AURORA | Patty Childress is running out of Hall of Fames to join.
The former Grandview volleyball coach — the most successful to ever guide an Aurora volleyball program — will be admitted into at least her third Hall of Fame after Tuesday’s announcement that she’s part of the Colorado High School Activities Association’s Hall of Fame Class of 2018 group.
Inducted into the Colorado High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2015, Childress was also added into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association National Hall of Fame in 2017. On April 23, she’ll be part of the seven selections honored among CHSAA’s 30th anniversary HOF class.
Childress adds another accolade to her glowing resume in the wake of a coaching career that brought her to Grandview after previous stops at Otis, Palisade, Ferndale and Colorado Mesa University. When she stepped down following the 2015 season, she had a career record of 493-169 with Class 5A state championship victories in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2013 and 2014, while she also guided Grandview to the state final five other times in addition to two other semifinal appearances.
Childress is the lone athletic coach in a class that includes three former star athletes in Scott Elarton (Lamar), Jack Klapper (Denver East) and Bart Stevens (Flagler), plus music teacher/judge Morton Dickson and Terri Ward (Niwot), hailed as one of the state’s top female sports ambassadors.
In addition, the 1999 Columbine football team will be the fifth team to be inducted.
According to CHSAA, its Hall of Fame selection committee is comprised of chair Bob Marken (Buena Vista), Kevin Boley (Legend), Glenda Bates (Prairie View), Larry Brunson (CHSAA Hall of Fame), Dick Katte (CHSAA/NFHS Hall of Fame), Ellie Kempfe (Prospect Ridge), Jeremy Kerns (Byers), Shelli Miles (Widefield), Dan Mohrmann (CHSAANow.com), David Robinson (Montezuma-Cortez) and Cherie Toussaint (Pueblo SD 70 Schools).
The CHSAA Hall of Fame banquet is set for 6:30 p.m. April 23 at the DTC Marriott Denver. Limited seating is available. Contact CHSAA to purchase tickets for $60 apiece.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Sentinel Prep Sports
BIOS OF 2018 CHSAA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES (AS PROVIDED BY CHSAA)
PATTY CHILDRESS (Otis, Palisade, Grandview) – [Coach/Sponsor] – Longtime volleyball coach who posted a 493-170 career coaching record. Her teams won 5 state titles, finished second five times and had another two final 4 appearances. She has earned numerous coaching honors from the Colorado High School Coaches Association and the Sportswomen of Colorado. She was coach of the year 8 times and was the Dave Sanders Award recipient in 2013.
MORTON DICKSON (Woodland Park) – [Coach/Sponsor] – Morton Dickson was a vocal music teacher for Woodland Park for 34 years, during which time his programs were one of the most active and successful ones in the CHSAA Music Festivals. Rarely did his programs receive any rating lower than “Superior.” His students regularly earned top spots in the CMEA All-State Choir. He continues to judge the CHSAA festivals.
SCOTT ELARTON (Lamar) – [Student Participant] – One of the state’s most dominating prep athletes, Elarton’s baseball team won three consecutive state titles and were runners-up twice in basketball. He was named Player of the Year six times, four in baseball and twice in basketball. He earned Prep All-America honors in baseball. He was a first round selection in the 1994 MLB amateur draft by the Houston Astros. He played professional baseball for 19 years, 10 of those in the major leagues.
JACK KLAPPER (Denver East) – [Student Participant] – One of the state’s most dominating tennis players, Klapper won three #1 singles championship (only 3-year high schools back then) and was just the second player to ever do so. The other one is in the CHSAA Hall of Fame. He led his team to three straight state team titles under CHSAA Hall of Fame member Bill Weimar. Following high school, Klapper played tennis and squash at MIT. He has been a neurologist in Denver for the past 50 years.
BART STEVENS (Flagler) – [Student Participant] – One of the state’s top small school athletes, Stevens led Flagler High School to a 45-5 football record and was named the A8 Player of the Year twice. He was a four-time all-state selection in football and ran for 1,956 yards, threw for 4,559 yards, scoring 25 times on the ground and had 67 TD passes. He played basketball for two years and medaled at the state tournament twice. He played collegiately at CSU-Pueblo and then became a teacher, coach and administrator.
TERRI WARD (CCGS/Niwot) – [Significant Contributor] – Dedicated to girls’ sports, Ward has been the constant driver and facilitator for the Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports. Her tireless efforts on behalf of young female athletes is unsurpassed in Colorado. A teacher and coach at Niwot, Ward has been at the center of many activities benefitting and enhancing opportunities for the girls’ athletes of state. She has been a fixture for women’s leadership throughout her career with CCGS, Sportswomen of Colorado, Niwot High School and many volunteer activities at the state and national level.
COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 1999 – [Team] – April 20, 2019 is the 20th Anniversary of the Columbine shootings. It’s impact on the world, nation, state and community was immense and devastating. People across the globe followed the Columbine football team, watching the healing process and resiliency of that school and, in particular, its football team. Media scrutiny was overwhelming and the pressure on the team incredible. The team beat Cherry Creek 21-14, and head coach Andy Lowry was coach of the year and three players made the All-Colorado team that year, more than any other school.