Honor. Document. Preserve.

The Berlin High School Athletic Hall of Fame, was established in the fall of 2008, as a vision of then BHS Athletic Director Jim Day. The inaugural class of the Hall of Fame was inducted in May 2010 at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Cromwell, CT. The inaugural class included sixteen honorees. Including this year’s class, a total of 115 athletes, coaches, contributors and teams, have been enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Since the establishment of Berlin High School in 1935, many great athletes and coaches have called BHS home. The Hall of Fame will continue to search for deserving persons who have made significant contributions to the athletic programs at Berlin High School.

Our Mission

To permanently honor, document, and preserve distinctive contributions to the sports heritage of Berlin High School.

Selection Process

All nominees must have the qualities of integrity, sportsmanship and of good character. Nominee categories and minimum qualifications are described here.

A person who attended Berlin High School, graduated from Berlin High School ten or more years ago or graduated from Berlin High School and has passed away or has a life-threatening illness, played a varsity sport at Berlin High School and gained prominence while performing as a player at Berlin High School, or who has gained prominence in the field of athletics during and/or after his/her tenure as a student of Berlin High.

A person who has coached or been in a position of administration at Berlin High School and gained prominence while coaching or administering at Berlin High School. The candidate must have made a significant impact on the varsity sports programs and to the Berlin High School student-athletes.

A person who has made a noteworthy and significant impact on the development of Berlin High School student-athletes.

A Berlin High School varsity athletic team that distinguished itself by winning a State Championship or otherwise gained great statewide prominence.

How does it work?

The Induction Nominating Committee, selected from members of the Board of Directors, then researches and documents the qualifications of each nominated candidate, and will recommend a list of candidates for induction on a yearly basis. The final list of candidates to be inducted will then be forwarded to the Board of Directors for approval.

The yearly list of inductees is limited to ten (10) individuals. This shall include no more than one individual included in the Special Category, selected no more than every two (2) years, and one individual included in the Coach or Administrative Category, selected each year. In addition, the list of approved inductees may include one candidate from the Team Category.

News

Latest News + Inductees

  • Athlete / Class of 2025

    Daniel Klotz

    The arena never mattered to Daniel Klotz, who said, “I was very competitive to be on top, whatever pond I was put into.”  Most times, his times were the best. 

  • Athlete / Class of 2025 / Coach

    Frank Naples

    When Berlin High School baseball coach Leo Veleas was looking for an assistant coach in 1990, Frank Naples just showed up. “I didn’t know he wanted to be a coach,“ Veleas said. “I just knew him as an athlete.”

  • Athlete / Class of 2025

    Jim Barnes

    Jim Barnes had just retired from his position with an insurance corporation in 2009 during his daughter Erica’s senior season with the Berlin High School girls golf team.

  • Athlete / Class of 2025

    Julia Kemmling

    A driving range, which was located less than a mile from Julia Kemmling’s home, is an abandoned grassy field adjoining an industrial park on the Berlin Turnpike today. Though the range has vanished, memories remain.