HAWLEY — One of the most anticipated events on the annual athletics calendar recently took place and local fans are buzzing about it once again.
On Saturday, November 15 the Wayne Area Sports Hall of Fame hosted its 2025 induction dinner. The organization welcomed 20 new members to its ranks, a yearly tradition that stretches back more than three decades.
This year’s edition of the event was hosted by The Inn at Woodloch and attracted several hundred family members, friends and fans — all of whom gathered to pay tribute to an outstanding group of athletes, coaches and administrators.
The Class of 2025 consists of: Kristen Story, Kimberly Siefert, Kyle Rizzi, Lindsey Pender, Rich McGinnis, Tiffany Leventhal, Colleen Kloss, Maureen Ann Kirchdoefer, Ellen Kennedy, Linda Gelatt, Charles Hoetzel, Paul Gregorski, Ryan Federico, Samantha Edwards, Matthew Dunn, Cassandra DeYoung, Alaina Caridi, Joe Blaum, Brian Blaum, Phil Babyak.
“This is an exceptional group of athletes who had unbelievable accomplishments on the field, court, track and course,” said Hall of Fame Selection Committee Chairman Greg Frigoletto.
“However, even more notable is that their accomplishments continued in their adult life, as they have all become such positive contributing members of the communities they live in.”
Class of 2025
This year’s Wayne Area Sports Hall of Fame class is packed with local legends who’ve left an indelible mark on the local athletics scene.
Honesdale, Wallenpaupack Area and Western Wayne are well-represented in the Class of 2025. The 20 new inductees comprise a list of extremely talented men and women whose contributions to their respective communities will endure for decades to come.
At the top of that list is Honesdale’s own Lindsey Mang Pender. A 2000 graduate of HHS, Pender was a standout multi-sport athlete who excelled in distance running.
Under the direction of fellow Hall of Fame coach Joe Macey, Pender was a four-year star in both track and cross country. She earned multiple all-star berths in each sport while also bringing home district medals and representing the Hornets at the PIAA State Championships.
Pender was named Lackawanna League Runner of the Year in cross country and still holds a school record as a relay runner in track.
After receiving her undergraduate degree from Bloomsburg University and her Masters from Wilkes, Pender returned to Honesdale and embarked on a stellar career as teacher and coach.
In 2010, she succeeded Macey as varsity cross country coach and has put together an outstanding résumé. Two of the most notable achievements during her tenure are District 2 championships with the girls varsity team (2016) and the boys varsity squad (2022).
This past fall, Pender guided the girls junior high cross country squad to an undefeated record (24-0) and a Lackawanna League Class AA title. It’s just one of the many stellar accomplishments that led to Pender’s induction into the Hall of Fame.
“I am truly blessed,” she said during her induction speech. “What an incredible honor it is to be surrounded by so many people who shaped my journey as an athlete and now a coach.
“I accept this honor with gratitude, humility, and a heart full of joy. The Wayne Area Sports Hall of Fame is more than a title. It’s a reminder of what endures: teamwork, mentorship, and commitment to excellence. To be among this family of athletes and coaches is an honor.”
For Frigoletto, who has served as Selection Committee chairman for two decades, Pender’s words resonate for many reasons — not the least of which is seeing local sports heroes returning home to teach and coach the next generation of athletes.
“All of our inductees spoke about how growing up in and around athletics was foundational and transformational for each of them,” Frigoletto said. “That is the entire premise behind the Hall of Fame: to support youth sports in our community because of the value it provides to the participants, transcending far beyond the sports they play.”
A bit of history
The Wayne County Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1993, the brainchild of General Dan O’Neill, Dr. Walter Barbe and Leroy Spoor.
The inaugural induction dinner took place in 1994. Included among that first class of honorees were legendary local heroes Christy Mathewson, Virginia Lobb Gentile, V. Keith Sutton, Jimmy Heller, Ruth McGinnis and Edwin “Snoz” Miller.
Since then, many of the area’s biggest names have been added to this prestigious honor roll. In the introductory pages of the annual banquet program, members of the original selection committee wrote:
“The purpose of establishing the Wayne County Sports Hall of Fame is to recognize the many outstanding athletes and sports promoters in our area. The many benefits of athletics, both to the individual and to the community itself, cannot be overstated.”
For more information on the Wayne Area Sports Hall of Fame, to nominate someone, or to make a donation to support the cause, please contact…
If you’ve been to a San Francisco 49ers home game in recent years, Aubrie Tolliver (SSU ‘16) is a familiar face. Sometimes described as “the voice of Levi’s Stadium,” since 2022 Tolliver has been the in-game host, leading fan contests, on-field promotions, and segments to entertain and inform the in-stadium audiences. Her objective: Engage and energize the crowd to gain home-field advantage for the 49ers.
Tolliver hails from Sunnyvale, California and went to Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, not far from today’s Levi’s Stadium. She comes from a family of 49ers superfans who have been season ticket holders for 50-plus years, making her current game-day role a natural fit. The video below shows Tolliver’s 49ers game-day routine.
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A self-described “travel ball softball kid,” Tolliver was drawn to Sonoma State by the opportunity to play at the collegiate level. She went on to captain the team as its catcher. While at Sonoma State, she also wrote for the Sonoma Star and developed a passion for sports journalism.
It was in one of her SSU Communication Studies classes, however, that she found her specific professional inspiration.
“I wanted to be Amy G,” Tolliver said, referring to Amy Gutierrez, the Emmy Award-winning producer and reporter well-known for her work covering the San Francisco Giants. “She came to speak to one of my classes, and I remember thinking, ‘She has exactly the job that I want.’”
Tolliver recalls staying after class to ask Gutierrez, now a lecturer at Sonoma State, what she might do after graduation in order to set herself on a similar path. The advice Gutierrez gave inspired Tolliver to apply to Syracuse University’sS.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, where she got her Master of Science degree in broadcast and digital journalism.
Tolliver returned to the Bay Area after completing her master’s and went to work as a co-producer and co-anchor of the 49ers’ “Cal-Hi Sports,” a weekly hour-long broadcast covering high school sports across the Bay Area.
When she is not hyping Levi’s Stadium crowds, she can be found shooting, writing, producing, and editing news and feature stories about youth sports competitions, athletes, and their coaches. Over her eight-year tenure she has produced more than 500 stories for “Cal-Hi Sports.”
During the spring and summer – NFL offseason – does she have time to slow down? Not exactly.
Since 2024, Tolliver has also been a game-day host for the Oakland Ballers, the popular independent baseball team across the Bay that plays in the Pioneer League.
“It was really exciting to get involved in this way in the team’s first season, as it taps into my early love of baseball,” Tolliver said.
Learn more about Tolliver’s professional journey in sports broadcasting when she joins SSU alumni for an Industry Insights webinar on February 10.
On January 13, 2026 the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases—West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox—about the freedom of transgender youth to participate in school sports and to learn the life lessons those sports teach. We know this topic can fuel heated debates and spark strong opinions.
That’s why talking about this can feel tricky—but the Lambda Legal Trans Youth in Sports Conversation Guide is here to help. Whether that’s with loved ones or coworkers, this guide gives ideas for how to answer hard questions, ask thoughtful questions in return, and use these moments to build connection rather than division.
Our advice: it’s not about finding the “perfect” thing to say. It’s about saying something that helps people see and celebrate trans youth for exactly who they are. These policies aren’t just about who gets to play soccer or run track—they’re about who belongs, and who gets left out. We won’t stop fighting until every transgender kid feels seen, celebrated, and loved for exactly who they are.
The City of Arkadelphia’s Parks and Recreation Department has adjusted the start of its winter youth basketball season by one week.
The season will now begin on January 17 instead of January 10 and will conclude on March 7.
This adjustment is due to team jerseys not yet arriving because of shipping delays related to the holiday season.
Parks and Recreation expects the season to begin as scheduled on Saturday, January 17. Any changes will be communicated through the City’s social media channels at @arkadelphiaar.
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Golden State Sports Academy, powered by Rakuten, has announced its 2026 Golden State Basketball Camp spring camp schedule, which includes camp sessions at 13 Bay Area locations for youth ages seven and up. Registration is now open for all spring camp sessions at gssportsacademy.com.
The spring schedule will run from March 7 through April 19, highlighted by clinics at Chase Center in San Francisco and the Sephora Performance Center in Oakland. The spring schedule will include various skills clinics focusing on specific elements of the game.
Early Registration and sibling discounts are available. All sessions are for youth, ages seven and up, unless noted otherwise. For complete details on Golden State Basketball Camp and to register online, visit gssportsacademy.com or call (510) 986-5310.
The 2026 Golden State Basketball Camp spring schedule includes:
About Golden State Sports Academy Golden State Sports Academy, formerly known as Warriors Basketball Academy, which encompasses the organization’s youth basketball efforts across the Bay Area, has hosted over 90,000 participants since its inception in 2000. A member of the Jr. NBA’s Flagship Network, Golden State Sports Academy has been deemed one of 18 best-in-class youth basketball organizations that share the Jr. NBA’s vision for how the game should be taught. For more information, follow Golden State Sports Academy on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X at @gssportsacademy.
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown field hockey is set to host a youth and middle school camp this summer from June 8th through the 10th at Andre Reed Stadium.
The camp is designed for grades K-8th. Each day the session will run from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The cost to attend is $150 pre-registration, which can be done prior to June 1.
Athletes should bring a stick, mouth guard, shin guards, turf shoes or sneakers and a water bottle. Goalies must bring their own equipment.
For additional information, contact camp director and KU head coach Marci Scheuing at scheuing@kutztown.edu, or by phone at 610-683-4378.
The Youth and Middle School Field Hockey Camp is designed to give athletes an opportunity to train with the National Champion Kutztown coaching staff and KU players. Our camp is open to any and all entrants, and will include learning both technical and tactical skills during multiple stations. We will separate groups by age and level of experience. You will also have the opportunity to compete in a series of games and fun competitions.
Don Charles “Charlie” Lechliter was an electrician by trade, but was best remembered for his involvement in the Arctic League and West Elmira youth sports.
Mr. Lechliter, who passed away Dec. 31, was remembered as a devoted family man with a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of area children.
Several years ago, the Town of Elmira honored Mr. Lechliter’s contributions by naming one of the ballfields at Pirozzolo Park in his honor.
Don Charles Lechliter was an electrician by trade, and built a successful Elmira business, but that’s not how most people saw him.
Mr. Lechliter was also a devoted family man, and that attribute extended beyond his immediate family to youth in general, according to his wife Lisa.
He was active in coaching youth sports in West Elmira for many years and was also a longtime volunteer and board member of the Arctic League.
Anyone who met Mr. Lechliter couldn’t help but like him, Lisa Lechliter said.
“He was a very charismatic guy, very easy to like,” she said. “He always left a lasting impression on people. He would do anything for anybody to help them out. Most people looked at him as a friend, not an electrician.”
Mr. Lechliter, who everyone knew as Charlie, died Dec. 31. He was 74.
A passion for sports, and youth
While Lechliter Electric was his business, Mr. Lechliter was probably busier in his personal life.
He loved sports, especially baseball, and was a diehard New York Mets fan, Lisa Lechliter said.
So it was natural that someone who loved sports and cared about kids would find a way to combine them.
“He started coaching Little League in his early 20s. He started out coaching his nephews and has been with the program ever since,” Lisa Lechliter said. “He also coached girls Cinderella Softball. That’s how I met him. It wasn’t all about winning. He just loved to spend time with those kids.”
Mr. Lechliter made an enormous contribution to recreational programming in the Town of Elmira for decades, said Town Supervisor Ann Gerould.
From the start, he brought a strong work ethic and a knack for efficiency and organization to his volunteer efforts, Gerould said.
“Charlie was part of the baseball/softball league’s board at that time as well. Charlie served as the treasurer of the board and dealt with ordering all the equipment, uniforms and field supplies,” she said. “He always did this with cost control in mind and continued to do so up until this year. I know that he had planned to continue in the upcoming season.
“During the early years, I am told there were about 500 kids involved every season, so his job was very time-consuming,” Gerould added.
Mr. Lechliter also later served as treasurer of the West Elmira Recreation Board, where he handled coordination and execution of events such as the baseball/softball league seasons, Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween events and Music in the Park throughout the summer.
He also lent his professional expertise to assist with electrical work needed for scoreboards and throughout Pirozzolo Park, Gerould said.
“We are virtually lost at the moment without him but are dedicated to continuing the programs where he committed countless hours, to continue for years to come,” she said. “Some years ago, Charlie’s efforts were honored by the dedication of Field No. 5 with his name. This was a source of great pride for him, and it was well deserved.”
Helping children as Arctic League’s ‘go-to guy’
Mr. Lechliter joined the Arctic League board of directors in 1993, and at the time of his death was the second-longest currently serving board member, according to league Treasurer and former board president Michael Wayne.
He was the consummate “behind the scenes” guy and had great insight on how to efficiently run the Arctic League’s warehouse operation, Wayne said.
More importantly, Mr. Lechliter made sure the board remained focused on the agency’s mission — that no child in Chemung County would go without presents on Christmas Day.
“During my year as President (2021) he was my ‘go-to guy,'” Wayne said.
“We were only one year out of the COVID pandemic, and Charlie was ever creative in making suggestions on how we could tweak our long-serving process to assure safety for all our volunteers,” he said. “While always avoiding the limelight, he was every Arctic League presidents’ biggest cheerleader and spent hours helping maintain our building and its mechanicals.”
Mr. Lechliter also championed a new way volunteers could help the Arctic League, and the “make a hat” campaign started, Wayne said.
He helped recruit knitters and crocheters to make hats for league recipients, which helped the organization save money — which could be funneled into other gifts — while creating a new opportunity for volunteers to support the Arctic League mission.
“Charlie was full of energy. He had endless ideas and a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of children in our area,” Wayne said. “His hearty laugh will forever echo through our building, and his passion to help others will survive in perpetuity at the Arctic League.”
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