(BHOF Trustee and BHS JV Boys Basketball Coach Shad Woodruff discusses what the new HOF class says about the individuals, and our community.)

Each of the six years the Beaverton Hall of Fame has been in existence is special for many reasons. For me, the inductions of Coach Van and Coach Johnston stand out for what they both have meant in my life. The pride I felt the night my dad and Uncle Dick Woodruff were enshrined will forever resonate in my memory.

Others may be reminded of their childhood as they watched in awe the names Govitz, Loar, Newman, Gerow, Mishler, Calhoun, Grant, Durkee, Badger, Gunningham and Christian dominate the competition. Metzger and Phillips, names of leaders and people who put others first. The reasons are many but a person would be hard pressed to find a community member who doesn’t relate to a memory made by one of our current Hall of Fame members.

The community of Beaverton truly is a special place. Not because we say it is; that would be completely biased. We are supposed to think it is special, and we do. For me, the testament to our community being extraordinary is the countless compliments we receive from people who have lived their respective lives in other communities.

“Man, you guys have a lot of fun up there,” from a Sanford resident referring to the countless community enhancement events we partake in. Or “We sure appreciate watching your school spirit,” as expressed by a Gladwin mother after another patented “Bleacher Creature” performance. It is our support for one another that always strikes me; it seems we never miss an opportunity to pick someone up when they get knocked down.

Also, I sometimes find it odd the number of people I consider very close friends whose ages are so vastly different than mine and yet I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The reason this entry is so focused on community is that this year’s class of inductees quite possibly speaks to what the Beaverton community is as well as any class before it.

Let’s start with Carter Schumacher. Carter’s parents, Guerdon and Paula, are not in the literal sense native to Beaverton. They moved here many decades ago with the hopes of building a family, a business, a life. Through hard work and a belief in the importance of community involvement they were successful. Unfortunately we recently lost Guerdon, but I think it is fitting that his son Carter will be enshrined in our Athletic Hall of Fame this year. I know we are proud, as I’m sure Guerdon and Paula are as well.

If the topic is the Beaverton community, the name “Brubaker” cannot be left out. In fact, if towns were all named after its most populous family, we would live in “Brubaker!” Thank God! Can you imagine that mascot? All jokes aside, the Brubaker name is synonymous with Beaverton because it is synonymous with family. Whether it is school, sports, church, business or just simply friends, the Brubakers are there for us, and Rick’s contribution through his talents on the football field are just another feather in the cap of the Beaverton Hall of Fame.

I left the ’84 Boys Basketball Team for last because I think it exemplifies our community the best. I was only seven years old when Roy’s Boys went down to Crisler Arena, and all of Beaverton went with them. It was my first memory of Beaverton basketball as I remember listening to the game on the radio in my Grandma and Grandpa Hovers’ basement. Although we lost that game, I’ll never forget the excitement I could hear coming from the announcers and watching my family trying to will the guys to victory.

That memory stuck with me forever and, among many others, is the reason I am in the position I am today. That is my story from the ’84 season, but I so enjoy listening to the tales from others who still tell about how that team literally brought our community together as one. We were all there, fighting together for one cause – each other. As a coach, I love hearing how unselfish they were, how balanced they were. You could not stop any one player because it would only allow the others to excel more. The epitome of Team. The epitome of Community.

I want to thank the Schumachers, the Brubakers and the ’84 Team for setting an example that hard work and togetherness lead to good things. Congratulations to you all on being inducted into the Beaverton Hall of Fame.