With the school year coming to a close on May 17, Wingspan is counting down the top sports moments from 2023-2024.
Coming in at #10, Frisco ISD welcomed a new way to recognize past athletic greats when they introduced the Hall of Honor in late October.
A little more than 100 years since the opening of the first Frisco High School, Frisco Independent School District has 12 high schools now. Over the course of more than a century, FISD athletics has seen lots of successes throughout the years. To honor all who have contributed, FISD is introducing the FISD Athletic Hall of Honor, the first class, on Friday at the Ford Center.
“I don’t care how successful the team is, whether you’re successful or not,” Rick Reedy said. “You form a bond between each other as participants and with your coaches and with the parents.” (Addyson Schick)
“Frisco ISD has a great tradition of success in athletics, including achievements in competition and the ways athletics programs have contributed to the overall educational experience of students,” FISD Athletic Director Jerry Littlejohn said via email. “With so many former athletes, coaches, teams, and community members who have contributed to the success over the years, the District felt like it was time to create an official way to honor them and put a spotlight on FISD’s rich athletic history.”
A committee of 10 individuals including: former FISD athletic directors, a former FISD superintendent, and several former longtime FISD coaches and coordinators.
“The committee members met several times over a period of [time] and gathered a large list of names of potential candidates,” FISD Facilitator of Athletics Matt Wixion said. “It then discussed the potential candidates, and at a later date, members voted on the candidates for the inaugural Hall of Honor class.”
The class includes three teams, eight athletes, two coaches, and two contributors, all of which will be honored during Friday’s game featuring the original FISD high school, Frisco taking on Reedy in a crucial 10-5A contest.
Included in the inaugural class is former FISD superintendent and 10-year track coach Rick Reedy. Rick guided the Frisco High track team to four consecutive Class 2A state championships from 1981-1984.
“I’m very proud of them, I remember all the great times that we had together,” Rick said. “I don’t care how successful the team is, whether you’re successful or not, you form a bond between each other as participants and with your coaches and with the parents. So it’s like having another family, it’s why I’ll look down [at my students] with great pride.”
Friday’s ceremony is also special for Reedy’s son Ross. The head coach of the Redhawks girls’ basketball team, the first FISD Athletic Hall of Honor class features people he looked up to as a child.
“For me, having grown up in Frisco, it’s been really interesting because a lot of the people who were just selected were people I grew up with or people I grew up idolizing,” Ross said. “And then, of course, some of them have been people I have coached against, they were my babysitters, the softball team that got [inducted] was in 2001 I was in high school when they were coming up, and Ricky Gutierrez is still one of my best friends and he is on it.”
Ross has also seen success as a coach himself, leading the Redhawk girls’ basketball team to five state championship appearances, with the team winning titles in 2020 and 2023. However, Ross’s teams are currently ineligible to be inducted into the Hall of Honor as inductees only become eligible five years following their achievement or end of service. With this rule, Ross hopes his team continues to succeed, keeping them ineligible for many years to come.
“We’re just in the middle of what we’re doing,” Ross said. “So we think that a lot of our best years are to come. We hope we’re not eligible for ages because that means we’re still doing some really good things. But whether they do or not [induct us], we’re having a good time doing what we’re doing. I’m proud of what’s going on.”
Inductees in the inaugural class come from Frisco, Wakeland, and Lone Star high schools. As far as the Redhawks go, campus athletic coordinator Matt Swinnea already knows who he would induct from Liberty.
“I think that probably the most famous, if you would, alumni athletically is Jai Ajayi,” Swinnea said. “Somebody that went on to play college at Boise State and then also won a Super Bowl championship with the Eagles. Little more recently would be someone like Jenna Wenaas, one of the greatest volleyball players I’ve ever seen, still playing. The impact that they had here, both of those athletes, led their respective teams deep into the playoffs. Some great leaders there, but then also, what they were able to do once they left.”
Although the first class in the Frisco ISD Hall of Honor has been announced, they will not be officially inducted until January 2024. In addition, two large touch screens will display the contents of the Hall in the FISD Athletic Office.
“After the initial Hall of Honor class, members of the Frisco ISD community will be able [to] nominate members for the annual Hall of Honor class,” Wixion said. “More information on that will be shared with the community after the first class is inducted.”
