News Release
January 13, 2006
Three Of Seven New "Hall Of Famers" In Colorado High School Activity Association (CHSAA) Are From Denver Public Schools; CEC Middle College Of Denver Teacher Also Honored With CHSAA Distinguished Service Award; Ceremony Is Wednesday, Jan. 18
Three of the seven individuals who will be inducted into the Colorado High School Activity Association (CHSAA) Hall of Fame next week are from Denver Public Schools. In addition, Darryl Miller of the CEC Middle College of Denver is the only person in the state who is receiving CHSAA's Distinguished Service Award.
The CHSAA Hall of Fame class of 2005 will be inducted during a banquet ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Radisson Hotel Denver Southeast (I-225 and Parker).
BETSY ALLEN (East/Manual/Montbello high schools)
A coach in Denver Public Schools from 1976 until 1996, Betsy Allen coached girls' basketball, volleyball and girls' and boys' track & field at three different high schools. She was also an assistant coach for track at Gateway High School. Her basketball coaching record is 320-146, making her one of only three women coaches with over 300 wins in Colorado. Her track teams also enjoyed great success, including winning the state team titles in 1991 and 1993 at Montbello, where she also guided the Warriors to a pair of runner-up trophies. She also coached at Gateway High School in Aurora.
HERMAN MOTZ (Thomas Jefferson High School/Colorado High School Coaches Association)
Herman Motz compiled a 135-30-1 mark as the Spartan football coach from 1976-89, earning 12 state playoff appearances, 9 DPL titles, six final four appearances and state championships in 1980 and 1989. In all, he coached football and track & field for over 20 years, earning numerous honors. But his coaching only touches on the impact he had on coaches in Colorado, as he has served as the writer and editor of Colorado Coach Magazine since 1987.
CHRIS BABBS (East High School)
Voted among the top 10 High School Athletes of the Century by The Denver Post in its 2000 Millennium Edition, Chris Babbs was certainly one of the state's finest football, basketball and track athletes. Babbs won all-city, all-league and all-state honors in football, basketball and track & field. He won the 100-, 220- and 440-yard dashes in 1959 and 1960, setting the state record in each event each time he competed. His track team won the 1960 state team title. His coaches were legendary in and of themselves, including current CHSAA Hall of Fame members Pat Panek (football) and Bill Weimar (basketball). Babbs was named a high school All-American in basketball and track.
DARRYL MILLER (CEC Middle College of Denver)
Miller has worked with Denver Public Schools for 18 years. He currently teaches the athletic training and sports medicine program at the CEC Middle College of Denver and also is the district's athletic trainer. The Distinguished Service Award is selected by the CHSAA staff and presented to a person who has served the association in a positive and selfless manner. Miller has been responsible for the assignment of state championship athletic trainers for the past 15 years.
The selection of Irwin, Wilson and Babbs as student participants to the Hall of Fame puts the total number of participants in the hall at 37. There are now 34 coaches, 21 administrators, nine officials and five significant service contributors enshrined in the CHSAA Hall of Fame that began in 1989.
Individual tickets for the Jan. 18 event may be purchased for $37.50 each by contacting the CHSAA.
For more information, contact Bert Borgmann or Lisa Cunningham of CHSAA at 303-344-5050.