West High School 2nd Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction

WEST HIGH SCHOOL P R E S E N T S

2 N D

A N N UA L

HALL OF FA ME DINNER & INDUCTION

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SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2017 Bakersfield Marriott, Convention Center 801 Truxtun Ave. • Bakersfield, CA 93301 5:00 pm - Reception/Cocktails • 6:30 pm - Dinner 7:00 pm - Program —1—

WEST HIGH SCHOOL

H AL L OF FA ME

PURPOSE The West High School Hall of Fame is organized to preserve, promote, and celebrate the rich heritage and tradition of successful programs at West High School, Bakersfield California. The Hall of Fame will serve to recognize and honor athletes, coaches, and other individuals who have made significant contributions to the programs at West High School and have, through their accomplishments, brought recognition and acclaim to West High School and Kern County.

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WEST HIGH SCHOOL

2ND ANNUAL HALL OF FAME DINNER AND INDUCTION SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2017 RECEPTION/COCKTAILS • 5:00 P.M. Welcome & Pledge of Allegiance Dr. Rich Tucker, Master of Ceremonies Invocation Jim Wren Jr. Class of 1978 DINNER 6:30 p.m.

PROGRAM 7:00 p.m.

Remarks Terrie Bernardin West High School, Principal Jim Wren West High School Hall of Fame, President Induction Ceremony Dr. Rich Tucker Closing Remarks Jim Wren

INDUCTEES Nikki Blue (2002) Honorable Eric Bradshaw (1976) Richard Bridges (1967) Mike Butcher Lisa Kiggens D’Amore (1990)

Carl Dean (1992) Don Gabbitas (1970) Chuck Holloway (1976) Randy Maples (1981) Dr. Rich Tucker —3—

2017 WEST HIGH SCHOOL

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Nikki Blue Class of 2002

Mike Butcher Teacher/Coach

Honorable Eric Bradshaw Class of 1976

Carl Dean Class of 1992

Lisa Kiggens D’Amore Class of 1990

Chuck Holloway Class of 1976

Randy Maples Class of 1981

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Richard Bridges Class of 1967

Don Gabbitas Teacher/Coach

Dr. Rich Tucker Teacher/Coach

• 2017 INDUCTEE •

S NIKKI BLUE S CLASS OF 2002

When Nikki Blue, born and raised in Bakersfield, entered West High School in 1998, little did she know then the basketball career that awaited her. It would be an outstanding career marked by many highlights, awards, and records. At West, Nikki was a fouryear varsity girls’ basketball starter under coach Pat Shiloh. A superb all-around athlete, she also lettered in volleyball, softball, and track and field.

Nikki set CIF Central Section scoring records for points scored in a single season, 913 points in the 2000-01 season, and for most career points, 2,934. As a senior, she averaged 29 points per game and led Kern County in assists per game as well. Nikki is regarded as the best player ever to come out of the CIF Central Section girls’ basketball. As a senior in 2002, Nikki was named a WBCA All-American and a Parade Girls’ Basketball All-American and was selected to play in the inaugural McDonald’s High School All-American Game.

As a graduating senior, Nikki was considered one of the best point guards in the country. She was offered a full-ride scholarship to the University of Connecticut, but opted instead to accept a full-ride offer from UCLA, for which she was a four-year starting point guard. Her freshman-year averages, per game, were: 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.7 steals. She was named 1st Team All-Pac-10 Conference and All-Freshman Team member.

As a sophomore, Nikki was named 1st Team All-Pac-10 for the second year in a row. As a junior, she was only the second Bruin to record over 1,300 points and 400 assists. As a senior, Nikki was one of the finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award.

Nikki was the first player in Pac-10 women’s basketball history to be named to the Pac-10 AllTournament team four years in a row. Her career averages, per game, at UCLA were 15.2 points, 5.1 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.8 steals.

Nikki graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in history in 2006. She was selected 19th overall in the 2006 WNBA draft by the Washington Mystics, for whom she played four years. She also played one year for the New York Liberty and for the International Basketball Association in Turkey in 2007 and in Greece in 2008 during the off-season of the WNBA. In 2008, Nikki started her coaching career as an assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. After coaching at UNLV for six years, she and her daughter, Cali, returned to Bakersfield in 2014, when she joined the Cal State University Bakersfield women’s basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach.

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• 2017 INDUCTEE •

S HONORABLE ERIC BRADSHAW S CLASS OF 1976

Eric Bradshaw, born and raised in Bakersfield, entered West High School in 1972. During his West High years, he played football, basketball, and baseball and participated on the forensics’ team. Eric’s junior varsity football team won a co-championship his sophomore year, the same year in which older brother Bill’s team won West High’s first varsity league championship and Valley playoff berth. Despite having undergone knee surgery at the end of his sophomore year, Eric returned his junior year to play three sports. His senior year, he played football and baseball. Eric was named an Outstanding Senior, the football team’s Most Inspirational Player, an offensive-team captain, and South Yosemite League 2nd Team All-League as a receiver.

Eric attended Cal Poly and California State University Chico, from which he graduated in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science. According to Eric, he made one of his smartest moves when, in July of that year, he married Clair Trotter ( West High class of 1977). In 1981, Eric entered California Western School of Law, San Diego. He was an award-winning student and was selected to compete on the school’s trial-practice team. He was honored with California Western School of Law’s Outstanding Achievement Award for his team’s finish in the 1984 American Trial Lawyers’ Association National Student Trial Advocacy Competition. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Cal Western in 1984.

When he was admitted to the State Bar of California, Eric represented the third generation of Bradshaw-family lawyers. He returned to Bakersfield, where his father, Richard W. Bradshaw, was assistant district attorney and his grandfather, W. L. Bradshaw, had been a Kern County Superior Court judge. After joining a firm with which his grandfather had practiced for decades, he subsequently joined Rob Noriega, continuing his civil-litigation and business practice in partnership with Rob for many years.

In November 2008, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Eric to the Kern County Superior Court, where he serves principally as a trial judge. In 2015, when Eric swore in his niece, Kristen, with a proud R. W. Bradshaw in attendance, it represented the fourth generation of Bradshaw-family lawyers. In January 2017, Eric entered his second full term of office as a judicial officer.

Eric has served as a scoring and trial judge for the Kern High School District mock-trial competition, as attorney coach for West’s mock-trial team in 1993, and as coach for his kids’ AYSO soccer teams. He has also served as a director and president of the Bakersfield South Rotary Club and president of the Bakersfield South Rotary Foundation. A cycling enthusiast, his rides have included a 4-day, 410-mile trip from Bakersfield to Chico in 2012.

Eric and Clair are the proud parents of Aimee and Jared. They have been active members of Laurelglen Bible Church since 1986.

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• 2017 INDUCTEE •

S RICHARD BRIDGES S CLASS OF 1967

1948 - 2009 When West High opened in 1965, one of the transfers from South High was junior Richard Bridges. His energy, enthusiasm, and character marked him as someone special. What also marked him as special was that he scored West High’s first touchdown, an intercepted pass against Garces in West’s first football game. His athletic career at West included football, wrestling, and track. Somewhere along the way, Richard picked up the nickname Rocky, which may have come from his participation in amateur boxing or from coaches who nicknamed him after Detroit Tiger Rocky Bridges.

Rocky attended Bakersfield College from 1967 to 1969. He was a standout football player, wrestler, and boxer. Rocky attended San Francisco State from 1969 to 1972 and participated in wrestling and boxing. Because of his success as a boxer, he was headed for the 1968 Olympics until a broken jaw limited him to alternate status.

After graduating from San Francisco State, Rocky joined the Daly City Police Department. He served that department from 1972 to 1977, then joined the San Jose Police Department, serving with that department from 1977 to 1981 and from 1983 to 1986. In between those years, from 1981 to 1983, he worked for the Kern County Sheriff ’s Department. Over the years, he became a SWAT member, a bomb technician, and a terrorism and hostagenegotiations expert. Rocky received many awards during his service in law enforcement, including the San Jose Police Department’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor, as well as the Medal of Hazardous Duty, and many other awards.

Among his acts of heroism was an almost unbelievable rescue of a woman from the upper floor of a burning building when he worked for the Daly City Police Department. As he waited for firemen to get a ladder up to him, he hung by his hands from the ledge of the third-story window while holding an invalid woman between his legs.

This was just one of the incidents that earmarked him as a “cop’s cop” and a “hero’s hero.”

Rocky retired from law enforcement in 1987, after which he obtained his teaching credential at California State University Bakersfield. He was hired to teach at Wasco High School, where he also coached wrestling and football.

He was a much-loved and admired teacher and coach. In keeping with the outstanding work for which he had always been noted, he was named Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1992.

Rocky retired from teaching in 2000. He passed away in 2009 after a 14-month battle with brain cancer. The Bakersfield Californian headline noted “Legendary police officer laid to rest.” Rocky was the father of 7 children and 14 grandchildren.

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• 2017 INDUCTEE •

S MIKE BUTCHER S TEACHER/COACH

Mike Butcher began his teaching career at Delano Elementary in 1959. In 1962, he moved to Paradise, California, and taught for the Paradise Unified School District at both its high school and intermediate school. After three years, Mike returned to Delano Elementary and taught for one more year before attending Cal Poly to obtain his master’s degree, which he obtained in 1965. He was hired to teach physical education and coach freshman football and track at West High in 1966, its second year of operation.

After just one year, Mike was moved to the varsity football team as a line coach. He remained a teacher and varsity football coach at West until 1979.

During those years, the PE department was recognized as a top program in the district and state. Mike feels fortunate to have worked with great teachers and coaches and blessed to have worked with some of the most outstanding students and athletes in the valley. During his tenure at West, the track and football teams each won a Valley championship.

In 1975, Mike was selected Best Relay Coach of the East High Invitational Track Meet. Mike was also honored as the South Yosemite League’s Assistant Football Coach of the Year in 1977.

Mike left West High School in 1979 to work for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools as the Director of Physical Education and Health Education in Kern County. Mike soon observed there was little, or no, interaction among the small schools in the county, so he started a program, which continues to this day, whereby students in county small schools could get to know, and interact with, one another. He instituted Special Events’ Day, a day each month when small schools get together for games for girls and boys in football, volleyball, physical fitness, basketball, track, and swimming. There is also a Whiz Kids’ competition at the end of the year, as well as an end-of-the-year dance. Mike also ran the Academic Decathlon for all Kern County high schools. In 1985, Mike was transferred to the Administration and Finance Department, where he worked primarily with district superintendents and school boards.

In 1990, Mike was hired by Belridge Elementary School District as its superintendent. He retired in 1994, only to work as interim superintendent for several Kern County school districts. Mike currently serves as a member of the Board of Education of the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office. He is also an appointed trustee for the Beldridge Elementary School District.

Mike and his beloved late wife, Joyce, are the parents of four children, Mike, Kenney, David, and Nancy, all West High graduates. They have nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

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• 2017 INDUCTEE •

S LISA KIGGENS D’AMORE S CLASS OF 1990

When Lisa Kiggens started high school at West High in 1986, the fact that there was no girls’ golf team at West, or at any other high school in Bakersfield, for that matter, caused her no concern. Lisa had started playing golf when she was eight years old, and she was more than ready to compete on the boys’ golf team. The coach of the team during her freshman and sophomore years, Coach Warren Hall, was excited to have the excellent incoming 9th-grade girl on his boys’ team. Her recollection of those early days is that the boys, who were also excellent golfers, were always trying to beat her, as she was often seeded the number-one golfer.

In those years, the team was exceptional. It won, under Coach Don Gabbitas, back-to-back state championships, in 1989 and 1990.

While she was an outstanding competitor on the high school boys’ golf circuit, she was also a tough competitor on the local women’s amateur circuit. Lisa was the Kern County Women’s Amateur champion from 1986-90.

Lisa was offered, and accepted, a full-ride scholarship to UCLA. As a freshman, she won three individual titles, including the PAC-10 championship. She was a member of the 1991 NCAA championship team and a 1st Team All-American. In 1991, Lisa was honored as UCLA’s Freshman of the Year and Outstanding Athlete. Despite an exceptional first year at UCLA, she decided to try for a career as a professional golfer, something she had considered since her sophomore year in high school.

In 1991, Lisa tied for eighth at the qualifying tournament and earned her LPGA card for her rookie season, 1992.

She played 12 years on the LPGA tour and had 11 top-10 finishes. After retiring in 2003, she became a Golf Channel commentator for three years. Some of her career highlights are: 1994 - Became a Rolex First-Time Winner at the Rochester International, scoring a career-low score of 66 during the final round; finished second at the Oldsmobile Classic 1995 - Posted four top-20 finishes 1998 - Tied career-low score of 66 in the final round of the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic 1999 - Tied her career-low round of 66 during the second rounds of the Michelob Light Classic and Giant Eagle LPGA Classic; recorded her first career hole-in-one at the Mercury Titleholders’ Championship 2001 - Recorded a second hole-in-one at the First Union Betsy King Classic and was awarded a car Lisa credits her parents as the individuals who most influenced her career. In 2006, she married Robb D’Amore.

Their son, Ryan, is eight years old.

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• 2017 INDUCTEE •

S CARL DEAN S CLASS OF 1992

Carl Dean attended West High School from 1988-1992. He played JV football in his freshman and sophomore years and varsity football his junior and senior years. Carl also ran track all four years. As a senior, he was chosen All-League and All-Area quarterback. Also as a senior, he led the football team to a South Yosemite League championship by beating Bakersfield High School.

After graduating from West High, Carl attended Bakersfield College, where he was the Renegades’ quarterback for the 1992 and 1993 seasons.

During his years at BC, the team had a 19-2-1 record. In 1992, Bakersfield College was the Potato Bowl champion, and Carl was awarded Outstanding Offensive Player of the game. In 1993, Carl was quarterback of the 10-0 team that won the Western State Conference championship. He was named 1st team Western State Conference quarterback.

Carl was awarded an athletic scholarship to play football at San Jose State University, which he attended from 1994-1996. After redshirting one year, he started as quarterback in the 1995-96 season. In 1996, he was awarded a Burger King Scholar Athlete $10,000 Academic Scholarship. Carl graduated from San Jose State in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology.

Following his graduation, Carl entered graduate school at San Jose State, spent two years as a graduate assistant football coach for San Jose State, and graduated with a master’s degree in kinesiology. He spent another two years as a full-time assistant wide receivers’ coach at San Jose State and then three years as a professor and assistant football coach at West Hills College in Coalinga. For the past thirteen years, Carl has been a professor of health and physical education and offensive coordinator for the football team at Bakersfield College.

During his tenure at San Jose State, West Hills College, and Bakersfield College, Carl has been involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). This organization had a great influence on him as a player, and he strives to have a similar influence on the players he coaches and the students he teaches. As a coach and professor, what he enjoys most about his job is witnessing his students succeed, accomplish goals, and mature to become productive community members.

Carl is extremely active within the community and in his church, Laurelglen Bible Church. He serves on the Board of Directors for Children to Love International, an organization that is committed, in the name of Christ, to the orphaned, abandoned, and at-risk children in Romania, Uganda, and India. He has made six trips to Romania to assist with meeting the needs of children there. Carl and his wife, Christy, have been married for 22 years. They are the parents of nine-year-old triplets, Gracie, Mia, and Sophie.

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• 2017 INDUCTEE •

S DON GABBITAS S TEACHER/COACH

Don Gabbitas began his teaching and coaching career at Bakersfield High School in 1968. He taught English and coached baseball for two years at BHS before transferring to West High in 1970 to teach U.S. and world history and coach baseball. After several years, he expanded his subject repertoire—teaching government and developing a class called “On Your Own,” a practical-living class which was very popular with students.

Don also expanded his coaching responsibilities, coaching basketball and golf. For several years, he assisted Coach Chris Craven with the varsity baseball team as the pitching coach. During that time, the baseball team won a Valley championship. Don’s golf teams won back-to-back state golf championships—1989 and 1990.

In addition to teaching and coaching responsibilities, Don gave his time and energy to extracurricular activities. He served as senior class advisor for nearly 25 years! In that capacity, he arranged and chaperoned graduation trips, organized homecoming activities, assisted with graduation activities, and worked with parent groups in organizing Ragnarok, a graduation party hosted by parents of graduating seniors. On several occasions, he spoke at baccalaureate and sang at graduation.

Don also served as advisor to Teen Involvement, a group of juniors and seniors who worked with elementary school students to encourage them to avoid drug and alcohol use.

Don received many awards and other forms of recognition over the years: receiving the Golden Apple Award numerous times, All-Area Golf Coach of the Year a number of times, the Kern Alliance of Business Hall of Fame Teacher of the Year, and the West High School Principal’s Award. Don was one of two teachers honored as outstanding teachers in the history of West High as part of the 100th anniversary of the Kern High School District. He was one of two U.S. teachers invited to Washington, D.C., as a participant in a U.S. Supreme Court Institute and was a two-time invitee to the Taft Institute of Government at Western Washington University.

Even with the time and effort Don gave to teaching, coaching, and extracurricular activities, he still found time to devote to community activities over the years. He served on the Board of Directors for Consumer Credit Counselors of Kern and was an active participant in the Boy Scouts of America, both as a scout leader and a zone fundraising chairman. He was also very involved in church leadership and activities.

According to Don, his tenure in education was marked by terrific students, many who remain friends to this day, and administrators and staff, both classified and certificated, who were talented, professional, and kind. Most of all, he was supported by a warm and loving wife and family. Few, he says, have been so blessed. Don and his wife, Cheryl, reside in Kaysville, Utah, where three of their four children live.

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• 2017 INDUCTEE •

S CHUCK HOLLOWAY S CLASS OF 1976

Chuck Holloway began his West High School days in September 1972 and ended them with graduation in June 1976. During those years, he played football, basketball, and baseball and was exceptional in every sport in which he participated.

As a freshman, Chuck played on the junior varsity football team as running back, with the junior varsity basketball team as a forward, and on the freshman baseball team as first baseman. (He had broken his leg in a motorcycle accident, so fulfilling his desire to play catcher would have to wait.)

It was no surprise to find this outstanding athlete playing varsity football and baseball in his sophomore year. He continued playing forward on the junior varsity basketball team. The varsity football team, with Chuck at tight end and starting linebacker, won the league championship. With his broken leg sufficiently healed, he moved to the varsity baseball team as catcher and was named All-League.

In his junior and senior years, Chuck continued as starting linebacker for the varsity football team and starting catcher for the varsity baseball team. He was recognized and awarded for his exceptional ability. In his junior and senior years, he was named the football team’s Most Valuable Team Player and South Yosemite League All-League. As a senior, he was named South Yosemite League Defensive Player of the Year and was chosen to play in the Shriners’ North/South Game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. That year was the first and last time Bakersfield players were chosen to play in that game. It was, unfortunately, the game in which Chuck broke his wrist.

After graduating from West High, Chuck decided to attend Bakersfield College. As a freshman, he started as linebacker on the football team. BC won the Potato Bowl and the Junior College Rose Bowl that year. As a sophomore, he was named All-Conference.

Chuck was recruited by the University of Texas, the institution he chose to continue his football and highereducation journey. He played on special teams his junior year and starting linebacker his senior year. Chuck was selected for Chevrolet Most Valuable Player of the Game honors, Texas at Arkansas, October 20, 1979. After playing football, Chuck was a graduate assistant coach at Texas for one year.

Chuck returned to Bakersfield, found Jesus, and married his wife, Shannon, about a year later. He started working for the family construction business, Chuck Holloway & Associates, in 1983. He worked for the family business until he suffered a stroke in 2013. Chuck is now employed by KSI in Bakersfield. He and Shannon have been married for 33 years. They have 4 children and 6 grandchildren.

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• 2017 INDUCTEE •

S RANDY MAPLES S CLASS OF 1981

Randy Maples, a native of Bakersfield, is the son of Jim and Phyllis Maples, active supporters of West High School activities and athletics. Randy comes from a family of outstanding athletes—father Jim, an athlete at East and USC, and brother Jim Jr., an athlete at West and Bakersfield College.

Randy was Class Athlete of the Year for six straight years—from 1977, his freshman year at West High, through his sophomore year at Bakersfield College. He played football, basketball, and baseball all four years at West and football and baseball at Bakersfield College. Randy was an outstanding athlete in every sport he played, and highlights of his athletic career are many. In 1981, he won the Jim Tyack Award for best male senior studentathlete in Kern County.

As a freshman at West High, he played on the co-league-champion freshman football team. For the next three seasons, he played on the varsity, starting every game from the third game of his sophomore year. In his junior year, Randy returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in the Valley championship game against Clovis, a game which West lost 24 to 23.

In his senior year, a season in which he had 10 interceptions and returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in the Valley semi-final, the varsity went 13-0 and won the Valley. Randy was named 1st Team All-City linebacker and AllNorthern California selection at linebacker. In Randy’s high school career, he scored touchdowns in five different ways: a kickoff return, punt return, interception return, rushing, and receiving.

Randy also played basketball, playing varsity for three years, two years as a starter. As a senior, he was named 1st Team All-City. He was named to the All-Tournament team at the prestigious Las Vegas Invitational High School Basketball Championships. He was also a two-year varsity starter for the West High baseball team, batting .484 his senior year.

At Bakersfield College, Randy started every game in his two-year football career. His freshman team won the Metropolitan Conference and the Potato Bowl and was ranked 6th in the nation. He was honorable mention AllMetro his freshman year and 1st Team All-Metro his sophomore year. BC’s defensive backfield coach Harv Pollard called Randy the most complete defensive back he’d ever coached.

Randy was also an outstanding baseball player at Bakersfield College. As a freshman, he was named to the Metro Conference 1st Team. In 1983, he was selected in the 28th round of the pro-baseball draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. He played in the minor leagues for two years.

Randy has coached Jack Frost, freshman, junior varsity, or varsity football for at least 25 years in Bakersfield with the Marauders and with Garces, East, and Foothill high schools. In 1999, he coached on the Valley-championship staff at East High that won the only Valley championship in school history. He has coached baseball at East and Foothill for approximately 15 years. He currently teaches special education at Foothill High School.

Randy has been married to his “supportive and loving” wife, Susan, for sixteen years. Their daughter, Savannah, is 14 and is an accomplished volleyball player. Randy thanks everyone who has been a part of his journey—family, friends, coaches, teammates, and even opponents, who all brought out the best in him.

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• 2017 INDUCTEE •

S DR. RICH TUCKER S TEACHER/COACH

Rich Tucker, a graduate of East Bakersfield High, attended Bakersfield College before transferring to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. After graduating from Cal Poly, he taught and coached at La Sierra High School in Sacramento and East Bakersfield High. When West High opened in 1965, Rich was hired to head the boys’ physical education program. For the new high school, he introduced a fitness-oriented program that challenged every boy to improve his strength and conditioning.

The success of the PE program was readily evident. Boys’ PE was named by the students as the outstanding part of the curriculum in West’s W.A.S.C. accreditation. Within just three years, West High was named both a state and national Demonstration School for Physical Fitness. Beginning in 1972, Rich coached six teams that qualified to compete in the Marine Corps Youth Fitness competition in Washington, D.C. Those teams finished in 3rd place in 1972, in 5th place in 1977, and in 1st place, a national championship, in 1978! One of West’s chief competitors for the national championship was La Sierra High, the school where Rich started teaching. West’s program was based on much of what he had borrowed from that school.

During Rich’s coaching career, spread over three high schools, he coached football for 16 years, basketball for 4 years, track for 4 years, golf for 2 years, and the physical-fitness team for 6 years. Rich and Coach Dave Titsworth took over the JV football program in 1967 and led the Norsemen to a long string of winning seasons. At one point, the Norsemen went undefeated for 27 games in a row. Rich’s claim to fame was that his Norsemen never lost to BHS. In recognition of the PE program he introduced and promoted, Rich was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the School of Human Development and Education, Cal Poly, in 1971. In addition, he was elected vice president of physical education for C.A.H.P.E.R., the state’s PE organization, in 1968 and served three years in that capacity.

Having had many varied and successful educational experiences, Rich was inspired to pursue a doctoral degree.

He did so and was granted his doctorate by the University of Oregon in 1975. In 1978, Rich left West High to become the principal at Garces High School. After ten years at Garces, he returned to public schools as superintendent of Maricopa Unified and, subsequently, superintendent of Bishop Union High School. Eight years on the Southern Section California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) executive board kept him in touch with physical education and athletics.

After retiring from Bishop Union High School and serving two short stints at Garces, he is now fully retired. He tries to play golf, and, always an advocate for physical activity, he makes sure he takes “an awful lot of swings every 18 holes.” Rich and his wife, Darlene, are the parents of two sons. They have five grandchildren and one greatgrandchild.

Rich serves on the Board of St. Vincent DePaul in Bakersfield. Seeing the individuals served by this organization reminds him to be ever thankful for God’s generous blessings, for “there, but for the grace of God, go I.”

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NIKKI BLUE

HALL of FAME

WEST HIGH SCHOOL

HONOR A BL E E R IC BR A D S H AW

HALL of FAME

WEST HIGH SCHOOL

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RICHARD BRIDGES

HALL of FAME

WEST HIGH SCHOOL

— 17 —

MIKE BUTCHER

HALL of FAME

WEST HIGH SCHOOL

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LISA KIGGENS D’A MORE

HALL of FAME

WEST HIGH SCHOOL

— 19 —

CARL DEAN

HALL of FAME

WEST HIGH SCHOOL

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D ON G A BBI TA S

HALL of FAME

WEST HIGH SCHOOL

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C H U C K H O L L O WA Y

HALL of FAME

WEST HIGH SCHOOL

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RANDY MAPLES

HALL of FAME

WEST HIGH SCHOOL

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DR. RICH TUCKER

HALL of FAME

WEST HIGH SCHOOL

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2016 WEST HIGH SCHOOL

I N AU GU R A L

HALL OF FA M E I NDU CT EES

David Manning, Dr. Fred Laningham III, John Mears, Brock Marion, Dallas Grider, Opal Kilgore (for Booker Kilgore), Dr. Bruce Scurlock, Thomas Andrews, David K. Cohen, Jeff Garnett

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2016 WEST HIGH SCHOOL

INAUGURAL HALL OF FAME HIGHLIGHTS

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2016 WEST HIGH SCHOOL

INAUGURAL HALL OF FAME HIGHLIGHTS

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WEST HIGH SCHOOL ALMA MATER We’re the Vikings of the Valley, Standing true and bold.

Bravely waving are our colors, Shining green and gold.

Friendships we will cherish always, Upward our goals will lie, To you we proudly sing our praises, Hail, all hail, West High.

WEST HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME COMMITTEE Jim Wren Joe Barnett Derrick Dunham

Sharon Ford Warren Hall Russell Hensley

Mike Keese Debbie Ludd Vince Ludd

Garrett Ming Dave Titsworth Rich Tucker

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE MADE A FINANCIAL AND/OR TIME COMMITMENT TO THE WEST HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME.

West High School Terrie Bernardin, Principal Terrence Banks, Digital Art Classes Trent Combs, Business Classes

R

Terry Zandes Decoration Committee — 28 —