Broward Education Foundation Presents The 2024 Broward County Sports Hall Of Fame

 

Celebrating its 21st year, the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame recognizes athletes, coaches and pioneers of sports who are, or have been, Broward County residents. An awards banquet and induction ceremony honoring the seven sports legends is set for Friday, October 18 at the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort. The festive evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction benefiting the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame followed by dinner and induction presentations with WSVN sports anchor Josh Moser serving as master of ceremonies.

“There are so many tremendous athletes and coaches who hail from Broward County, so it is our honor to resurrect the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame which has been dormant for the past six years,” said James A. Knapp, president and CEO of Broward Education Foundation. “The 2024 class is exceptional, not only for their athletic talents, but for their dedication and commitment to excellence. They are an inspiration to our students and community.”

A perpetual trailblazer, Broward Education Foundation was the first and remains the only education foundation in the country with a dedicated athletic arm. The nonprofit, which is dedicated to serving students and teachers in Broward County Public Schools, continues to expand its reach by advocating for talented student athletes throughout Broward County.

“It’s our privilege to recognize these exceptional individuals who’ve created a lasting legacy within Broward County’s athletic community,” said Dr. Kevin Perry, Associate Director, Broward Education Foundation Athletics.

Elliot Bonner has served as a distinguished leader in Broward County Public Schools for more than 50 years. A respected football and baseball coach, Bonner has mentored and motivated countless student athletes. A proud resident of Coral Springs since 1977, his journey is a testament to his dedication in fostering youth sports. From founding programs at Mullins Park to his long coaching career at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, he instilled values of hard work and dedication in his players, shaping not just athletes but upstanding individuals in the community.  His impact goes beyond the field, influencing players like Dan Morgan, Anthony Rizzo and Jesus Luzardo, who found professional success. Yet, what Bonner treasures most is the enduring legacy his former students carry on as responsible community members, parents and even coaches.

Darius Butler is a proud graduate of Coral Springs Charter School where he was a versatile standout on the football team, playing quarterback and safety. He also ran track and played basketball, scoring more than 1,000 points during his high school career and was named an All-County selection as well as an All-State honorable mention. Butler played football at the University of Connecticut and was selected by the New England Patriots in the second round of the NFL draft in 2009. He went on to play nine impressive seasons in the NFL and is currently a respected sports personality, regularly appearing on The Pat McAfee Show and co-hosts the Man-to-Man podcast with Antoine Bethea. Abbas Karimi trains six days a week at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center and is representing Team USA as a member of the 2024 U.S. Paralympics Swim Team in Paris. Born in Afghanistan without arms, he has defied all odds through self-reliance and sheer will,   garnering international recognition for his athletic achievements. Karimi learned to swim in the rivers of Kabul but at age 16 he fled the war-torn country on foot, walking through Iran and miraculously making it to a Turkish refugee camp. As word of his extraordinary swimming capabilities surfaced, he was fortuitously relocated to the United States. He has competed in many world swimming contests and was the first refugee to win a World Medal. A model of resilience and profound physical and mental strength, Visit Lauderdale, which welcomes visitors of all abilities to Greater Fort Lauderdale, recently tapped Karimi as its newest ambassador.

Diana Nyad is a celebrated author, journalist, motivational speaker and long-distance swimmer, best known for her extraordinary feats of endurance swimming. 25 million people worldwide rooted for Nyad as she reached the Florida shore, at long last achieving her 35-year-old quest of becoming the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida, a distance of more than 110 miles. Speaking the words “Never Ever Give Up” to the wildly cheering crowd on a Key West beach in 2013, she demonstrated to the world the power of the human spirit. A prominent sports journalist, filing over thirty years for National Public Radio, The New York Times and others, Diana has earned her place as one of our compelling storytellers. She has been inducted into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, among other Halls of Fame and awards of distinction. Her 2015 memoir, Find a Way, was made into a dramatic biographical film entitled Nyad in 2023 starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster. Throughout her career, Nyad has been celebrated not only for her physical endurance but also for her resilience and determination in pursuing her goals.

Steve Shapiro is longest reigning sportscaster in South Florida television news history. He was a fixture on the local sports scene for more than three decades and passionately reported on athletes from high school to the pros. A beloved personality on WSVN, he anchored the station’s multiple weekday sportscasts and hosted Sports Xtra on Sunday nights prior to retiring in late 2020.During his illustrious career he covered major sports events, including numerous Super Bowls, the World Series, the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, all major college football bowl games, NCAA basketball tournaments, championship boxing, Triple Crown horse races, major golf and tennis events, the Little League World Series, NASCAR and the Olympics. In 2019, he was given the prestigious Silver Circle award by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Southeast Chapter for lifetime achievement.

Lexi Thompson hails from Coral Springs and grew up in a golf-loving family. The LPGA phenom is a born competitor who honed her skills playing against her golfing brothers, both of whom went on to pro careers themselves. Competitiveness stoked at a young age transferred into competition and into full bloom in 2007. That year, Lexi survived a USGA qualifier to earn a spot in the field at the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open. She was only 12 years, four months and one day old when she qualified, becoming the youngest-ever qualifier — beating a record previously held by Morgan Pressel. She turned pro at age 15 and won on the LPGA Tour at age 16. It was quite a start to a golf career, but a start that Thompson continues to live up to. To date, Lexi has 11 career wins on the LPGA Tour. In 2007, she was the youngest player to ever qualify for the US Women’s Open, and is a 2x Olympian competing Team USA in 2016 and 2020. Off the course, Thompson is recognized for her philanthropic efforts and dedication to growing the game of golf, especially among young women.

On the heels of the turbulent civil rights movement in the 60s, a diverse group of young men from all walks of life came together and made history. They attended Attucks, Olsen and McNichol middle schools prior to enrolling in Hollywood Hills High School, a relatively new school led by principal, Bill Brennan, an ex-FBI agent with high standards and a remarkable understanding of how to foster success for his students. As the team entered its freshman year, they merged geographically, culturally and religiously. These remarkable students overcame the racial divide and used sports to unite to overcome any challenges. Led by legendary Broward County football coach, Dick Saltrick, the team finished undefeated and beating Jacksonville Raines to win Broward County’s first state championship in football. What was more impressive was the average scoring differential. In the 13 games (10 regular season and three playoff games) the Spartans outscored their opponents an average of 34 to 7. The Spartans also ended Dade County’s dominance over Broward County teams by beating South Miami 48-7, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished in more than 60 years. Additionally, as a group they were 38-1 in their four years at Hollywood Hills. Their teams were undefeated in their freshman and sophomore years, with their only loss coming from Merritt Island in the playoffs of the 11-1 season in 1972. Support from the Hollywood Hills High administration, caring parents and backing from the student body, band, cheerleaders and drill teams helped make this “once in a lifetime” achievement a reality.

The 2024 Broward County Sports Hall of Fame class was nominated by Broward County residents and selected by members of the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame Committee. The seven 2024 inductees will be memorialized and enshrined on the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame Honor Wall at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, alongside previous honorees.