsylvania Chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame. His service to the sport includes being part of numerous lacrosse selection committees over the years.

While at Unionville, Lee also served as the Varsity Boys’ Soccer coach for 27 years. His soccer teams won six SCCL (Southern Chester County League) titles & qualified for post-season competition 16 times. When he stepped down from the Boys’ Soccer program in 2000, his Varsity record showed 260 wins, 164 losses & 53 ties.

Lee is a graduate of Reading High School & Muhlenberg College. While at Muhlenberg, he played soccer where he was 1st Team All-Conference in 1966 & 1967, and lacrosse. A chemistry teacher at Unionville High School, he was twice named UHS teacher of the year.

Known across the area for his sportsmanship, integrity & excellent coaching, Lee Krug is worthy of induction into the CCSHOF.

John Mabry played Division I baseball for three seasons at West Chester University where he was the prototype of the versatile outfielder/infielder known for his defensive prowess and hitting.

His success at WCU was noticed by Major League Baseball scouts, and he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the sixth round of the 1991 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Cardinals three years later on April 23, 1994 against the Houston Astros when he singled and scored an RBI while playing right field. With his MLB promotion he became one of only ten WCU players to play in the Major Leagues and his fourteen years of playing time is the longest tenure of any WCU baseball professional.

In his first full MLB year (1995), playing mostly first base and the outfield, he batted .307 with an OBP of .347 and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year balloting. The following year he hit .297 and helped the Cardinals reach the National League Championship series where they lost in seven games to the Atlanta Braves. During the year he became one of only sixteen Cardinals to hit for the cycle.

Mabry played eight seasons with the Cardinals during three stops with the franchise. He also played for the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Colorado Rockies. In the latter part of his career he transitioned from a starter to a highly regarded bench player. Mabry was an important member of the 2004 Tony LaRussa managed Cardinals. John helped them reach the post-season by hitting 13 home runs as a part-time player in the regular season. The Cardinals were swept in the 2004 World Series as the Boston Red Sox captured their first World Series since 1918. In 2005 Mabry finished the season with a .265 average as a pinch-hitter.

He retired as an active player in 2007 with a respectable .263 batting average, nearly 1000 hits, and three trips to the post-season including the World Series. Mabry had a fulfilling fourteen-year career as a Major League player.

After he retired John served one year as a pre/post-game analyst for St. Louis Cardinals televised games. From 2012-2018 he rejoined the Cardinals as the batting coach, and in 2020 became a coach with the Kansas City Royals where he currently serves.

Mabry lives in St. Louis during the off-season with his wife Ann and their four children.

Jad Prachniak is nominated for his historic record as Baseball Coach at West Chester University highlighted by several WCU firsts:

• He is the first Men’s Athletic Coach in WCU history to win two National Championships.

• WCU’s 2012 NCAA Division II National Championship was the schools’ first National Championship in Baseball.

• WCU’s 2012 National Championship was the first Baseball National Championship by any school located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at any level of the NCAA, as well as the first by a Division II school located in the Northeastern United States.

• In 2012 Jad became the youngest coach to win a NCAA Division II National Championship.

• In 2017, Jad led the Golden Rams to their second NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship!

In addition to two National Championships, his WCU Baseball teams won two NCAA Regional Championships, two Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships and three PSAC Eastern Division titles. His teams made the NCAA tournament in 6 of his 9 seasons, and 5 in a row from 2015-2019. His overall coaching record at WCU is 273-127-1, for an outstanding.682 winning percentage.

Prachniak was twice (2012, 2017) named ABCA Field Turf Division II National Coach of the Year, and five of his former players were drafted in the Major League Baseball Entry Draft. He mentored the PSAC Eastern Division Player of the Year four times (2012,2015,2018 & 2019), and the PSAC Eastern Pitcher of the Year twice (2012 & 2017).

Kim Prendergast Venzie has been devoted to the sport of lacrosse for much of her life. As an athlete, coach, and promoter of the game, Kim has touched all levels of lacrosse from the youth level to college, and for both girls and boys. A three-sport athlete (field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse) from West Chester Henderson, Kim discovered lacrosse as a sophomore, and under the guidance of CCSHOF inductee Kim Jackson, was a dominant goalkeeper for the Warriors. She was a three time 1st Team All-Chesmont selection, was named to numerous All Area teams, and a High School All-American.

She enrolled at the University of Virginia where she played an integral role in UVA Women’s Lacrosse History. Starting in goal as a freshman, Kim played and won two NCAA Division I National Championships in 1991 and 1993. In ’93, she was named to the NCAA’s All-Tournament team. To date, Kim is still ranked among the top Virginia goalkeepers. She is 1st in career Goals Against Average, and 7th in Saves and Save Percentage. She also has 3 of her 4 seasons Goals Against Average in the single season top 10 category – and yet she graduated over 25 years ago.

Kim has continued to spread her love for the game through giving back to the sport. While attending law school, she coached at West Chester University. She then volunteered for a local club program (SEPA, a girls recreational and club program) for over 23 years. She coached for WBYA Boys Lacrosse for 6 years, and was a volunteer coach and supporter of Downingtown Middle School Boys Team. She helped lobby for the team to transition from club to an official middle school sport. Kim has also served as a Volunteer Goalkeeping Coach for the PA Roughriders – a boys club team.

Currently, Kim is a practicing attorney in West Chester, and is raising two boys with her husband in Downingtown.

American professional baseball pitcher Ryan A. Vogelsong, was born July 22, 1977. In a career that spanned fifteen seasons he played Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates for eleven years (2000-20, and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for three years with the Hanshin Tigers and Orix Buffaloes. He won two World Series rings with the Giants (2012 & 2014)

Vogelsong graduated from Octorara Area High School in 1995, and played Legion baseball in Oxford, PA and little league baseball for Highland in the Southern Chester County Midget League. As a player for Kutztown University during the 1996-1998 seasons, he recorded 242 strikeouts and set nine school records during his three-year college tenure. His baseball achievements earned him induction into the Kutztown University’s Athletics Hall of Fame (2005).

Drafted by the San Francisco Giants during the 5th round of the 1998 Major League Baseball draft, Ryan debuted with the Single-A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in Keizer, Oregon. He made his MLB debut on September 2, 2000 pitching two innings of relief in the Giants’ 13-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs. The Giants traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2001 where he became a starter and pitched with them for five years during two tours of duty with the team.

Ryan rejoined the Giants in 2011 and had his most productive professional year as he compiled a 13-7 record, 2.71 ERA, and was chosen for the National League All-Star team. He helped the Giants reach the World Series where he was 1-0 as they swept the Detroit Tigers, 4-0. A member of the Giants’ rotation he also pitched on the 2014 World Series championship team that beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3. Vogelsong played one year with the Pirates and sustained a broken orbital bone when he was hit by a pitch in Colorado on May 23, 2016. He retired in 2017.

Over his career he posted a 61-75 record, 4.48 ERA, recorded 900 strikeouts, and won two World Series rings. He was inducted into the San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame (2018).

Joey Wendle is nominated for his outstanding accomplishments in Major League and College Baseball.

After an exceptional career at Avon Grove High School in West Grove, PA, Joey attended West Chester University (WCU). He was a four- year starting infielder for WCU, where he compiled a .366 career batting average with 23 home runs and 185 runs batted in. During his senior season, Wendle hit .399 with 12 home runs and 59 runs batted in, as the Golden Rams won the 2012 NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship.

Joey was drafted in the sixth round of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft by the Cleveland Indians. He was the 2013 Lou Boudreau Award winner as the Cleveland Indians Minor League Player of the Year.

In 2014, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics and assigned to their Triple A affiliate in Nashville, TN where, in 2015, he hit the first home run in the history of First Tennessee Park. He began the 2016 season in Nashville but, in August, he was promoted to the Athletics’ Major League roster.

He was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in December 2017 and had an outstanding 2018 season, becoming the first Rays player since 2011 to hit over .300, and the first rookie to ever reach that mark. Wendle led all Major League rookies in batting average, on base percentage and triples. At the conclusion of the 2018 season, he was unanimously chosen as the Rays Outstanding Rookie and finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year award.

A highlight of Wendle’s career was starting for the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 Major League Baseball World Series vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Over his six-year Major League Baseball career, he has an exceptional .280 batting average. Wendle presently plays for the Tampa Bay Rays.