LHS Hall of Fame Induction
From Inspired to Inspiration: New members inducted into the LHS Hall of Fame Alongside Their Idols
Written by Emily Nestor
9/22/23
“It’s just an insanely big honor. To be right there, right next to those people who inspired me growing up.” -Brianna Socker, 2023 Hall of Fame inductee
On Friday, September 15, four individuals and two varsity teams were inducted into the Liverpool Athletic Hall of Fame.
Since 1987, Liverpool High School has welcomed a multitude of people into the Hall of Fame each year, and it is considered one of the highest honors that an LHS athlete can receive. Among the inducted are former SU grad and Atlanta Falcon Tim Green, former MLB outfielder Chris Jones, SU softball star Alicia Hansen, and local sports photographer and contributor Hal Henty.
This year, the inductees include the 2017 baseball and 2015 boys cross country teams, both of whom won state championships, along with athletes, Brianna (Bre) Socker, Michael Parsons, Ben Petrella, and Jeff (JJ) Ross, who has become a second generation inductee. His father, Jeffrey Ross, was inducted in 2000.
The ceremony, held in the athletics lobby of LHS, included a two minute speech from each individual, and the presentation of a plaque that is now displayed in the lobby alongside all previously inducted Hall of Famers. Following the ceremony, the inductees were announced during halftime of the Liverpool vs. Henniger football game.
For many of the inductees, this was a surreal experience.
Socker recalls, “I just remember waiting for field hockey practice, everybody used to wait in that lobby and look at the plaques every single day…and so I think to just be on the wall with people who inspired me is just such an honor - and I hope that my story and my journey can inspire other people the way that those individuals inspired me.”
The achievement is tangible evidence of the athletes’ hard work and dedication, both traits that the Liverpool Athletic Program aims to instill in all of their student-athletes. According to Socker, the program has taught her not only remarkable athletic skills, but also the value of kindness and hard work, and the positive impact that a solid support system can have on your life.
Liverpool Baseball head coach, Fred Terzini, has won only one state championship in his 32 year long career as head coach of Liverpool Baseball. When asked what differentiated the 2017 baseball team from the others, Terzini replies, “You could tell that they just had that chemistry. They held themselves to a high standard, both on and off the field. They knew what they wanted, they worked hard for it, and they achieved it.”
Terzini states that his joy comes from watching his players play. In fact, his favorite part of the induction was seeing the reunion of a team so connected that they were able to pick up right where they had left off six years earlier.
For aspiring young athletes, Socker advises “Work for what you want…they can try to outplay you but they can’t outwork you. It’s about what you do when people aren’t watching.”