2012 Coaches

Hall of Fame Inductees

 

 

Bill Anderson –

Without a doubt, the success of today’s Lower Merion basketball program can be

traced back to the foundation created by Bill Anderson. When Anderson died in

1962 he was widely considered the greatest coach in Pennsylvania high school

basketball history. He coached 18 seasons at Lower Merion — 1928 to 1945 — and

in that span his record was 346-49. His postseason record was even more

impressive. In an era when PIAA basketball was dominated by Western Pennsylvania

and the Lehigh Valley, his 1933 team was the first ever from District 1 to win

the state title. Under his direction, Lower Merion went on to win four state

titles, seven Eastern titles and 12 District 1 championships. His hottest

stretch was 1941 to 1943, when Lower Merion won three straight state titles,

forging a record of 70-4. The Lower Merion basketball hall of fame is named the

William H. Anderson Hall of Fame.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rick Carroll –

Collecting honors and attending hall of fame ceremonies is becoming a habit for

Rick Carroll. The retired North Penn High swimming coach should have his

acceptance speech memorized by now. Carroll is already a member of the

Pennsylvania Swimming Hall of Fame, the North Penn/Souderton Area Sports Hall of

Fame and has received the East Stroudsburg University Athletic Achievement

Award. Add to it the fact that he is a recipient of the National Interscholastic

Swim Coaches Association 25-year Distinguished Service Award and the natatorium

at North Penn High was named in his honor. In addition he founded the North Penn

Aquatics Program and served as its director for 26 years. But Carroll’s real

status comes from the record books. After a short stint as assistant swim coach

at Easton High, he came to North Penn High. From 1971 to 1988 his teams posted

an incredible 213-14 record (93.8 percent). they had nine undefeated seasons.

Included in that span was 69-meet win streak. North Penn posted 17 consecutive

league championships, nine District 1 championships and two state championships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gregg Downer – It

is rare for someone to be inducted into a Hall of Fame at age 48 but, in the

case of Lower Merion High basketball coach Gregg Downer, the Montgomery County

Coaches Hall of Fame could wait no longer. Since taking over the coaching reins

of the Aces at the tender age of 26, Downer has put together an amazing record.

In 2010 he surpassed the school record of 346 wins held by the legendary Bill

Anderson. Downer now owns a 407-180 career record at Lower Merion, including two

PIAA AAAA State Championships. His teams have made four state final appearances

and 10 state playoff appearances. He was named Pennsylvania Coach of the Year in

2006 by the Associated Press. During his tenure, Downer sent a steady stream of

players onto higher levels of basketball competition. More than 20 players

played at the Division I, II and III levels. One player, Kobe Bryant, skipped

college and went on to become an NBA MVP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ernie Hadrick –

Ernie Hadrick’s name has been synonymous with the Norristown High track and

field program since the mid-1960s, when he excelled in the sport. He went on to

Morgan State College, then returned to his hometown to begin an outstanding

career as a coach and an educator. He broke into the coaching ranks as head

coach of track & field at the then-Bishop Kenrick High from 1982 to 1985. In

1986 Hadrick realized a dream by returning to his alma mater, Norristown High,

as head track & field coach. He had two stints as head coach — 1986 to 1990 and

1997 to 2003. He also served as head coach of the Norristown Track Club from

1983 to 1997. During that time Hadrick coached athletes who won 11 Pennsylvania

state individual championships. He also coached three relay teams to state

championships. In 2001 his boys team won the indoor state championship and later

that year finished runner-up for the outdoor state title. Going up against

national competition, Hadrick’s teams captured eight Penn Relay championship

plaques from 1997-2003.
 

 

 

 

Joan Moser – One of

the great all-around female athletes ever to come out of Montgomery County, Joan

Moser made an indelible mark in the record books during her years of coaching

softball at North Penn High. A 1964 graduate of Cheltenham High, where she

starred in lacrosse, field hockey, basketball and tennis, Moser went on to a

stellar career at Ursinus. She played field hockey, basketball and softball in

college, then was selected to play on the U.S. Field Hockey team. she played

national caliber (ASA) fast-pitch softball for the world renowned Raybestos

Brackettes from 1964 to 1995. Although she also coached field hockey and

basketball at North Penn, she used her expertise on the softball field to create

a juggernaut in that sport. During the period of 1969 to 1985 she led the North

Penn girls to three state championships (1976, 1981, 1985). Her 1976 team went

20-0 and dominated teams so convincingly that the entire team was inducted into

the North Penn Athletic Association Hall of Fame. Her overall softball coaching

record at North Penn was 278-49 (85 percent) and her teams won 13 Bux-Mont

League titles in 17 years. Moser also coached on the collegiate level, as

Ursinus JV basketball coach, Ursinus College field hockey coach and the Moravian

College field hockey coach. She was inducted into the Ursinus Hall of Fame in

1987.

 

 

2012

Community Coaches

Honor Roll Inductees

 

 

Alex DiNolfi –

After a stellar athletic career locally, it seemed only natural for Alex DiNolfi

to get involved coaching youth sports. In 1996 he started coaching the

Norristown Area Bandits (then the West Norriton Bandits) midget football team.

The next year he expanded his duties by coaching Norristown Little League. His

devotion to youth sports has never stopped. Since 2001 he took over the reins of

running the entire Norristown Bandits football program and has done much to

expand the program and improve the field.

 

 

 

 

 

Vince Flocco –

Vince Flocco has been a pillar of activity for the youth of Conshohocken for 35

years. Following the example of community involvement set by his father, Flocco

started the AMBUCS Special Athletic Program in 1986, organizing sports programs

for young athletes with special needs. He also has been an integral part of the

Conshohocken Soap Box Derby and the bowling program for kids at Facenda Whitaker

Lanes. At the Conshohocken Fellowship House, Flocco has been a constant entity,

coaching basketball and track and field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Larcinese –

John Larcinese has spent 32 years as a coach, Vice President of Fields and

President of the Methaction Baseball Association. Under his direction the

association has flourished to the point where it is one of the leading baseball

associations in the region. In addition, Larcinese also has been coach of the

Visitation CYO softball team. He is known for keeping winning and losing, for

youngsters, in proper perspective

 

 

 

 

John Yorgey – For

40 years John Yorgey has been dedicated to coaching youth football. He started

with the Bridgeport Dragons, before moving to the King of Prussia Indians and

now coaches with the Methacton Wolverines. In 2008 he was named the Pop Warner

Coach of the Year. In 2007 his 105-pound team was ranked third in the nation. In

1994 his undefeated Bridgeport Dragons team one the five-state Mid Atlantic

Championship.

 

 

 

2012

Lifetime Achievement Award

 

 

Geno Auriemma –

With the sounds of the National Anthem still ringing in the ears of the players

who stood on the Olympic podium and accepted their gold medals, the Montgomery

County Coaches Hall of Fame announces women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma as

its Lifetime Achievement Award winner for 2012. Auriemma will be present for the

annual induction banquet on Tuesday, October 9 at Westover Country Club.

Auriemma, who has coached the University of Connecticut women’s basketball

program for 27 seasons, is already a member of the Montgomery County Coaches

Hall of Fame. He was inducted as part of the Hall’s fifth induction class in

2005. In his 27 seasons at UConn the Huskies have been transformed from a

program with only one winning season, to its current state, which includes seven

national titles, 13 Final Fours, four perfect seasons (1995, 2002, 2009, 2010)

and 37 Big East titles. Bringing Auriemma back to his native Montgomery County

for the Lifetime Achievement Award is a celebration of his recent guidance of

the women’s Olympic basketball team to a dominating run that culminated in

winning the gold medal at the London Games. Auriemma called it “a

once-in-a-lifetime experience.” Auriemma has been extremely busy in the last

year, guiding UConn through another successful basketball season, then selecting

and preparing the Olympic team for its historic run. Before leaving for London

he expressed excitement over receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award and was

looking forward to returning to the area in which he grew up.