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2009 MSHSL Hall of Fame inductees include Bill Demaray and Billy Bye

April 29, 2009

The Minnesota State High School League will honor 10 distinguished individuals next month when they become the 18th class of the League’s Hall of Fame. The 2009 inductees are: Billy Bye, Anoka; James Christy, Minneapolis; William Demaray, Apple Valley; Sharon Euerle, Mankato; Evelyn “Evie” Erdman, Elysian; Grant Johnson, Two Harbors; Kay Konerza-Bachert, Lester Prairie; Carl Lipke, North St. Paul; Ron Sellnow, Hopkins; and Carol Visness, Hallock.          

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., Sunday, May 17, at the Doubletree Park Place Hotel in Minneapolis. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $25 and must be purchased in advance of the event and no later than Friday, May 8. Procedures for purchasing tickets are posted on the League’s Web site at www.MSHSL.org.

The League will also present merit awards at the induction ceremony to Mitchell McDonald, St. Paul, William Kronschnabel, St. Paul, and Jim Dimick, Northfield, in recognition of their length of service and contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, state and national levels.

The League Hall of Fame, which is sponsored by Wells Fargo, was started in 1991 to honor high school athletes, coaches, fine arts directors, officials, and administrators for their contributions to high school activity programs.

The 2009 Hall of Fame inductees were selected through a multi-level process that included League member schools and a committee of athletic, fine arts, and education leaders. The induction of these 10 honorees brings the Hall of Fame membership to 173.

Here are brief profiles of the 2009 inductees:

Kay Konerza-Bachert, Athlete, Lester Prairie

Kay Konerza-Bachert’s well decorated athletic career began at Lester Prairie High School where she earned 18 varsity letters in five sports.

An All-America high school basketball player, Konerza-Bachert was one of the most sought-after prep players in the country. She scored 2,715 career points and holds the girls’ state single-game scoring record with 58 points. This record, set in 1982 during her senior year, pre-dated the three-point line and the smaller women’s basketball.

A six-year varsity starter, Konerza-Bachert led the Lester Prairie basketball team to three conference championships, four district titles, one region championship, and a state tournament appearance in 1982. Her superior play earned her a spot on the Midwest Junior Olympic basketball team. She was a finalist for the prestigious Miss Basketball Award, and was selected to play in the Dial Classic All-American All-Star game in New York.

Louisiana Tech University, the then two-time defending NCAA champions, offered Konerza-Bachert a basketball scholarship, and she went on to have a successful collegiate career. During her freshman year Louisiana Tech finished as NCAA national runner-up; in her sophomore year the team made the Final Four; and in her junior and senior years the squad finished in the Elite 8. After college Konerza-Bachert played on the AIA-USA Women’s Team, plus served as an alternate on the 1996 USA Olympic Handball Team.

Though basketball was her first love, Konerza-Bachert was also a standout in volleyball and track and field. She won the state Class A long jump competition in 1980 and also placed in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter hurdles, plus competed in the 4x400-meter relay during the 1981 state meet. The Bulldogs were conference, district and region track and field champions. She was named all-conference and all-area three times in volleyball. She also lettered in cross country and baseball.

Konerza-Bachert now lives in Colorado where she was an assistant coach for the Colorado State University basketball team from 1986 through 1988, and was a police officer in the city of Fort Collins from 1988 through 1998. She co-founded Fort Collins’ Police HEAT basketball team, which was featured in Sports Illustrated and Sports Illustrated for Kids for its impact on youth. She has also served on the board of directors for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Konerza-Bachert graduated from Lester Prairie, where she is a member of the school’s hall of fame. She earned a BS degree from Louisiana Tech University in 1986, graduating with cum laude honors.


Billy Bye, Athlete, Anoka

Although Billy Bye’s high school career in Minnesota concluded almost 65 years ago, he perhaps is the most prolific and versatile athlete in the state’s history. In four years playing for Thief River Falls High School and two years for Anoka High School, Bye earned 21 letters in six sports.

Bye, who started playing varsity athletics in seventh grade at Thief River Falls before moving to Anoka following his sophomore year, excelled in hockey, golf, football, basketball, baseball, and track and field. He captained an undefeated football team, a district champion basketball team, and a state champion baseball team. Bye was named to all-star teams in football and baseball, and was all-conference and all-district several times in football and basketball. Bye was a region champion and state participant multiple times in track and field and golf, and placed as high as third individually in both state tournaments. He also was a leading scorer on Thief River Falls’ hockey teams prior to the League sponsoring a state tournament.

Bye played football at the University of Minnesota in the late 1940s and was the team’s leading scorer all four seasons. He then played in the Canadian Football League for three years before returning to Minnesota to teach and coach. He coached football, wrestling, basketball, and track and field at Detroit Lakes, Minnetonka, and Edina, and was named the 1960 Minnesota Football Coach of the Year with his undefeated Edina squad. Bye also was a WCCO radio broadcaster, served on advisory committees for six Minnesota governors and five University of Minnesota presidents, and worked for the Minnesota Vikings. He emcees the annual Anoka Alumni Lettermen’s Reunion, and provides an endowed football scholarship for the University.

Bye is a member of the University of Minnesota and Thief River Falls High School athletic halls of fame. This summer he will be inducted into the prestigious National High School Hall of Fame by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Bye graduated from Anoka High School in 1945 and from the University of Minnesota in 1950. He earned his MA degree from Concordia University in St. Paul.


James Christy, Coach, Minneapolis

Minnesota has James (Jim) Christy to thank for much of the initial development and legwork of the adapted athletics programs, including the growth and success during the years that pre-date the League’s involvement. Christy has done everything from writing the first set of competition rules to inventing equipment to coaching successful teams.

Christy has coached adapted floor hockey for 22 years, adapted softball for 13 years, and adapted soccer for eight years at Minneapolis South High School. During that time he has led teams to the state tournament 31 times, including 15 appearances for his floor hockey teams. His teams have earned second-place finishes in the state tournament on four occasions — floor hockey in 1986 and 1993, and softball in 1993 and 2003.

Christy’s contributions reach well beyond the walls of South High School where he continues to coach and teach. He has served on the board of directors of the Metro Association for Adapted Athletics (MAAA) since 1982 in a variety of leadership positions — president for three years, vice president for one year, and treasurer for nine years. He has also been a member of the MAAA rules committees for floor hockey, soccer and softball for 10 years each, and even helped formalize the first set of adapted floor hockey rules. Christy is a member of the Minnesota Adapted Coaches Association, the Council for Exceptional Children, and the Special Education Advisory Council to the State Board of Education. He also is active in Special Olympics.

Christy’s years of hard work have not gone unnoticed. The MAAA presented him with an Appreciation Award and he is the recipient of the Virginia McKnight Binger Award in Human Services. The award honors its namesake’s enduring spirit of compassion, humility, and generosity.

Christy attended Marshall University High School in Minneapolis. He earned a BS from the University of Minnesota and a masters in education from Utah State University.


William Demaray, Coach, Apple Valley

William (Bill) Demaray is the mastermind behind the Apple Valley High School wrestling dynasty. Demaray, who won two NCAA titles at North Dakota State as a competitor, came to Apple Valley in 1976 to become the program’s first head wrestling coach. Over 19 seasons he compiled a dual meet record of 407-70-4 and guided the Eagles to six state championships, 15 sections titles, and 16 conference championships. He also coached 18 individual state champions.

In 1995 Demaray resigned as head coach to become an assistant coach with the Apple Valley wrestling program. Since that time the Eagles have won 16 more state team championships.

Demaray was twice named Minnesota State Coach of the Year. He holds several Section Coach of the Year honors, and in 1995 he was named National High School Wrestling Coach of the Year by Wrestling USA magazine. He is a member of the North Dakota State University Hall of Fame, the Dave Bartelma Hall of Fame, and the North Dakota Wrestling Hall of Fame. In addition to wrestling, Demaray was an assistant football coach on the Apple Valley squads that won two state titles, and four runners-up finishes.

Demaray has served as president and secretary of the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association. Through his service on numerous committees and his role as state tournament manager, he has given immeasurable input to League decisions on section realignment, the three-class wrestling system, and tournament formats. He also helped develop youth wrestling programs and junior high conferences throughout the metro area.

Demaray is a graduate of Casselton High School in North Dakota. He earned his BS degree from North Dakota State University and his MA degree from the College of St. Thomas.


Evelyn “Evie”Erdman, Athletic Official, Elysian

Evelyn “Evie” Erdman has contributed to the sport of gymnastics in Minnesota in nearly all capacities — as a gymnast, coach, judge, referee, rules clinician, and more.

Erdman began officiating gymnastics meets more than 30 years ago, and has served as a League gymnastics rules clinician for 19 years. Over the years she has worked meets at all levels, from college to high school to private club.

There is no role at the State Girls’ Gymnastics Meet that is unknown to Erdman. She has been the state meet referee three times, a state meet judge 13 times, and a scorer four times. Through her service on the Gymnastics Officials Advisory Committee, she has given immeasurable input to League decisions regarding meet management, competition rules, and the selection and assigning of state meet judges.

While Erdman’s gymnastics experience and knowledge is known statewide, she is particularly known throughout the southern Minnesota gymnastics community. She has been the director of the Southern Outstate Gymnastics Judges Association (SOGJA) from 1988 to the present. In that capacity she has trained judges, established an annual invitational meet, assigned judges to meets, created an officials directory, and worked as a liaison between the League and SOGJA.

Erdman has also been involved in gymnastics as an athlete and coach. As an all-around gymnast at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter she competed in two AIAW National Championships. She has coached at Oak Grove Junior High in Bloomington, the New Ulm Turners private club, and at Mankato State University. While coaching at Mankato her teams qualified for and competed in the AIAW regional and national championships. She has also served as a master instructor at Gustavus Adolphus and at University of Wisconsin summer camps, and has been a visiting clinician, guest speaker, coaching clinic presenter and officiating instructor.

Erdman graduated from Rochester Mayo High School, and earned her BA degree from Gustavus Adolphus College and her MS degree from Mankato State University.


Sharon Euerle, Athletic Director, Mankato

Sharon Euerle’s long and exceptional career took her from coaching and teaching in St. James Public Schools to Mankato West High School where as athletic director she oversees 24 sports programs, four fine arts programs, and 105 coaching positions. With Euerle’s leadership, Mankato West’s activities progressed steadily into today’s program that flourishes with an enviable record of conference, section, and state championships.

Euerle’s commitment to the educational values of high school activities enriched the work of the League committees on which she served, including the Gender Equity Committee, the Policy and Eligibility Committee, and a host of advisory and ad hoc committees. She was also a member of the Representative Assembly, which is the legislative body of the League, and from 2001 to 2005 she served on the League Board of Directors and became only the third female president in 2005. She has managed the State Girls’ Basketball Tournament for 25 years and the State Track and Field Meet for 17 years.

Euerle is currently the Administrative Region 2A secretary and the executive secretary of the Big Nine Conference. She holds memberships in numerous professional organizations, including the Minnesota Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association, the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association, and the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and Dance.

Among her many awards, Euerle has received the Minnesota Interscholastic Athletic Directors Distinguished Service Award, the Minnesota Class AA Athletic Administrator of the Year, the Region 2AA Athletic Director of the Year, Region and District Coach of the Year awards, and the Marie Berg Award for Excellence in Education. She’s in the Winona State University and the Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association halls of fame.

Euerle graduated from Litchfield High School, earned a BS degree from Winona State University, and received an MA degree from Mankato State University.


Grant Johnson, Administrator/Athlete, Two Harbors

As an athlete at Two Harbors High School in the early 1930s, Grant Johnson earned five basketball varsity letters, two varsity football letters, and played American Legion Baseball for five years. The Agate basketball squads he played on won conference and district championships. Johnson scored a then record-setting 28 points in a district game for Two Harbors.

The recipient of many awards in recognition of his academic and athletic achievements, Johnson attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter for one year before transferring to the University of Minnesota where he became a Golden Gopher on the history-making 1937 basketball team that won Minnesota’s first Big Ten championship.

Upon graduation, Johnson followed his heart into a career of education. He began as a coach and teacher at Cloquet and Pine Island, and eventually served numerous school districts as superintendent — Mountain Lake, Cloquet, Moorhead, Wanamingo, Pine Island, Buffalo and Detroit Lakes. During this time Johnson oversaw the building of two high schools, three elementary schools, and two vocational schools, and spearheaded the consolidation of several rural schools in Detroit Lakes.

Johnson was the chair of the Governor’s Commission on Health and Recreation for the state. He also was the president and treasurer of the League Board of Directors in the 1960s. Johnson received hundreds of recognitions for his contributions as a coach, educator, teacher, principal and superintendent and for his never-ending efforts in support of his profession, of high school athletics, and of the organizations and activities that depended on his input and expertise.

The governor’s office recognized him with the Minnesota Centennial Statehood Sports Championship Award in 1958. The University of Minnesota inducted him into the “M” Club Hall of Fame and gave him a Distinguished Alumni Service Award and a 50-year Century Diamond Pin Award. Two Harbors High School inducted him into their athletic hall of fame in 1997.

Johnson graduated from Two Harbors High School. He earned BS and MA degrees from the University of Minnesota.


Carl Lipke, Fine Arts, North St. Paul

The Minnesota State High School League’s music programs would be vastly different if it were not for the wisdom and continuing leadership of Carl Lipke. For 50 years Lipke has been giving his time to the growth and promotion of high school music programs.

His career began at Cleveland High School in 1951, where for one year he was a vocal and instrumental music teacher and an assistant coach for the football, basketball, and baseball teams. He then served 22 months in the Naval Air Reserve in Minneapolis before going to North High School in North St. Paul to head up the music department and teach vocal and instrumental music.

Lipke’s choirs won more than 60 trophies in large group competitions. They toured Europe and performed all across the United States. It wasn’t long before the League recognized his extraordinary talents and hired him as a music consultant. In that role, which he still holds today, he assigns contest judges, chairs the Music Advisory Committee, conducts adjudicator certification clinics, updates the League Music Manual, and hosts contest manager’s workshops. Lipke also represents the League at the Minnesota Music Educators Association Convention and helps in many other as-needed capacities.

After 39 years at North High, Lipke retired in 1993. Even in retirement, his penchant for teaching and his impact on his students continues. He mentors choir directors, manages region music contests, adjudicates contests, and directs the North High Alumni Choir along with other community and church choirs.

Lipke has a 50-year affiliation with the Minnesota Music Educators Association, including tenure as vocal vice president. He’s also been a member of the American Choral Directors Association for 38 years and was chair of the Minnesota chapter in 1969.

Recognition of his achievements and contributions include the National Federation’s Outstanding Music Educator of the Year. He is the first Minnesotan to receive such an honor. In 1994 Governor Arne Carlson designated January 7 as “Carl Lipke Day”. The Minnesota Music Educators Association inducted him into their hall of fame. Ramsey County, the city of North St. Paul, and North High School all have honored him for his many years of dedication and service. WCCO radio has honored Lipke with its Good Neighbor Award.

Lipke is a graduate of Faribault High School. He earned a BS degree from Mankato State University and a MA degree from the University of Minnesota.


Ron Sellnow, Athletic Director, Hopkins

Ron Sellnow left a legacy at Hopkins High School where he was a teacher, coach and athletic director for 35 years.

Hopkins first hired Sellnow as a math teacher in 1964. Soon thereafter he began assistant coaching the soccer and hockey teams. He devoted 27 years to the hockey program. When he took over as head soccer coach he led the Royals to five consecutive state tournament appearances, finishing with runner-up honors in 1980 and capturing the state title in 1983. Sellnow was named “Coach of the Year” twice and was a nominee for National Soccer Coach of the Year.

As the district director of athletics, Sellnow was responsible for 26 sports programs at Hopkins High School, 22 sports at two area middle schools, and 195 coaches. His leadership was known at every level — from the Classic Lake Conference to the Minnesota State High School League. Sellnow managed the Classic Lake Conference soccer and golf competitions, the section hockey and soccer tournaments, and the State Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer Tournaments. He also serves as an event assistant at the State Boys’ Hockey Tournament.

Sellnow served on numerous League committees, including the Strategic Planning Committee, the Soccer Advisory Committee, and the Athletic Advisory Committee which he chaired in 1998. He has also held posts on the Region 6AA Executive Committee and was the committee chair from 1994-99. For his service the region honored him with a service award. Now in retirement, Sellnow is the Administrative Region 5AA secretary, a position he’s held since 1999.

Sellnow’s contributions to the professional organizations that represent athletic directors and coaches are far too numerous to list. He is a founding member and past secretary of the Minnesota Soccer Coaches Association. He held roles as president and region representative for the Minnesota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association which in 1999 named him Athletic Director of the Year.

Sellnow’s entrance in the League’s Hall of Fame is the fourth hall that bears his name. He is a member of the Hopkins High School, the Minnesota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, and Minnesota Soccer Coaches Association halls of fame.

Sellnow graduated from Staples High School. He obtained his BS degree from St. Cloud State University and a MS degree from the College of William and Mary in Virginia.


Carol Visness, Coach, Hallock

Carol Visness is the girls’ high school basketball coach with the third-most wins in state history with 555. She spent 29 years as the head coach of the Kittson Central girls’ basketball team and most of her coaching memories are not about the wins and losses, awards, or halls of fame. They are about the kids she taught and coached. Visness is most proud of the fact that three of her daughters played basketball for her and that her husband was her assistant coach, making basketball a family affair in the Visness household.

Her basketball teams compiled an overall record of 555-147. They captured 13 district/subsection titles, three section championships, made a state tournament appearance in 1992, finished third at state in 2004, and won the Class A championship in 2002. Visness is the first female basketball coach in Minnesota to reach the 300-win plateau. She was the Section Coach of the Year three times and Class A Coach of the Year in 2002. She was inducted into the Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1994. Visness retired from coaching basketball in 2004 so she could spend time watching her daughters play at Concordia College in Moorhead.

Visness came to the Hallock Public School (now Kittson Central) in 1975. She taught physical education and health. In addition to basketball, she coached volleyball for 20 years and is in the 400-wins club for that sport. With an overall career record of 418-180, her 2005 volleyball team finished fourth in the state. She also was the head track and field coach for 11 years and earned the 1979 Section Coach of the Year award and brought home two district titles.

Visness is viewed by many as one of the principle people in northwest Minnesota to put girls’ sports on par with boys’ sports. She holds a lifetime membership in the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association, in addition to being a member of the Girls Basketball Coaches Association for 29 years and the Girls Volleyball Coaches Association for 20 years. For two years Carol served on the Board of Control of the Girls Volleyball Coaches Association.

Visness graduated from Rugby High School in Rugby, North Dakota, where sports were limited. She played basketball at North Dakota State University in Fargo where she earned her BS degree.