Kansas State High School Activities Association
As a 1965 graduate, Bill Kimble is easily the most decorated athlete to graduate from Hoisington High School. Bill Kimble earned 12 gold medals from the KSHSAA State Track Meets in 1963, 1964 and 1965. In each of those three years, he won the gold in the 100-yard and 220-yard dashes, the 180-yard hurdles, and the 880-yard relay. He also helped his track team win two state titles. Kimble holds the record for the 100-yard dash with a time of 9.6 seconds (or converted to meters is 10.5 seconds). Bill continues to hold the state records for the 100-yard and 220-yard dashes. Bill was also an accomplished football athlete and intended to compete for Texas when he experienced some bad luck with his trip and therefore returned to Kansas to participate in track and football at a junior college before being drafted to Vietnam.
***The USD 431 Hoisington Board of Education approved a motion in October to rename the track at HHS to “Bill Kimble Track." The Hoisington Invitational in April will be renamed the “Bill Kimble Invitational” going forward.
Charles "Chuck" Fessenden spent 43 years
teaching, coaching and inspiring students at Northern Valley High School
in Almena, Kansas. He served as the head football coach his entire
career, charting 292 wins and 142 losses, the most all-time 8-player
football coaching wins in Kansas. During his tenure, his team made the
state championships seven times and brought home the championship crown
in three of those games. At one time, his football program had 41
consecutive wins. Chuck was one of the initial founders of the "Kansas
8-Man Football Association" and the "8-Man All Star Game." Coach
Fessenden was also responsible for coaching one state basketball
championship and winning three state track championships. He was honored
with multiple awards and recognitions over the course of four decades
for his coaching of football, basketball, and track. The football field
at Northern Valley has been named Fessenden Field in his honor.
Cheryl
Gleason is synonymous with the Kansas Association for Youth (KAY)
organization as it is built upon service and leadership. Cheryl served
the students, coaches, sponsors, administrators, and schools of Kansas
through her leadership as an Assistant Executive Director at the Kansas
State High School Activities Association from 1989 until her retirement
in 2021. Although she was the administrator for activities such as
gymnastics, volleyball, bowling, tennis, swimming and diving and golf,
what she will always be most remembered for are her years as the KAY
State Director. Cheryl is the only KAY alum to have served 50 years at
the KAY Leadership Camp. In 2012, she helped launch KAYAN, the Kansas
Association for Youth Alumni Network, as an organization that would
continue the beliefs and mission of the KAY organization. During her
career, Cheryl served on numerous national committees and was recognized
for her service with many Hall of Fame inductions.
Pam
McComas spent 40 years in the Topeka 501 School District, instilling a
passion for speech, debate and forensics in her students. She coached
over 170 students to Nationals for 33 consecutive years, coaching five
national champions and 15 National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA)
All-Americans. In 1999 she was awarded the National Coach of the Year
by Pi Kappa Delta/Bruno E. Jacob Award and in 2016 McComas received the
National Federation State High School Association's (NFHS) Citation
Award for Speech, Debate and Theatre Directors. Her involvement with
the KSHSAA includes serving on the Board of Directors and Executive
Board. Beyond the state of Kansas, she has served the NFHS on various
committees and has co-authored National debate topic papers, in which
her topic, Water Resources, was selected for the 2021-2022 school year.
Through the NSDA, McComas has received multiple Chapter Awards and other
numerous honors.
Barry Mellen spent 34 years as a teacher
and coach, 29 of those years at Kismet-Southwestern Heights. During his
girls basketball coaching career, he acquired a record of 785 wins and
178 losses, a winning percentage of .815. In 1992, his girls' basketball
team had an undefeated season which led to a state championship. His
teams won state championship titles twice and were runner ups seven
times. Barry was a successful volleyball coach as well, making it to the
state tournament seven years and a girls/boys track coach with three
state championships. With his years of success came many recognitions
such as "Coach of the Year" by numerous news outlets and associations
and even a "Coach of the Decade." At the National Federation State High
School Association (NFHS) level, Coach Mellen was awarded the "National
Girls Coach of the Year" for District 5 in 2009.
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The honorees were chosen from nominations reviewed by a selection committee. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, an individual must have made an unusually outstanding contribution in interscholastic activities, either as a student with exceptional talent, or as an adult working with youth (such as an activity coach, director or sponsor, an administrator, an official or a contributor). Hall of Fame inductees may no longer be active in the field for which they are nominated (exception: contributor with over 30 years of outstanding service).
Each year schools and communities throughout Kansas submit many nominations of individuals who have made tremendous contributions in the field of interscholastic activities. Hall of Fame information is available on the KSHSAA website at www.kshsaa.org. Nomination forms are available by contacting the KSHSAA. Any nominations to be considered for induction in 2023 must be submitted prior to November 1, 2022.