Honorees Include Five Athletes Whose Awards Were Put On Hold in 2020 By Pandemic
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Media Contact: Carrie Benjamin – San Jose Sports Authority / (310) 709-8470 / carrie@sjsa.org
SAN JOSE, CA – The San Jose Sports Hall of Fame (SJSHOF) (www.sjsa.org/hof) has announced ten local athletes who will receive top achievement awards at its 2021 Induction Ceremony & Dinner on Tuesday, Nov. 16 at SAP Center at San Jose beginning at 5:00pm.
The ten athletes, known collectively as this year’s “Honorees,” will be feted alongside the four South Bay sports legends – James Jones, Mark Purdy, Summer Sanders and George Seifert – who will be inducted at the 26th annual event.
As in past years, San Jose Sports Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors evaluated a list of candidates for the honors before naming the male and female High School Athletes of the Year, male and female Amateur Athletes of the Year, and a Special Olympics Athlete of the Year. Unique to this year’s event, however, is the fact that two groups of Honorees will receive awards next month. The first group of five Honorees would have received their awards in November 2020 if not for the COVID-19 Pandemic forcing the cancelation of last year’s Induction Ceremony & Dinner.
“The Board of Directors felt strongly that the 2020 Honorees should not be overlooked simply because their athletic achievements happened to coincide with the COVID-19 Pandemic,” said David Davis, Chair of the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors. “Indeed, having two groups of Honorees is representative of the Hall of Fame itself. Not only are we doubling up on our celebration of sports, but we are also acknowledging the continuity of our community institutions and the resiliency of our region over the last 18+ months.”
Combined, the two groups of Honorees represent all three local universities (San Jose State, Santa Clara and Stanford), four different high schools (Leland, Los Altos, Los Gatos and St. Francis) and five different sports offered by the Santa Clara County program of Special Olympics Northern California (bowling, flag football, soccer, swimming, track & field).
| ***Details about the ten local Honorees as well as the associated charitable beneficiaries of this year’s Induction Ceremony & Dinner follow.*** |
Event Proceeds will benefit five (5) high school programs and Special Olympics Northern California
With twice the number of Honorees this year, the SJSHOF will also increase the charitable impact of this year’s event.
In previous years, the SJSHOF has made a financial contribution to the high school athletic departments in honor of the male and female High School Athletes of the Year. Given the two groups of Honorees this year, the Hall of Fame will make four such donations – to Leland, Los Altos, Los Gatos and St. Francis High Schools.
Additionally, the San Jose Sports Authority – with support from the SJSHOF –will make a financial contribution to the Commissioner’s Office of the Central Coast Section (CCS of the CIF), to help offset the cost of implementing the required health protocols at upcoming games, tournaments and championship events. You can learn more about the COVID-19 High School Sports Relief Fund here: https://sjsa.org/hs-sports-relief-fund.
Lastly, proceeds from this year’s Silent Auction will go to support Special Olympics Northern California (SONC), the SJSHOF’s designated charitable partner for more than 20 years.
“I’m thrilled we will come together in person this year to induct the Class of 2021.” said Executive Director of the San Jose Sports Authority, John Poch. “As special as the evening is for both the Inductees and Honorees, it is also an important night, this year’s six different charitable beneficiaries – the most ever for this event. And, for that we must thank our corporate sponsors and ticket buyers, without whom we could not double our donations or augment our support of local high school sports through our COVID-19 High School Sports Fund. Everyone associated with the Hall of Fame is essential to the continued success of the event – the Inductees and Honorees, their families and friends, corporate sponsors and individual donors, non-profit organizations and high school athletic departments… the list goes on and on. The San Jose Sports Hall of Fame really is about the entire sports-loving community in San Jose and Santa Clara County. I’m glad it continues to be an enduring source of genuine civic pride.”
About the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame
Established in 1995, the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Dinner is an event of the San Jose Sports Authority, San Jose Arena Authority, SAP Center Management/San Jose Sharks, and the City of San José. The event’s presenting sponsor is Heritage Bank of Commerce. Information about the Class of 2021 Inductees, the individuals previously inducted into the SJSHOF as well as the criteria for induction is available at www.sjsa.org/HOF.
The event will begin with a reception and silent auction followed by dinner and the induction ceremony. Individual tickets are available for $300 each; sponsorship and table packages are available starting at $3,000. For additional event information and to purchase tickets, visit RSVPIFY.SJSHOF.COM or call (408) 288-2935.
About the San Jose Sports Authority
The San Jose Sports Authority is a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase the City of San Jose’s economic development, visibility and civic pride through sports. Serving as the City’s sports commission since its inception in 1991, the Sports Authority has provided leadership and support to attract and host hundreds of sporting events in San Jose and the South Bay. The Sports Authority also supports and operates community, youth and amateur sports programs, including the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame and the REACH Youth Scholarship Program. To learn more, visit www.sjsa.org.
2020 SJSHOF Honorees
2019-20 Female High School Athlete of the Year – Jenna Flynn Leland HS Water Polo
Through 20 games this season, Jenna Flynn has an astonishing 129 goals, 46 assists, 84 steals and 23 field blocks. Recognized for her speed and strength, Flynn has been part of the USA Water Polo’s national team pipeline since she was twelve years old. The high school senior currently plays Attacker for the USA Water Polo Junior National Team (20U) and has announced she will attend and compete for Stanford University next year.
2019-20 Male High School Athlete of the Year – Adam Garwood Los Gatos HS Football
Adam Garwood played RB and OLB at LGHS, where he was a two-time team MVP and twice received All-CSS First Team honors. During his pandemic-shortened senior season, Garwood averaged 9.9 yds. per carry, scored 11 TDs and had four 100-yd. games. Garwood is now a freshman on the football team at Cal Poly. He wears No. 42 to honor his late uncle, Pat Tillman, who was posthumously inducted into the SJSHOF in 2004.
2019-20 Female Amateur Athlete of the Year – Kelsey Turnbow Santa Clara Univ. Soccer
Now in her RS senior year at Santa Clara Univ., Kelsey Turnbow was named the College Cup Offensive MVP and Top Drawer Soccer Player of the Year for the 2020 season. She led her team with 10 goals and 24 points en route to the team’s national championship. In the title game vs. top-ranked Florida St., Turnbow scored the game-tying goal in the 84th minute as well as one of the winning penalty kicks that sealed the Broncos victory. Turnbow was selected 18th overall in the 2021 NWSL draft by the Chicago Red Stars.
2019-20 Male Amateur Athlete of the Year – Cade Hall San Jose State Univ. Football
Cade Hall is currently in his fourth season at SJSU. Last year, he was named a 2020 AllAmerica defensive lineman, becoming the first Spartan in eight years to earn AllAmerica honors. He was named Defensive Player of the Year by the Mountain West Conference as well as Defensive MVP of the 2020 Mountain West Championship game after recording 3.0 tackles for loss, including a pair of sacks. The Morgan Hill native and Bellarmine Prep alumnus finished last year’s pandemic-shortened season with 26 tackles and 10 sacks (tied for second nationally).
2020 Special Olympics Athlete of the Year – Louis Manson N/A Track & Field, Soccer and Flag Football
A multi-sport athlete, Manson will represent Santa Clara County and SONC when he competes as a member of the NorCal Track & Field Team at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in June in Orlando, Fla.
2021 SJSHOF Honorees
2020-21 Female High School Athlete of the Year – Jessica Oakland St. Francis HS Softball, Basketball
Named to the MaxPreps All-American First Team and the State Junior Player of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports, Jessica Oakland hit .612 and crushed a state-best 19 HRs while leading the Lancers to a perfect 26-0 record and the 2021 CCS Open Division championship in 2021. Going into her senior year, the star shortstop has amassed 92 hits, 92 RBIs, 83 total runs scored and only 9 strikeouts over three seasons (58 games). Also a stand-out basketball player, Oakland will continue playing softball at the Univ. of Minnesota staring next fall.
2020-21 Male High School Athlete of the Year – Aaron Parker Los Altos HS Baseball
Now a freshman at UC Santa Barbara, Aaron Parker has been described as an instinctual baseball player with loads of raw power in his swing. Over his four-year varsity career, the catcher hit .489, registered an on-base percentage of .583, drove in 107 runs and belted 26 homers. When not behind the plate, Parker also played infield and pitched for the Eagles. He was named MaxPreps Player of the Game 19 times during his high school baseball career.
2020-21 Female Amateur Athlete of the Year Haley Jones Stanford Univ. Basketball
Twice honored by the SJSHOF as the Female High School Athlete of the Year (2018, 2019), Santa Cruz native Haley Jones can add SJSHOF “Amateur Athlete of the Year” to her long list of accolades. Named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2021 NCAA Tournament Final Four, Jones leads a new generation of “position less” players who can play any role on the court, from point guard to post to wing. The multifaceted student-athlete started 32 games for the Cardinal in her sophomore season, averaging 13.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 27.5 minutes per game.
2020-21 Male Amateur Athlete of the Year – Brody Malone Stanford Univ. Gymnastics
Stanford gymnast Brody Malone begins his senior season as a 2x NCAA team champion (2019, 2021) and 5x NCAA National Champion (all-around, floor, high bar in 2019; all-around, high bar in 2021). The Georgia native is also a 12x NCAA All-American and 3x MPSF (Conference) Gymnast of the Year. Malone won the 2021 U.S. Championship national title, was named to the USA National Team and competed at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, helping Team USA to a fifth-place finish in the team final. Most recently, Malone earned bronze on horizontal bar at the 2021 World Artistic Gym. Championships, held in Kitakyushu, Japan earlier this month.
2021 Special Olympics Athlete of the Year – Jenna Yee N/A Swimming, Bowling and Softball
Described as resilient, determined and motivated, Yee works full-time and lives on her own in Mtn. View. In addition to participating in SONC’s sports programs, Yee is active with the non-profit organization, AbilityPath, which provides independent living skills coaching. The nonprofit selected Yee to be the “2019 Aquathon Honorary Swimmer” at its annual swimming fundraising event in recognition of her personal attributes and love for the sport.