The Greater Rochester Chapter of USLacrosse held their 2014 Hall of Fame dinner Friday night at the Burgundy Basin Inn in Pittsford.

Just under one hundred lacrosse fans and celebrities gathered to honor the twenty-first Hall of Fame Class.

As Chapter President, Al McLiverty was ill, the evening started with Master of Ceremony, Mike Riorden welcoming the fans and families. After acknowledging that many in the room had connections to Rush-Henrietta, he told a number of stories about the players in the room, who would visit Principal Don Loughlin, one of the inductees.

He made comments about the inductees and about playing in the "double knee-brace" division of "Old Men's tournaments". He then welcomed the class of 2013 and their families, friends and the large group of lacrosse "dignitaries" that included many former Hall of Famers.

Ed Hilton started off the celebrations as he presented his friend and colleague, Craig Chamberlain who has seen great success with the The MCC women's team. Paula Summit (HOF Class of 2004) was a teacher who worked with Don Loughlin and she introduced him. John Hayes (HOF Class of 2012) introduced his friend and former teammate David McNaney and Doug Hendee introduced his teammate Scott Schwind.

Craig Chamberlain

%" height="auto" align="left" hspace="8" vspace="4" />MCC Assistant Coach Ed Hilton introduced his friend and Head Women`s Coach Craig Chamberlain.

He listed some of Craig`s accomplishments that included his twenty-three years in lacrosse. At Rush-Henrietta, he was the boys Junior Varsity coach for three years and the Varsity girls coach for eleven years with a record of 151-39.

He finished his introduction with a story about a game a few years ago when after a number of calls went against his team, he voiced his complaint and was issued a yellow card. The official told him that a player would have to come off the field. "Coach thought for a moment and then said, Take number 7 white off. The official turned to the field and turned back, saying, Coach, you have to take one of YOUR players off the field. Coach responded, well you asked me to take someone off the field!"

Craig then took the podium and opened his remarks by saying that he always try to make one point to anyone who will listen. "Athletics does not owe you anything. You owe athletics for everything you get from it. Whether it is the opportunity to compete or whether it is friendships or anything else.We owe it so much."

After a tough start in his first year at R-H with a record of 1-15, Craig said he was able to with fourteen games the next year.They lost a number of Sectional Tournament games but in 2005 the girls took a 1-8 deficit in the first half and won a semifinal game in triple overtime. Just before the start of the finals, the team told Craig to turn to face the stands, where a large group of players and fans held a sign saying, "We love you Coach. Thanks." Craig recalled that event as one he will always remember.

He was later asked to start the women`s program at MCC. He won the regional championship in his first year and was ranked third in the country.

He thanked all his former athletes, coaches and officials and acknowledged Patti Queener (HOF Class of 2012) and Linda Michele (HOF Class of 2008) for their efforts to take women`s lacrosse in Section Five to the highest levels. He ended his talk by thanking each member of his family.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• 126-16 record in eight years at MCC
• Seven Regional Championships
• Four National Championships
• Two undefeated seasons
• Four-times Regional Coach of the Year
• Four-times National Coach of the Year
• Twenty-Six All America

Don Loughlin

Master of Ceremonies, Mike Riorden began the segment for Don Loughlin with a story about how he and some classmates at R-H were "missing class time" to practice lacrosse shots out on the field. Principal Don Loughlin approached the kids and made a deal with them such that if he could hit the top corner, they would go back to class. Much to their surprise, Don picked up a stick and sent one right into the corner.

Paula Summit, a long-time Rush-Henrietta teacher who worked for Don, then took to the podium to make some comments and then to read some thoughts for Don.

Both Paula and Don opened the "new" high school in 1968. R-H alumni are a close group, and Paula mentioned that although there would normally be a large group to attend the ceremony, there was another legendary coach, (Jerry Everling), being inducted into the Syracuse University Letterman Club at the same time. Paula passed on congratulatory messages from a number of others who were unable to attend the dinner.

Paula then read some remarks by Don which started with a description of his playing for Sewanhaka High School (Long Island) in 1942. Manhasset and Garden City were the only other teams in the area playing at that time although they did play in the Metro league which has three or four more teams. After accelerating his education, at seventeen, he was in the US Navy in the Pacific.

After his return to Long Island in 1946 he was admitted to Adelphi College, which has previously been only for women. There he was elected President of the Men's Athletic Association, a position he held for several years. He got together a number of interested students with little or no experience and formed a club team in 1947. The next year the school agreed to fund a Varsity team, and in his senior year, Don was named a co-captain and the team was ranked twenty-fifth in the nation.

After a couple of years working in the city, Don became a teacher at Huntington High School and after a number of years of work and an article on "Starting a New Lacrosse Team", which was published in Scholastic Coach magazine, he eventually coached their first team from 1957 to 1959. He had to give up coaching when he was appointed Vice Principal.

Although unable to coach, he continued his interest in the game as the head of the USILA stick loan program. This program, which continues even today (through US Lacrosse), loans lacrosse equipment to new teams.

For his many efforts in supporting lacrosse, Don was named USILA Man of the Year in 1966.

Don`s son, Ted, who played lacrosse in Pittsford, took the podium with his father and expressed his father`s thanks for the honor. "Lacrosse has been an important part of my life and I feel blessed to have been able to contribute to this wonderful sport."

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Coached the first team at Huntington (Long Island) High School where he was a teacher and later, Vice Principal.
• Established the Donald A. Loughlin Founders Award at Huntington which is awarded each year to a deserving lacrosse player.
• Managed the USLCA/USILA Kit Program which loaned equipment to schools all over the country who were trying to start new programs.
• Organized and captained the first lacrosse program at Adelphi University.
• Lacrosse Official.
• Principal at Rush-Henrietta High School from 1968-1988.

David McNaney

John Hayes (HOF Class of 2012) presented his friend and former teammate at Hobart, David McNaney. He spoke of how the two of them met as freshmen, playing catch in the narrow hallway of their dormitory and how they eventually switched from lacrosse balls to tennis balls. They became life-long friends as teammates, captains, North/South game participants and fraternity brothers.

David began his speech by acknowledging the other inductees and then stated the importance of lacrosse in his life. "Lacrosse has played a pretty important part in my life", he said and then explained that his parents ran a small grocery, didn't make a great deal of money and didn't understand sports. His father earned extra money driving the Mynderse Academy teams to games and David tagged along. When it became his turn to play, he played football, basketball and lacrosse for the Blue Devils.

His first exposure to college lacrosse was when his high school coach, Al Henry (HOF Class of 2003) signed the boys up to sell hot dogs at the North/South game at Hobart. "seeing the skill level of these guys ...I was just hooked."

Jerry Schmidt recruited David and taught him a great deal. They both appreciated the roughness and toughness that was a great part of the game at that time. At the offensive end of the field, "There was never a bad shot. There were better shots, but never a bad one. And, every day we ran the same plays over and over until we had them perfected."

"The players were all very close, but I would run through walls for Coach Schmidt."

He acknowledged that playing for Team USA in the World games in 1978 was a wonderful thing, but said" I stand here before you as a small town kid who did well. One who was helped by his father and mother and his teammates and coaches and was able to play at the highest levels."

HIGHLIGHTS:

• At Mynderse Academy: All State Lacrosse 1971-1973.
• Mynderse Academy Hall of Fame Member.
• At Hobart College:
  • First team All American 1976, 1977.
  • Outstanding Midfielder in the Country 1977.
  • MVP 1977.
  • Played in the North/South Game 1977.
  • Hobart Lacrosse Hall of Fame member.
• USA Lacrosse team 1978
• Outstanding Player National Club Championship 1982
• California Lacrosse Hall of Fame Member.

Scott Schwind

Doug Hendee was on hand to present his friend Scott Schwind. He started his remarks by telling of a conversation with Scott just after they were notified of the HOF honor. "Scott said he didn't think he deserved the honor." Hendee responded, "It's not just about the words on paper, it's also about character", and this guy's character truly speaks for itself. "Words that describe Scott are tough, fierce and competitor. He is a guy who can be counted on."

Hendee talked about Schwind's twenty-six years as a teacher and spoke about the many students who would come to a club or indoor game to see him play and to support him. "They just want to be around him," he said.

After acknowledging the other inductees and Scott said, "You guys are really worthy of this honor. I am extremely humbled and honored by this."

Scott opened his remarks by thanking his family, starting with his mother, "the strongest person I know. She can find the good in any situation". He thanked his brother Bruce, who introduced him to the game and his sisters who helped raise him and "would always go to my games". He then thanked his wife, Cindy and daughter Julia, who both "allowed me to continue to play this game. Thank you for allowing me to do what I do and thanks for all of the support when I am limping afterwards."

He took a few moments to talk about the school principal and fellow teachers who declared the day "Mr. Schwind Day". They decorated the entrance to his classroom and all the teachers wore number 11 shirts to school.

He then thanked his teammates many who were in attendance. "We are still playing. We are still having fun. We are a family."

He ended his remarks with a story about three important people in his lacrosse life, all three in the first Hall of Fame Class of 1992. All three from Irondequoit helped shape his future. Jeff Long was a classmate of his older brother, who let the eight year old tag along. Vern Babcock, the legendary "father of lacrosse" in the area was his junior high school principal. "When I was called to his office, I was always able to change the discussion to lacrosse." The third was Ernie Lisi, who was his math teacher and although he did not play for him, he still learned a great deal from him.

Scott ended with a rewritten quote, "Any day you can play lacrosse with your very best friends is a good day."

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Two-time All County and All Tournament Team at Irondequoit.
• While at Cortland:.
  • 4 NCAA Lacrosse Tournament appearances
  • Captain and Unsung Hero Award in 1988
• After College:
  • Rochester Club Lacrosse, Rochester Grey Wolves
  • O`Loughlins Club, Jeremiah`s, Wellington Steele Club, Team Tarzan Club
• Coached first Irondequoit Youth League Gr 4-6 team, 1991
• Coached for Brighton, 1991
• Coached for Irondequoit, 1998-99
• Rochester Chapter Board Member, Vice President

 A copy of the dinner program is also available. For more pictures, check out the Gallery.