Athletic Hall of Fame Questions & Answers
How can I make a contribution to the Mynderse Academy Hall of Fame?
The Mynderse Academy Athletic Hall of Fame greatly appreciates all donations. Donations can be given to any Hall of Fame Committee member or mailed to our treasurer:
Michael Ferrara
7 Seneca Lane
Seneca Falls, NY 13148
Donations are acknowledged via personal letter, annual Induction Program, and the Finger Lakes Times. Donations of $100 or more are entitled to 2 complimentary tickets to the annual Induction Ceremony.
How are donations to the Hall of Fame used?
Currently, it costs approximately $6,500 per year to carry out the Hall's yearly activities. These activities include:
The printing and mailing of semi-annual newsletters to all members
Postage for various letters sent each year to inductees, teams, and other induction participants
Various plaques & trophies for inductees
Office supplies for all activities
Printing of the annual Induction Program
The largest expense is the annual induction ceremony (dinner, auditorium, etc.)
In addition to these expenses, special items are needed which may increase that yearly monetary amount.
NO HALL OF FAME FUNDS OR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE PROVIDED TO HOF COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR PERSONAL EXPENSES.
Are there different nomination categories for induction?
Yes. There are four main induction categories.
The first category is for any Mynderse male/female athlete or coach. The coach must have coached at Mynderse for at least five years.
The second category is for lifetime contributors. This may be a person who may or may not have been an athlete while a student at Mynderse but has contributed greatly to the advancement of Mynderse athletics over a lengthy period of time.
The third category is reserved for Mynderse Academy Athletic team(s). Any team that has achieved something special or extraordinary is worthy of nomination.
The fourth category is the "Forerunner to Title IX" category. Prior to 1972 female athletes were not given the same interscholastic competition opportunities as their male classmates. Therefore, it is unfair to compare a male athlete's accomplishments to a female athlete prior to 1972. The Hall of Fame Committee recognizes that there were some outstanding female athletes prior to 1972. The committee actively seeks out nominations of these pre-1972 female athletes.
Where is the Athletic Hall of Fame display?
The Mynderse Academy Athletic Hall of Fame permanent display is located just outside the main entrance to the Arthur L. Baker Gymnasium.
Is there an online nomination form I can use?
Yes, click on the link below to complete the simple online nomination form. Remember, you can nominate an athlete, coach, lifetime contributor, or team.
Online Nomination Form
When is the annual Induction Ceremony?
The Mynderse Academy Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is conducted annually on the Sunday of the Columbus Day weekend.
Can I nominate anyone?
Yes, you can nominate any former male or female Mynderse Academy athlete or someone who has contributed to Mynderse athletics. You may even nominate a person who did not participate in athletics while attending Mynderse but has made a significant impact in the athletic world. There is a 10 year (following graduation) waiting period before a person can be considered for induction in the MA Athletic Hall of Fame.
Is there a fee associated in the nomination process?
No, there is no fee for nominations or for the nominees. On the other hand, the Hall Committee is grateful for any donations. There is a significant expenditure each year for the induction ceremony, awards, and supplies.
Is it time consuming to nominate someone?
It is very simple to nominate a person to be considered for the Mynderse Academy Athletic Hall of Fame. Start by downloading the nomination form (click here for form). Identify the category you feel the nominee falls into, e.g. Coach, MA Athlete, Contributor. You need to provide the name and address of the candidate. Provide your own name and address. There is a line where you may choose to include some honors or awards of your nominee. The process should take less time than it takes to read this document.
Can I nominate more than one person?
Yes, there is no limit to the number of people you may nominate.
If I nominate someone, does the Hall Committee inform the nominee who nominated them?
The Hall Committee sees a nomination for induction as an honor of distinction. When a completed nomination form is received, an in-depth form is sent to the nominee. The name of the person who nominated them is not included.
If the person I nominated is not selected for induction, should I nominate them again?
The process of selecting a class for induction is a thorough process. If the person you nominated is not selected for induction, it is not necessary to re-nominate them. All unsuccessful nominees are kept on file by the Hall Committee and are reconsidered each year.
Is there a deadline for nominations?
Yes, April 1st of each year is the deadline date for all nominations for that particular year.
If I nominate someone can they decline?
Of course, a nominee may decide that she/he does not wish to be considered for the Hall. Nominees have a deadline to return their completed forms to the Committee.
I have nominated someone but they have not been selected for induction. Can you explain why?
What you describe is not unusual. In fact, it is not common for a person to be nominated and selected for induction in the same year. That said, there may be different reasons for non-selection.
1. The candidate that you nominated has not returned the in-depth questionnaire sent to him/her by the HOF Committee. Without that questionnaire, the Committee can not evaluate the achievements of the nominee. The Committee does research only in rare situations where a nominee has died and there is no one around to provide information on the nominee.
2. The candidate has returned their questionnaire, has been evaluated by the Committee, but has not been chosen for selection for that year due to by-law limits. For any given year, there are usually 50 nominees waiting for induction selection in the nomination pool. Only 5 people are selected each year. Each year the Committee re-evaluates all candidates in the nomination pool. In this case, it's not a matter of if the nominee gets selected but when. The same is true for teams that have been nominated.
3. In rare cases, the nominee has asked their nomination be removed and not considered for selection.