Since the Crestwood Red Devils’ Athletic Wall of Fame has been in existence, only 37 athletes have been inducted and had their pictures displayed. The Red Devils will be expandin their Wall of Fame, having announced their plans to remodel and expand it beginning on Dec. 28.
“Exciting is an understatement,” said Crestwood Athletic Director Troy Spiker. “It is all of the excitement of the athletic programs and the coaches of the present day and past coaches, some of these alumni who will be included on this Wall of Fame expansion are still here in the area and are a coach or have coached for us.”
According to Spiker, a Crestwood student researched the athletic archives dating back to 1954 and found 111 names that could be added to the new Wall of Fame. Spiker added that these plans were developed about two years ago and are now coming to fruition.
“I think it is very important and instills a sense of pride to those alumni and says you were not forgotten, made an astounding accomplishment and had phenomenal years at Crestwood,” said the Red Devils’ third-year Athletic Director. “For everyone involved in this project, it means so much to know we are finally recognizing every one of our past history who achieved the highest level of athletic performance during their time here at Crestwood.”
Through the approval of Crestwood’s vendor, School Pride, Spiker said the cost of the project amounts to $21,000 and the funds were raised by the contributions of the Crestwood boosters, the Crestwood local school district, the Board of Education, and the Athletic Department.
In addition to finding 111 new athletes, the Red Devils’ Athletic Department is also changing the requirements to join the Wall of Fame.
Previously, any athlete that had joined the Wall of Fame had been named a state champion, a state runner-up or had received first-team All-Ohio honors. With the addition of the 111 athletes, Crestwood will now honor any student-athlete that not only became a state champion, but made the podium in any state event or received any type of team All-Ohio honors.
Spiker stressed the objective of these new requirements was not meant to diminish the standards set by the previous 37 student-athletes who had already been named to the Wall of Fame.
“We are just trying to bring the standard not being set by the school but by the State Athletic Association that if you are on a podium receiving a medal or the Coaches’ Association or Sports Association recognizes you as one of the top athletes in the State of Ohio within your respective sport, I think it is a high enough standard for us to display you here at Crestwood,” he noted.
In addition to the 111 new athletes who will soon be joining the Wall of Fame once renovations are completed, the new guidelines to become a fixture in Crestwood athletic history also serves as a new opportunity for the new generation of Crestwood athletes.
Spiker noted that the last two years have seen the Red Devils’ coaches re-establish their roots in the youth programs, which have spilled over into the middle school participation numbers.
“Our varsity coaches have done a phenomenal job of recognizing that their relationship with the youth in our community is the future to our athletic programs,” he added. “The work that our varsity coaches is putting in and the work that our varsity athletes are putting into the community is showing an increase now with how many youth athletes are participating here in grades seven and eight with hopes that these numbers continue and in a few years, our high school participation numbers will grow.”
Once the Wall of Fame is expanded, Crestwood’s Athletic Department will invite the alumni who will be added to the Wall to come together for a buffet style dinner to celebrate their accomplishments. A date has not been set yet, but Spiker said the timeline projects that Crestwood can begin sending out invites near the end of February.
With Crestwood more than doubling the number of student-athletes on its Wal of Fame, Spiker expressed optimism that the future crop of Red Devils’ athletes will take advantage of this new opportunity.
“I think it is a great opportunity to show them that it does not take decades for the next person to go on the Wall,” he said. “It can provide the realistic value that if I place at the State or if I work hard enough on an athletic team then coaches of the area and coaches of the State can recognize that, I have a better opportunity of being displayed for future years to come at Crestwood.”
