(Media release from Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation):
Tickets are going fast for the 2023 Rome-Floyd Sports Hall of Fame Banquet set for Saturday, March 11 at the Krannert Center at Berry College.
This year’s event honors five outstanding individuals, who truly represent the best of athletic achievement from the Rome and Floyd County area.
Michelle Abernathy was a star distance runner at both Model High School and Berry College, winning state titles, setting school records, earning multiple All-America nods and even winning a national championship.
Harper Brown starred for West Rome High School in football and track in the 1970’s earning All-State honors three times as a tailback and punter for the Chieftains. He also ranks as one of the best punters to ever play at Georgia Tech.
Alex Coville set the swimming pool ablaze with his fast times for both Rome High School and Stanford. Coville won state titles, earned several All-America nods, set records, won a national title and finished among the nation’s best when competing at the Olympic Trials.
Sidney Ford still ranks among the best tailbacks in the state of Georgia as the multi-sport star shone on the gridiron for Pepperell, earning all-state honors and setting records. He also played at Georgia Tech.
Chad Warner has coached basketball at multiple levels and won at all of them. Warner spent time as an assistant at Darlington before coaching the Shorter University men to the NAIA Final Four. He has coached at other colleges, winning at all of them and is currently an assistant at Furman.
“We are excited to get back to our normal Hall of Fame Banquet schedule, and we think the Hall of Fame Committee has done an outstanding job of picking five individuals for this year’s class,” Todd Wofford, Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation Director, says. “We hope that everyone comes out to celebrate these amazing athletes and the 14 students receiving the Rome Orthopaedic Center Scholarships on Saturday, March 11.”
Fourteen area student athletes will also be recognized at the event for receiving the Rome Orthopaedic Center Outstanding Student Athlete Scholarships.
The event includes a banquet and awards ceremony. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with a social hour followed by a dinner and awards ceremony at 6 p.m. Tickets for the event are on sale for $35 each or a table seating eight for $280. Tickets may be purchased in-person at Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation Administrative Headquarters at 1 Shorter Avenue. Banquet tickets may also be purchased online at rfpra.com or by calling 706.291.0766. Banquet tickets are limited and must be purchased by March 7.
Along with the banquet, the Hall of Fame will be holding an online auction for a Kirby Smart signed football. All funds raised through the auction go to help support the scholarship program.
The cost of the Rome-Floyd Sports Hall of Fame program is supported through ticket sales and sponsorships. The event is hosted by the Rome-Floyd Sports Hall of Fame Committee and Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation.
