The Colorado High School Activities Association has announced its Hall of Fame Class for 2011. The seven new members will be inducted during a ceremony Jan. 18, 2012, at the Red Lion Hotel Denver Southeast (Interstate-225 and Parker).
The selection of the four student participants brings the total number of participants inducted to 50. There are now 53 coaches, 26 administrators, 13 officials and five significant service contributors enshrined since the HOF began in 1989. It now features 149 inductees overall.
"Earning a place in the CHSAA Hall of Fame is an honor so few receive," CHSAA Commissioner Paul Angelico said in a release. "Yet each class represents the thousands upon thousands of participants, coaches, administrators, officials and significant contributors that give so much to the state's high school athletics and activities. The Class of 2011 reveals the breadth and depth that Colorado high school athletics and activities represent in our member schools."
The following is a capsule look at each of the 2011 honorees:
Bobby Anderson (
Boulder High School): Anderson is one of the state's most well-known athletic figures, playing for Boulder High School, the University of Colorado and then moving on to a career with the Denver Broncos. A three-sport athlete at BHS, Anderson graduated in 1966, lettering in football, basketball and baseball. In 1963, Anderson powered the Panthers to the state championship, cementing his name in prep football lore. Ironically, though he is a noted for his football exploits more than the other sports, as a switch-hitting catcher he was drafted by the Houston Astros. He was also The Denver Post Gold Helmet Award recipient as a senior.
Justin Armour (
Manitou Springs High School): Another three-sport athlete, Armour was a standout in football, basketball and track at Manitou Springs High School. He also served on the student council, school president, newspaper editor and was his class Valedictorian. A former Denver Post Gold Helmet Award and Fred Steinmark Award winner, Armour also participated in drama productions, was a member of the National Honor Society and Young Life. He set the state record for total offensive yards in football and was his basketball team's leading scorer and rebounder. Armour led his team to the 1990 state football championship and a state track championship, plus a Final Four finish in basketball. Armour received an athletic scholarship to play both football and basketball at Stanford University. He is currently the head football coach at Manitou Springs High School.
Christine Bullard (Jefferson County Schools): Bullard was Girls Athletics Director and one of the state's top field hockey coaches at Kent Denver School before moving into an administrative position with Kent Denver School and Jefferson County Public Schools. She had a 94-11-13 mark in field hockey and her teams had a 26-game shutout streak and a 71-game unbeaten streak (67-0-4) under her tutelage. She served six years as a member of the CHSAA Board of Directors (nee Executive Committee), served seven years on the CHSAA Legislative Council (nee Board of Control), chaired the field hockey committee, as well as served on the Budget, Tournament & Playoff Finance and Soccer Committees.
George Demetriou (Colorado Springs): One of the state's top officials, Demetriou is currently the state rules interpreter for football and baseball, two sports that he has officiated for over 21 years. He was also a basketball official for a decade in the state. Demetriou has umpired three state baseball championship games and been involved in the playoffs for 15 years. In football, he has called a pair of state championship games and worked playoffs in 11 seasons. He has been president of both football and baseball officials organizations. Demetriou served as president of the Colorado High School Baseball Umpires Association and has been part of the playoff assignment process for the past 10 years. He also served three years as president of the Colorado Football Officials Association.
Marc Johnson (
Cherry Creek High School): One of the finest coaches ever produced by Colorado, Johnson has coached 12 state championship teams (7 in baseball and 5 in boys' soccer) in two sports. He has been at CCHS for the past 39 years and produced 25 league titles and over 300 players who went on to play collegiately and 75 who have played professionally. He has a 631-147 mark as a baseball coach and has received nearly every award possible within the coaching community. He has coached international teams and been named Coach of the Year over 12 times. Johnson is a member of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (2010). His first team at Cherry Creek was the only Bruins team to finish with a losing record in his 38 years as head coach. Johnson's expertise has been awarded with many appointments to national and international teams, including being named assistant head coach for the 1988 Junior National Olympic team that competed in Sydney, Australia and won the gold medal.
Kristen and Cari Jensen will be forever linked, not only as twins but in their athletic accomplishments at Fowler High School. Both were three sport athletes – volleyball, basketball and track – for Fowler. Both were FHS co-valedictorians and earned volleyball scholarships to Kansas State.
Cari Jensen Smith (
Fowler High School): A 2000 graduate of Fowler, Cari was a three-sport athlete who also participated in student council, band, drama, National Honor Society, FBLA, FCCLA and a number of church activities. In volleyball, her teams were four-time district and regional champions, three-time state champions and a state runner-up. She was a four-time first team all-state selection. In basketball, Cari set 10 school records and helped her team to four state appearances, one state title and earned numerous awards, including first team all-state and 2A Player of the Year twice. In track, she set three school marks, won the state championship in the 100 meter hurdles (three times), triple jump (sophomore), 300 meter hurdles (sophomore) and placed in several other events throughout her career. Her track team also won a state title. Cari was named the Colorado Prep Sportswomen of the Year (2000), Fred Steinmark Award recipient (2000) and The Denver Post/Denver Athletic Club Student-Athlete of the Year (2000). She and Kristen were honored by the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame as Prep Athletes of the Year in 2001.
Kristen Jensen McKay (
Fowler High School) – A 2000 graduate of Fowler, Kristen was a three-sport athlete who also participated in student council, band, National Honor Society, FBLA, and a number of church activities. In volleyball, she helped her team to three state championships, finishing second once as well. Kris was named to a number of all-tournament and all-state teams in the sport. In basketball, she propelled her teams to four state appearances, including a state title and earned numerous playing honors at the district, regional and state level, including all-state as a junior. In track, Kris set four school marks and earned a trip to the state meet four times. She won the high jump as a freshman. As a sophomore, she and Cari combined to earn FHS the first place trophy by combining for 48 points. She earned 10 medals at the state track meet over her four years. She and Cari were honored by the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame as Prep Athletes of the Year in 2001.