In addition to the induction of two former Garland ISD athletes into the Garland Sports Hall of Fame, the winners of the Gale Fields Awards were recognized. The inaugural Homer B. Johnson Legacy Award was also presented at this year’s Garland Sports Hall of Fame banquet.
Gale Fields Awards
Two Gale Fields Awards are given annually – one for a female student-athlete and one for a male student-athlete. Each includes a $1,000 scholarship to the school of their choice.
Garland HS graduate Ruth Bailey
Ruth played basketball and softball. Jennifer Sisson, the coach who nominated Ruth, referred to her as a role model for all GHS students. The coach also said Ruth was an exceptional student who gave 100% on the basketball court or softball field.
During Ruth’s junior year, she achieved honorable mention in basketball and was academic all-district as a junior and senior.
In addition to gradating with a 5.40161 grade-point average, Ruth was on the academic all-district
team for softball as a junior and senior. She was vice president of National Honor Society and a member of Spanish National Honor Society.
Also, Ruth volunteers in her church’s youth group and serves on three leadership committees.
“Ruth has a bright future ahead of her and we are so very proud of her here at GHS,” Sisson said.
Naaman Forest HS graduate Aden Duncan
Aden played soccer and was on the varsity team as a junior and senior. Coach Jesse Perales nominated Aden. He said during high school Aden grew into a driven young man who was not afraid to ask questions on the soccer field and in the classroom. Perales added that Aden always worked to be the best he could be.
Aden graduated with a grade-point average of 4.15. He was a member of National Honor Society, GBL Leadership Program, National Business Honor Society and National Society of High School Scholars.
In addition, Aden carried an honors and AP course load and was academic all-district soccer in 2021. He was named to the first team all-district in 2022 and second team all-district 2021. Aden also worked with youth at his church and at the Salvation Army.
“He is a young man that I truly admire and respect and I know that he will have a great successful life,” Perales said.
Campus-level honorees for the Gale Fields Award for female high school athletes included:
- Zoria Heard of Sachse HS
- Riana Carter of Rowlett
- Carleece Gates of Lakeview Centennial HS
- Ruth Bailey of Garland HS
- Jenny Nguyen of Naaman Forest HS
- Goodness Okoh of North Garland HS
- Vanessa Rosas of South Garland HS
Campus-level honorees for the Gale Fields Award for male high school athletes included:
- Tyreon Key of South Garland HS
- Jesse Ponce of Sachse HS
- Apollo Sharpe of Rowlett HS
- Ivan Garcia of North Garland HS
- Isaiah Ellis of Lakeview Centennial HS
- Michael Dunnican of Garland HS
- Aden Duncan of Naaman Forest HS.
Homer B. Johnson Legacy Award
This award was created to honor an individual or organization for a contribution to the ongoing legacy of sports in Garland.
Paul Cheek, former owner of the Dallas Balfour territory (the company that made class rings), received the
inaugural award. Cheek said that he’s astonished that he would even be considered for the award. Cheek met Johnson, whom he was honored to call a friend, in 1989. One day he got a lunch invitation from Johnson who, during lunch, explained that he wanted to start a sports hall of fame in Garland. Johnson asked Cheek if he would participate.
Because he wanted to give back and invest in young people who can make a difference, Cheek said yes. Johnson explained that they wanted to give rings to some past GISD athletes. And, as they say, the rest is history. The approximately 20-year practice of Cheek donating five gold rings each year began.
He loved working with the people in GISD.
“There are a lot of memories there,” he said. “And the school principals weren’t just customers, they were friends.”
In addition, Cheek said that it was very special to him that many of them attended the awards banquet. When thanked for his contribution, Cheek said that he was the one that was blessed because he got to work with GISD.
Read previous article about the 2022 Garland Sports Hall of Fame inductees, Scott Smith and Carl Myers.
Garland Sports Hall of Fame nominations are made by the community and are always welcome. The board members read the nominations then vote on their choices. Nominations are kept for three years and can be resubmitted. Email TheGarlandSportsHOF@gmail.com for more information.
For more information: www.facebook.com/garlandsportshof/ or www.garlandshof.org.