TALLAHASSEE, Fl. (WTXL) - This weekend, Florida High in Tallahassee will host their very first Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and dinner where 16 individuals and one team will be inducted into the newly minted Hall of Fame.
It's a class that honors every decade of Seminole athletics since 1958, and it's something they're hoping cements the past with the present.
"When I came to this school, and you started hearing the stories of some of these people, and I thinking why doesn't Florida High have a Hall of Fame?" remembered Mike Hickman, who coached football and served as Athletic Director in his time at Florida High before retiring two years ago.ur state
This inaugural class? A dynamite one. A former NFL player, a World Series Champion, a basketball player who played in the WNBA - this class has it all.
"We wanted it to be the no brainer class," laughed Hickman. "There will be no arguments about anybody that gets in in the first one!"
"We need to know who these people are, and these kids need to have a sense of pride coming to Florida High," added current Athletic Director Tyrone McGriff.
From the 1950's to the 2000's, from the old mascot of the Demons, to the current Seminoles, this class looks to "Bridge the Gap," the theme for the ceremony, from the past to the present.
"Florida High has a rich history," said McGriff. "So many great athletes came through here that our current students don't know about. One thing we want to do is brand that."
"What we're doing academically and culturally with our programs, and then athletically we've been pretty doggone good," smiled Hickman. "Let's remember the past and use it to build the future."
A future that can now appreciate the past, thanks to a Hall of Fame. Saturday's induction ceremony is open to the public. To buy a ticket, click here.
