Marion Harding inducts latest class into hall of fame
MARION — Scott McCrery summed it up best Friday night at the end of the induction ceremony for the Marion Harding High School Athletic Hall of Fame's 30th class.
"You’re great athletes. You might not know me, but I saw every one of you play, and you were great, great athletes," the 1969 Harding graduate said while accepting his special recognition honor for his decades of help to the athletic department.
Indeed they were.
Inducted into the hall were Heidi Clark (Bennett) of the class of 2005, Shawn Dyer of the class of 2010, Shawnta' Dyer of the class of 2010, Brenae Harris of the class of 2011 and Sarah Woodrum (Pitzer) of the class of 2009.
"You people don’t realize the work that these people and athletes put in every day," McCrery told the crowd. "I saw it. I went to these practices. I watched how hard those coaches worked. I watched how hard those boys worked, and I’m sure it’s the same for these girls. I don’t think at times we understand what they go through every day, but they do it for the love of the game. They do it because they love it.
"I love this school, and I love these athletes."
Love of school, love of community, love of teammates and most of all, love of family were at the forefront for all the honorees.
Shawnta' Dyer articulated what everyone at the podium was saying.
"Being a part of Marion Harding High School athletics truly helped mold me into the person I am today," she said. "Surely the accolades, awards, trophies, accomplishments or even the game-winning baskets were great, but you know what the best part of those memories were? The community, my community."
Shawnta' Dyer was a two-time All-Ohioan and is still the school's all-time basketball leading scorer with 1,824 points. She helped her teams to four consecutive Greater Buckeye Conference championships and four district final berths with one regional appearance. She parlayed that success into a full-ride to national powerhouse Louisville and later a five-year professional basketball career overseas.
She's returned home to Marion and is in the midst of a career change from education to nursing.
"I want to end my expression of gratitude by reading this quote I found the other day," Shawnta' said. "It takes a village to raise a child, but equally it takes that village to nurture us as adults. Life is difficult. That could not be more true. I cannot thank my family, my friends and the Marion community enough for allowing me to be honored to accept this award tonight. You all have been the finest village a woman can have."
Her twin brother Shawn Dyer was also a two-time All-Ohioan who led the boys basketball team in scoring all three of his varsity seasons, finishing with 1,072 points which ranks third all-time for the boys. As a senior, he helped the Presidents to a GBC championship and 20 wins, a collective level of success not seen in the program since the 1960s.
After Harding, he went to NCAA Division II West Liberty and helped the Hilltoppers to a national runner-up trophy and later played at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and then professionally overseas. Today, he works in sales and training for Xcel in Marion.
To those listening, he had advice.
"Continue to put in the work and put in the hours and continue to do whatever it takes," he said. "More importantly don’t be afraid to take a shot when it’s ready. Remember this, you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. When your number is called, trust yourself and trust all the work that you have done and shoot your shot."
Clark was a pole vaulting pioneer for girls at Harding. She also still holds records as a swimmer and cross country runner, winning 12 letters in her high school career while also starring in the classroom as her class valedictorian.
However, it's not the races she won nor the records she set that Clark remembers most from her time in Marion.
"It was the fun times with my teammates," she said. "Our teammates are what make the memories. We drive each other to be better while providing a support system that we each need. These lifelong friendships are forged through blood, sweat, tears, laughter and celebrations."
After Harding, she attended the University of North Dakota, earning a four-year degree in wildlife biology in just two years before moving to Florida to work with endangered turtles among other animals. She and her husband Luke and their four children now live in Michigan where she is a special education aid.
"For all those athletes and even adults who are still chasing dreams and goals, never let the pursuit of greatness overshadow your love for your sport," Clark said. "At the end of the day, records are going to be broken; trophies will be turned away; but those life lessons will always remain."
Harris, a two-time All-Ohioan as both a girls basketball player and long jumper, said she learned so much about herself through athletics.
"Some days you want to quit," she admitted. "Some days you want to give up. Some days you’re thinking is this even worth it? It can take you to a point where you are mentally and physically exhausted, but then if you continue to be consistent the results are there.
"Basketball has taught me so many things like discipline and accountability and a work ethic. It’s allowed me to travel around the world and see some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met and eat some of the most amazing food I’ve ever eaten, and that’s not a fraction of what it has given me."
Following her decorated high school career where she still holds the school's long jump record at 18-3.5 and ranks third on the girls all-time scoring list with 1,301 points while in the midst of that program's best era, Harris played basketball at Michigan and Toledo before playing two seasons professionally in Spain.
"If one child was inspired by my journey, one girl was shown that she too can accomplish anything she can put her mind to, to me it was never what can basketball do for me, but it was always what can I do for basketball," she said. "How can I contribute to the world doing something that I love so much? When God gives you a talent, it’s only right that we give our knowledge and experience back to the youth and future generations with what He’s given us."
For Woodrum, she knows the girl she hopes to one day inspire.
"I know my daughter (10-month-old Reagan) won’t remember this night, but I hope one day I can take her down that hall and show her my plaque on the wall and that she’ll be proud of me," she said.
Her daughter will have plenty to be proud of. Woodrum was a standout cross country runner who played two varsity seasons of basketball with Dyer and Harris, but was best known as a three-time state qualifier in the girls 400 meters in track and field.
After Harding, she ran track at Toledo, and today lives in West Virginia with her husband Nick and their daughter.
As for McCrery, he didn't earn his award as an athlete.
"My athletic ability goes to three years of Harding baseball, and I played in six games. I road the pines, but I still loved it," he said.
Instead, he's been a major contributor of his time and talent to the school since the mid-1980s. He was the basketball public address announcer and a member of the football chain gang for decades. He served as a football statistician and videographer as well. He's also been a longtime assistant coach in both the softball and bowling programs. Until this past season, he'd only missed three Harding football games dating back to 1983, home or away.
"There was nowhere else I’d rather be than in this school. It’s a great honor to do what I’ve done," McCrery said. "This is the greatest honor that I’ve ever had."
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This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion Harding inducts latest class into hall of fame
