HAGERSTOWN – The world of sports is constantly changing. The Washington County Sports Hall of Fame is going with the flow.
The area’s shrine to local sports greats inducted a wide and diverse range of talent with the Class of 2025. It reflects the huge industry that isn’t just games and scores, coaches and athletes any more.
The four newest members reflect a huge impact different realms of sports, locally, nationally and internationally.
On the athletic side, the class features a bronze-medal winning Summer Olympian and his national Hall of Fame high school coach.
From the administrative side, there’s a nationally known sports equipment inventor and a trailblazing teacher who was a major figure in the advent of girls and women’s sports in the county, which includes providing the starting point Williamsport’s volleyball dynasty.
The group will be honored at the Hall of Fame’s 37th banquet on July 19 at Elks Lodge No. 378 in Hagerstown.
The inductees and other honorees are:
AARON BROOKS
Brooks has created an international identity through his wrestling, faith and goodwill.
After vastly successful prep and collegiate careers, Brooks represented the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning a bronze medal in wrestling as the pinnacle of his decorated career.
The North Hagerstown graduate attended Penn State and became one of only seven college wrestlers to win four NCAA titles through 2024. He posted an 89-3 record at PSU, with multiple All-American honors. He went undefeated as a senior and was named Big Ten wrestler of the year.
He was the Outstanding Wrestler at 2024 NCAA Tournament, won the Hodge Award – wrestling’s version of the Heisman Trophy – and claimed four Big Ten championships.
With a combined interest in freestyle and Greco Roman wrestling, Brooks has competed in and earned a number of national and international titles and has trained at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Brooks amassed a 163-2 record while wrestling for North Hagerstown, where he was awarded four letters and was a three-time team captain. A four-time Maryland State 3A-4A champion – each at different weight classes – along with quadruple titles at the Washington County, 3A-4A West Region and NHSCA National Championship tournaments. He was also a two-time Hub Cup champion.
GREG SLICK
Slick turned limited playing experience into an influential coaching career by applying the lessons and disciplines learned in football, wrestling and rugby. They became the standards for coaching and life.
Slick was unable to participate in organized athletics – because of job-related family relocations – until entering North Hagerstown in 1969. He lettered in football and wrestling for the Hubs and competed in open wrestling tournaments from 1975-80.
At Frostburg State, he had an injury-shortened football career. He pivoted to help create and play three years for Frostburg’s fledgling rugby program. After his 1976 graduation, Slick returned to North to help coach football and wrestling.
He was appointed the Hubs’ head wrestling coach in 1979, and the program has thrived under his reign. North has 561 victories, while enduring just seven losing records, in his 45-year tenure through 2025. Slick’s work earned 2025 induction to the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association Wrestling Hall of Fame. Previously, he received the “Lifetime Service to Wrestling” award and entered the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2007.
Slick guided North to the 2014 Maryland State 4A-3A title before finishing, finishing second in 2015 and third in 2016. North also has four MPSSAA state dual meet championship berths, finishing second twice. To date, 56 North wrestlers reach the state tournament podium, including 26 who have reached their weight-class finals under Slick. Eight – including fellow 2025 Hall of Fame inductee Aaron Brooks – have accounted for 13 championships and 13 runners-up finishes.
Add to the list a parade of Hubs has earned regional, Washington County and Hub Cup titles.
Slick and the North programs have fingerprints on various athletes who have used their Hubs experiences to lead successful careers and families.
JERRY SPESSARD
Spessard took his love of sports into a different direction – as an inventor and entrepreneur, creating groundbreaking products to promote athletic safety and advances worldwide.
He owns 18 patents for various sporting equipment inventions, highlighted by his most successful product – GameFace Sports Mask. In 2005, the infielder’s mask for facial protection became the top-selling product for girls softball in 62 countries. Since the patent protection expired, 13 companies have made versions of the mask competing with Spessard’s, which still sells millions annually.
Spessard spearheads two other revolutionary inventions. One, which is being tested, is a chest protector using tennis racket stringing principles to prevent heart injuries in lacrosse and other sports. The second is an electronic home plate, which earned Spessard two national honors.
Spessard has been recognized by Virginia Tech, his alma mater, as one of the school’s 100 top graduates for the 20th century.
Spessard was raised in Hagerstown and spent his childhood playing through its youth baseball and basketball leagues. He played baseball and football – a captain of 1966 team – at North Hagerstown before playing football at Virginia Tech.
CHERYL WILKES
Wilkes has been one of the driving forces leading to the establishment, growth and success to girls – and women’s – sports in Williamsport and Washington County.
She began her 36-year teaching career at the advent of Title IX, the landmark federal civil rights law of 1972. It opened the doors to girls and women’s sports in Williamsport and for her 34 years -1970-2004 at Williamsport/Springfield Middle School – to help Wilkes provide the foundation for success.
A number of Wilkes’ students have won state championships before becoming teachers and coaches who successfully carried on her influences and fundamentals to continue the grass roots growth of girls and women’s sports.
The movement expanded with the start of National Girls and Women in Sports Day observed annually in February. In 1996, Wilkes helped create the Washington County’s Girls and Women in Sports Foundation, which give recognition along with sponsor and scholarship awards.
Wilkes is a major figure behind Williamsport girls’ rise to volleyball prominence. She started volleyball play days at middle schools, which fostered multiple generations of Wildcat players. Those players went on to win state volleyball, track and cross-country championships, along with a state basketball and softball title.
Wilkes’ influence grew through the development of the annual Springfield Middle Gymnastics Show and middle school cross country meets and volleyball tournaments. She co-organized after school intramurals and taught swimming at Fountain Head Country Club in her earlier years.
Wilkes played sports, was a county champion and graduated at Williamsport before attending High Point University in North Carolina, where she played on its first volleyball team and basketball.
Honors and scholarship awards
The Hall of Fame also will present the following honors and scholarships to local administrators and high school athletes.
- Donald Stoner Coach of the Year Award: Susanna Barnhart, Grace Academy
- William Lightner Official of the Year Award: Steve Moyer, umpire
- Sara “Skip” Ward Scholarship Award: Grace Ellis, Smithsburg
- Harry L. Cunningham Jr. Scholarship Award: Brody Stratton, Hancock
- Millie Shank Athletic Academic Scholarship: Jenna Howe, Smithsburg
- Gregg DeLauney -President’s Award Scholarship: Cassius Freeman, South Hagerstown
- Carroll I. Reid Jr. Scholarship, sponsored by Cumberland Valley Athletic Club: Rian Johnson, North Hagerstown
- Carroll and Virginia Reid Memorial Scholarship: Ayden Weakfall, Smithsburg & Vinny Roncone, Smithsburg
- Jeff Scuffins Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by Cumberland Valley Athletic Club: Jakob Davidson, Boonsboro
- Dotty Piccolomini Scholarship: To be determined
Banquet information
Doors open at 5 p.m. The event begins with a social hour followed by dinner at 6. The presentation program will follow dinner.
Tickets for the ceremony are $35
For information or to purchase tickets, contact Frank Linn at 301-730-8401 or Gregg DeLauney at 240-675-1228.
Bob Parasiliti, staff writer at LocalNews1.org, also serves on the board of directors of The Washington County Sports Hall of Fame. In the interest of transparency, we wanted to disclosed that.
