Harold “Hal” Henderson, a 1964 Park graduate and an NAIA Hall of Fame inductee in 1988, has been announced as the newest member of the Park Athletics Wall of Honor, as Park University continues to unveil its 2018 induction class through the spring months, leading up to September’s induction of the full class during Homecoming week in Parkville.
Henderson’s induction in to the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1988 was in the category of meritorious service in the sport of soccer. Henderson enjoyed a long coaching career that spanned parts of four decades, where he amassed 193 coaching wins. He was active in the NAIA’s national soccer coaches committee, and during his coaching career, he was also a certified athletic trainer.
He served as head athletic trainer and head soccer coach at Nova Southeastern, an experience that ultimately led to his being named athletic trainer and head administrator for the United States Under-17 National Team in 1992, which was his fifth international soccer trip. He coached teams in Spain, France, Bermuda, and was the head trainer for the U.S. National Team in Trinidad in 1982.
His administrative experience includes 18 years serving as a member of the NAIA soccer national committee and national soccer tournament committee.
Henderson was a multi-sport athlete in his time on the Parkville campus, most notably as a four-year letterwinner in the men’s soccer program. He was captain of the Pirates’ 1962 NAIA national tournament team while also competing in basketball (three years), track and field (two years) and tennis (two years) at Park.
“I am honored to be inducted in to the Wall of Honor at the school where I learned the sport of soccer and got my start in soccer coaching,” Henderson said. “These years (at Park) prepared me to attain many goals, including the administrative positions and my time serving on the NAIA national soccer coaches committee.”
Henderson’s athletic training career is as impressive as his coaching tenure. He was an athletic trainer for 32 years — 22 at the collegiate level and 10 in high schools — and he was named Florida High School Trainer of the Year.
Still devoted to his alma mater, Henderson is a fixture at alumni gatherings on the Parkville campus, especially during Harvest Fest and Homecoming celebrations.
“Hal has had a distinguished career, primarily with NAIA programs,” said James B. Peeke, former president of the Park Alumni Association, who nominated Henderson. “Hal was a fine athlete at Park, coached here, and it led to his very successful career. Hal’s efforts and leadership during some tough times at Park are one of the reasons college athletic activities remained alive, and he was one of the first involved with athletics at Park at the beginning of our association with the NAIA.”
Henderson and three honorees already announced — Colleen Mahoney Scherman, Maria Ruiz and the late Ed Bradley – will be inducted in to the Wall of Honor in September on the Parkville Campus, during Homecoming Week.
Track and field competes in Liberty
LIBERTY, Mo. — In its final tune-up before the American Midwest Conference championships, the Park outdoor track and field teams turned in some strong performances in difficult conditions at the Darrell Gourley Open hosted by William Jewell.
The men’s team collected four first place finishes on the day despite frigid temperatures creating difficult conditions. Nicholas Rotich (Jr./Eldoret, Kenya) was a two-time winner on the day, the 1500m with a time of 4:00.63, and the 5000m in 15:23.89.
Junior Odail Todd (Jr./Hanover, Jamaica) won the 100-meter dash with a NAIA qualifying time of 10.61, the fastest time in the AMC this season. Ryan Zitter (Sr./Overland Park, Kan.) was also victorious, besting the field in the 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:05.81.
William Henry (Sr./Kansas City, Mo.) completed the championship performances on the day in the 800m (1:55.26), while Marquel Harris (Jr./St. Louis, Mo.) claimed second place in the Long Jump (6.83m).
A total of five runner-up places were claimed by the women’s team, spread out among sprints, distance, jumps and throws. All-American Aaliyah Brown (Sr./St. Louis, Mo.) claimed a pair of second place finishes in the shot put (12.99m) and hammer throw (43.57m).
Emma Kasap (So./Des Moines, Iowa) was second in the 400m with a time of 1:00.10, while Rachel Franklin (So./Ft. Collins, Colo.) took second in the 5000m, crossing the line in 18:54.63. All-American Jerosan Fletcher (Sr./St. Petersburg, Fla.) also earned a second-place finish, landing a score of 5.43m in the long jump.
In total, the Pirates posted 12 personal bests on the day, setting the table for the AMC Championships, April 27-28 in Greenville, Ill.
Todd honored by AMC
Park’s Odail Todd was named the American Midwest Conference Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week on Monday, April 16, after his outing at the Darrel Gourley Open last Saturday.
Todd, a junior from Hanover, Jamaica, finished first in his only track event at the Darrell Gourley Invitational for the Pirates. Ran 10.61-seconds in the 100-meter dash, edging out the second-place finisher by 0.02-seconds.
He hit the NAIA “B-standard” with the performance.
This is his first-career AMC Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week award.
Costello sets school softball record in loss
BATESVILLE, Ark. — The Park softball team took on Lyon College in an American Midwest Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon in Batesville, Arkansas. The Pirates fell to the Scots in game one 5-0, and then in game two 11-10.
Hailey Costello set a new school record against Lyon with being walked 26 times in a season. Brooke Kunkel set the school record back in 2016 being walked 24 times in a season.
Costello, a junior from Lynwood, Wash., had 20 career walks entering this season.
Men’s basketball adds 2
Park University men’s basketball coach Jason Kline announced the addition of two new faces for the 2018-19 season, both of whom are freshman that will travel Interstate 35 — in different directions — to reach their new collegiate home.
Kline added Texan Gabriel Bazile, who stands 6-foot-4 and can add presence inside and on the perimeter, and Levi Wylie, a 6--2 guard from Stanchfield, Minn.
Bazile played high school basketball at Atascocita High School in Humble, Texas, moving to the Houston area after his first year in high school from San Antonio. As a senior, he averaged 12 points, six rebounds, and two assists per game, helping Atascocita to a 28-7 record.
He was named a top prospect to watch in 2017-18 by Vype Houston Magazine, and in the classroom, he was a three-time varsity outstanding student-athlete at AHS.
Wylie joins the Pirates from Braham Area High School, where he was an all-tournament performer at the Crusader Christmas Classic, as well as a North Central All-Star Team selection. He averaged 12.4 points per game as a senior, adding 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.
He was also a three-time all-conference all-academic performer at Braham Area.
“Both of these young men will add depth that we’ll need going in to 2018-19 to get back to a level we want to see in our program,” Kline said. “I’m happy to welcome them both to Park. They have tremendous potential to succeed in our program and at our University.”