Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame

SAL MELITO - 2004 HONOR ROLL

He was honored in the first class of the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame Honor Roll -- an award given to volunteer community coaches. It was an easy choice.

If Tom Lasorda, in the first class of inductees into the Coaches Hall of Fame, was the gold standard for baseball coaches from Montgomery County ... then Sal Melito was the gold standard for community coaches.

Melito died earlier this week, after a long illness. He will be missed by his loving family, many friends, and former athletes.

Melito coached the Presidential Caterers American Legion team for 50 years. "Coached" is an understated term.

He organized, inspired and drove his players like nobody else. He won 13 league championships with Presidential Caterers and earned the respect and loyalty of those who played for him.

Perhaps the best description came in a 2012 Times Herald story, authored by sports writer Tom Kerrane. It was on the occasion of the American Legion All-Star game, an event that also served to honor Melito. His fellow coaches and players paid tribute.

The best came in a quote from Tom Sergio, arguably the best player ever to play for Melito, who later joined him as a coach.
"Sal is a no-nonsense, no-holes barred, pull-no-punches coach," said Sergio. "He will let you know when you are having a bad day and he will let you know when you are having a good day.

"You always know where you stand with him. There is no one like Sal Melito."

Fifty years of service to the American Legion players who wore the Presidential Caterers uniform is testimony to that fact. Don't expect to see another coach come near that mark anytime soon. It is the singular mark of Sal Melito.

2021 MCCHOF Inductee:

Tim Hughes - To say that the girls’ softball program at Spring-Ford High is synonymous with Tim Hughes would be an understatement. As head coach from 1997 to the present, he has established a record of dominance that would be hard to beat in any sport. His overall record is 449-116-1 (.793 winning percentage).With Hughes at the helm, Spring-Ford has won 12 PAC 10 championships and two District championships. The team has 25 straight District appearances that led to three straight State Semi-Final appearances and nine straight trips to the State tournament. The latest highlight was an undefeated regular season in 2021, which came to an end in the state tournament with a loss to Haverford. He was inducted into the Tri-County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

Randy Garber - Randy Garber was an All-American and professional soccer player, whose coaching career proved to be every bit as outstanding as his playing days at Abington High School and beyond. Garber worked his way up the coaching ladder. He began in the youth soccer ranks and was named the 1996 NSCAA Youth Soccer Coach of the Year. In 1997 he was named the Eastern PA Youth Soccer Coach of the Year. And in 2007 he was named the Southeastern PA Coaches Association Coach of the Year. In 2012 he also received the Eastern PA Youth Soccer Excellence in Coaching Award. He then took over the reins of the Abington High soccer program. His teams won the 2012 PIAA District One championship and were District One finalists three other times (1993, 2007, 2012). Garber has been honored with induction into three other Hall of Fames -- Southeastern PA Soccer HOF, Mercer County College HOF, Abington High School HOF.

2021 MCCHOF Inductee

Randy Garber - Randy Garber was an All-American and professional soccer player, whose coaching career proved to be every bit as outstanding as his playing days at Abington High School and beyond. Garber worked his way up the coaching ladder. He began in the youth soccer ranks and was named the 1996 NSCAA Youth Soccer Coach of the Year. In 1997 he was named the Eastern PA Youth Soccer Coach of the Year. And in 2007 he was named the Southeastern PA Coaches Association Coach of the Year. In 2012 he also received the Eastern PA Youth Soccer Excellence in Coaching Award. He then took over the reins of the Abington High soccer program. His teams won the 2012 PIAA District One championship and were District One finalists three other times (1993, 2007, 2012). Garber has been honored with induction into three other Hall of Fames -- Southeastern PA Soccer HOF, Mercer County College HOF, Abington High School HOF.

2021 MCCHOF Inductee

Randy Garber - Randy Garber was an All-American and professional soccer player, whose coaching career proved to be every bit as outstanding as his playing days at Abington High School and beyond. Garber worked his way up the coaching ladder. He began in the youth soccer ranks and was named the 1996 NSCAA Youth Soccer Coach of the Year. In 1997 he was named the Eastern PA Youth Soccer Coach of the Year. And in 2007 he was named the Southeastern PA Coaches Association Coach of the Year. In 2012 he also received the Eastern PA Youth Soccer Excellence in Coaching Award. He then took over the reins of the Abington High soccer program. His teams won the 2012 PIAA District One championship and were District One finalists three other times (1993, 2007, 2012). Garber has been honored with induction into three other Hall of Fames -- Southeastern PA Soccer HOF, Mercer County College HOF, Abington High School HOF.

Montgomery County
Coaches
Hall of Fame
“A Legacy of Leadership”

NEWS RELEASE
For more information
call Tony Leodora
610-279-9220

Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame
Adds Four to Community Coaches Honor Roll

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (October 15, 2021) – With an eye toward those who serve the community – through long hours and for no pay – the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame once again announces its Community Coaches Honor Roll.
Five honorees, from different regions of Montgomery County, will be in the spotlight at the 19th annual induction banquet on Tuesday, November 23 at Presidential Caterers in East Norriton.
The newest class of honorees includes: John Bortulin of Norristown, Ed Foley of Conshohocken, Ed Lincul of West Norriton, Tony Lowe of Harleysville and Tom Moore of Blue Bell.
They will join the previously announced class of Hall of Fame inductees: Randy Garber, who starred nationally as a soccer player, then built a powerhouse as a coach at Abington High; Tim Hughes, softball coach at Spring-Ford High from 1997 to the present, whose teams have won almost 80 percent of their games in that span; Mary Ann Harris, a coaching legend in lacrosse at Ursinus College and field hockey at Souderton High; Bob Peffle, a championship coach in three sports – in soccer at La Salle College High School, and in wrestling and baseball at Frankford High; and Ed Klavon, who founded the North Penn High wrestling program in 1956 and coached the team for 35 years until 1992 and won a state championship in 1987.
The new members of the Community Coaches Honor Roll will be lauded during a special segment of the induction banquet and have their names enshrined in the home of the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame at Montgomery County Community College.
John Bortulin
For a period of almost 20 years, beginning in 1996, John Bortulin served as the driving force behind the development of soccer in Audubon. For 15 seasons he coached the Saint Teresa CYO soccer team. At the same time he ascended to the role of CYO Regional Coordinator (2008-2013) and Region 21 Soccer Commissioner (2006-2013).
In 2006 he took on the additional job as Athletic Director at Saint Teresa.
Bortulin’s contributions to the community were not limited to the Saint Teresa CYO program. In 2003 he served as Audubon Recreation Association soccer coach and held that position until 2010.

Ed Foley
The nationally recognized Philadelphia Little Quakers football team owes much of its success to the outstanding leadership it has received. For 31 years, Ed Foley was a dynamic part of that leadership team. Its current all-time record is 251-38-7.
Foley honed his coaching and leadership skills in an amazing assortment of other positions.
He served for 12 years as head and assistant coach for boys and girls CYO sports at Saint Philip Neri school in Lafayette Hill. He served nine years as a coach and board member of Conshohocken Little League.
Aside from his volunteer work, as a faculty member at William Penn Charter School he distinguished himself as head coach of middle school football, then assistant coach of varsity football.
A University of Pennsylvania grad, Foley was inducted into the school’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

Ed Lincul
West Norriton Little League owes a huge debt of gratitude to Ed Lincul. He has been a dedicated and beloved coach, board member, and respected advisor to many coaches and parents for 25 years. Lincul's commitment to his community never wavered even amidst the tragic auto accident loss of his son.
Keen insight and calm influence continue to buoy WNLL and its players through his steadfast commitment to excellence and integrity. A true treasure for his community, Lincul exemplifies the very definition of a servant-leader.

Tony Lowe
The term “coach for a lifetime” really applies to Tony Lowe. His coaching involvement dates back to 1992 in the Towamencin Youth Association. Over the years he coached inter league softball, baseball, soccer, and both girls and boys basketball teams. He coached TYA travel teams in each sport. He also served as a TYA basketball commissioner.
At Corpus Christi in Upper Gwynedd, Lowe coached JV softball, baseball, and basketball. He coached varsity softball and both girls and boys varsity basketball teams -- winning multiple Region 20 championships and led Corpus to two Archdiocesan Final Four appearances and two La Salle College High School tournament championships. He served as Corpus Christi’s Athletic Director for many years and was part of the group that brought the Cougars football program to Corpus during his tenure as AD.
Lowe also has been a volunteer coach in the Sonny Hill basketball program in Philadelphia. He also coached Fencor AAU and the Montgomery Defenders AAU basketball teams leading both to many tournament championships and successful runs in the Mid-Atlantic championships.
In addition to all of his volunteer coaching, Lowe also
coached varsity high school basketball teams for many years at Lansdale Catholic, Hatboro Horsham, and currently at New Hope Solebury High School.

Tom Moore
Over the years, Tom Moore has proved to be a coach for all seasons. He has coached baseball, football and basketball.
At the CYO level, he coached football at Saint John of the Cross in Roslyn, Abington Township, from 1967 to 1982.He also coached CYO Basketball at Saint John the Cross from 1977 to 1987 and Saint Alphonsus from 1988 to 2001.
His baseball experience came as coach of the Roslyn Boys Club baseball team from 1973 to 1978.

Tickets for the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame banquet are available for purchase by contacting any member of the Hall of Fame Advisory Board. Additional information can be obtained by going to the website – www.mcchof.com or by calling the banquet management office at 484-868-8000.

Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame | MCCHOF The Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame made a scholarship presentation today. Monty the Montgomery County Community…

Montgomery County
Coaches
Hall of Fame
“A Legacy of Leadership”

NEWS RELEASE
For more information
call Tony Leodora
610-721-8186

Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame
Announces 19th Class of Inductees

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (September 8, 2021) – Five coaches, with stellar records in their respective sports, make up the latest class of inductees into the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame. They will be the centerpiece of the 19th annual induction banquet on Tuesday, November 23 at Presidential Caterers in East Norriton.
The induction banquet resumes its storied history as a highlight of the annual sports calendar in Montgomery County, after a year’s absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After a long run of packed houses for our annual banquet, it was painful to put a pause to the celebration last year,” admitted Dale Hood, Hall of Fame president. “We are excited to return to a packed house after a year's absence due to Covid-19. Interest is very strong regarding this new class of inductees, who bring a long list of accomplishments to this year’s banquet."
The newest class of inductees includes Randy Garber, who starred nationally as a soccer player, then built a powerhouse as a coach at Abington High; Tim Hughes, softball coach at Spring-Ford High from 1997 to the present, whose teams have won almost 80 percent of their games in that span; Mary Ann Harris, a coaching legend in lacrosse at Ursinus College and field hockey at Souderton High; Bob Peffle, a championship coach in three sports – in soccer at La Salle College High School, and in wrestling and baseball at Frankford High; and Ed Klavon, who founded the North Penn High wrestling program in 1956 and coached the team for 35 years until 1992 and won a state championship in 1987.
“I feel very confident that the return of the Coaches Hall of Fame banquet this year will bring the highest caliber of coaching excellence to the dais,” remarked Selection Committee Chairman Kevin Burke. “We are very excited to honor them in front of the sports fans of Montgomery County.”
The new class of inductees brings a long list of accomplishments to this year’s banquet.
Randy Garber
Randy Garber was an All-American and professional soccer player, whose coaching career proved to be every bit as outstanding as his playing days at Abington High School and beyond.
Garber worked his way up the coaching ladder. He began in the youth soccer ranks and was named the 1996 NSCAA Youth Soccer Coach of the Year. In 1997 he was named the Eastern PA Youth Soccer Coach of the Year. And in 2007 he was named the Southeastern PA Coaches Association Coach of the Year. In 2012 he also received the Eastern PA Youth Soccer Excellence in Coaching Award.
He then took over the reins of the Abington High soccer program. His teams won the 2012 PIAA District One championship and were District One finalists three other times (1993, 2007, 2012).
Garber has been honored with induction into three other Hall of Fames -- Southeastern PA Soccer HOF, Mercer County College HOF, Abington High School HOF.
Tim Hughes
To say that the girls’ softball program at Spring-Ford High is synonymous with Tim Hughes would be an understatement. As head coach from 1997 to the present, he has established a record of dominance that would be hard to beat in any sport. His overall record is 449-116-1.
With Hughes at the helm, Spring-Ford has won 12 PAC 10 championships and two District championships. The team has 25 straight District appearances that led to three straight State Semi-Final appearances and nine straight trips to the State tournament. The latest highlight was an undefeated regular season in 2021, which came to an end in the state tournament with a loss to Haverford.
He was inducted into the Tri-County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.


Mary Ann Harris
All that Mary Ann Harris did was to compile Hall of Fame-worthy accomplishments in two different sports – at two different schools.
At Ursinus College she won the NCAA National Lacrosse Championship in 1983, helping to elevate and cement the Lady Bears' national reputation for both player and coaching excellence.
Her 20-year tenure (1992-2011) at the helm of the Souderton High School field hockey program yielded a remarkable 300-107-25 record with 10 Conference Championships, 4 District Titles, and 10 State Tournament appearances.
All of this came after an incredible playing career. Harris was a 15-year member and captain of the U.S. National Field Hockey team. She is an inductee into both the U.S. National Field Hockey Association Hall of Fame and Temple University Hall of Fame. She also was inducted into the Ursinus College Hall of Fame, the Souderton/North Penn High Hall of Fame in the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (Montco Chapter).


Bob Peffle
Talk about versatility, Bob Peffle has crafted a remarkable coaching resume in three different sports.
As the long-time (28 years, 600 games) soccer coach of La Salle College High School (1987-2014), Peffle boasted a 402-132-66 overall record. That included seven Philadelphia Catholic League (PCL) championships, and four additional PCL Finalist appearances. Those seasons alone produced an astounding 107-14-21 record (.754 winning percentage).
His 2011 undefeated PCL (15-0) squad produced 6 All-PCL players. In all, he has coached more than 100 PCL All-Catholic selections.
Previous to his soccer run at La Salle, Peffle coached the soccer program at Plymouth Whitemarsh High and won a Suburban One title in 1985.
During the same period, Peffle was the Frankford High wrestling coach. His teams won 10 straight Philadelphia Public League championships, losing only one league match. He added 3 PIAA district 12 Championships to this incredible run that spanned 23 seasons (1984-2006). Overall, his wrestlers posted an astounding 429-72 record.
Concurrently, Peffle continued his winning ways into the spring season as the Frankford High baseball coach (1989-2007). He produced five Philadelphia Public League championships. Three more times his teams reached the PPL finals and twice made it to the PIAA tournament.

Ed Klavon
Coaching a team to success is an admirable accomplishment. Founding a program from scratch, then forging a career of success is remarkable. Ed Klavon founded the North Penn High School wrestling program in 1956 and immediately built a winning program. For 35 years, until 1992, his teams were dominant.
His lifetime record was 318-151-7 and included a 43-match win streak from 1983-1986. He won the PA State Championship and was named PA Wrestling Coach of the Year, both in 1987. His teams enjoyed 28 winning seasons, two undefeated seasons, 10 league championships (six Bux-Mont, four Suburban One National), eight Section II titles, two District I North titles, and three Southeast Regional Titles.
He has coached seven individual PIAA Champions, five more state medalists, 33 state qualifiers, 20 Southeast Regional champs, 25 District I champs, and 79 Section II champs. He has coached numerous father-son combinations over the years.
One year, he branched out as North Penn's head soccer coach and his only team won the 1964 Bux-Mont League Championship.
In 1993 he was inducted into the District One Hall of Fame. In 2005 he was inducted into both the PA and National Wrestling Hall of Fames.
The five members of the new induction class, along with the yet-to-be-announced members of the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame Honor Roll (for volunteer coaches) will be inducted at the November 23 banquet.
Tickets for the banquet are available for purchase by contacting any member of the Hall of Fame Advisory Board. Additional information can be obtained by going to the website – www.mcchof.com or by calling the banquet management office at 484-868-8000.


Tony Leodora
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Montgomery County Coached Hall Of Fame 2021 Banquet Tickets

2021 Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame Banquet Each year the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame recognizes the most revered coaches who exemplify our sports-rich heritage and ideals.