Former Durango High School student leadership adviser Dale Garland will be inducted into the Colorado High School Activities Association Hall of Fame.
CHSAA released the 2022 honorees on Tuesday, and Garland was one of seven selections in this year’s class.
Garland retired from Durango High School last year after teaching social studies at the school for 31 years. During that time, he also served as the dean of students, managed the Knowledge Bowl club, the SCUBA Club and the Ski Club while advising DHS Student Council and the DHS Ambassadors and serving as an assistant cross-country coach.
As a student leadership adviser, Garland set the standard for how to grow young leaders. For over a decade, Garland’s program was recognized as a National Council of Excellence by the National Student Council office. This recognition is reserved for student leadership programs that meet specific criteria related to leadership excellence, service and commitment to their school community. Over his 25 years as an adviser, Garland was recognized as the CHSAA Adviser of the Year, he served multiple terms as a Student Leadership Advisory Committee member, and he led workshops at many CHSAA student leadership camps and conferences.
“I felt lucky to experience it for the last three years and saw firsthand his impact on student culture and climate through our student council,” said district athletic and activities director Ryan Knorr. “He fostered leadership by leaning on/supporting the students to take charge and take the initiative to be the positive impact within the building. He was the ultimate advocate for our students to make the most out of their four years and did what he could do to ensure it was memorable. He also was consistently committed to ensuring the students who entered as freshman left DHS in a better place when they left as seniors. That in a nutshell is what being student council leader is all about.”
“He lived his message and was a constant role model to myself and our staff,” Knorr added. “He created a committee dedicated to improving staff climate and culture where he and the committee consistently reminded our staff they have the ability to choose their attitude, be here (mentally and physically), play and have fun while working with students/parents, and to remind us all we have the ability to make someone’s day on a daily basis. His positivity and attitude made a huge impact at DHS and really in our community.”
This year’s hall of fame class also includes five legendary coaches: Sally Moos (Cherry Creek), Tim Ottmann (Ponderosa), Rene Aafedt (Valley), George Rykovich (Manitou Springs) and James Hartman, Jr. (Mitchell). Rounding out the class is Ann Strother Abromaitis (Highlands Ranch).
- Moos led Cherry Creek to five Class 5A state volleyball titles, amassing 734 wins in 35 years.
- Ottman coached Ponderosa’s wrestling team to eight 5A state championships, 12 regional titles and a 147-19 record in 18 years.
- Aafedt guided Valley’s volleyball team to nine 3A state championship games, including titles in 2010 and 2012.
- Rykovich was the head coach of Manitou Springs’ football team for 36 years, leading the Mustangs to two 2A titles.
- Hartman coached Mitchell’s football team for 18 years, winning 211 games and three 3A state championships.
- Abromaitis played basketball at Highlands Ranch, where she was a two-time 5A state champion. She then started 142 games for the University of Connecticut, where she guided the program to two NCAA DI National Championships. She was drafted into the WNBA by the Houston Comets.
The Class of 2022 will be inducted during a ceremony on Jan. 23, 2023.
“I applaud the efforts of the selection committee as this is an exceptional list of deserving honorees,'' said CHSAA Commissioner Michael Krueger. “Each and every member of the CHSAA Hall of Fame exceedingly represents the intrinsic values and ideals that create the foundation for educationally based athletics and activities; the 2022 Hall of Fame Class reflect this same standard of exceptional accomplishment.”
The Hall of Fame selection committee includes Robert Marken (CHSCA), Stephanie Leasure (Doherty), Kevin McWain (Severance), Robert Framel (Kit Carson), Dr. Tracy Hill (CHSAA Hall of Fame Inductee), Adria Herscher (Overland), Dick Katte (Advisor) and Dan Mohrmann (Colorado Preps/Mile High Sports). The committee also includes four student leadership representatives- Brakelle Westphal (Springfield), Sydney Crouthers (Eaglecrest), Anna Winn (Fort Collins) and Kat Tomin (Highlands Ranch).
“The selection process is something that I look forward to every year,” said CHSAA assistant commissioner Rashaan Davis, who oversees the Hall of Fame. “To talk about how each nominee achieved at the highest level, how they worked hand-in-hand with other students and/or adults for the betterment of a school community, and to see how their vision of success became is a testament to what education-based activities can produce.”
