Avon Athletic Hall of Fame inducts four new members

Avon, Oho

The Avon Athletic Hall of Fame held its annual induction ceremony last weekend (Sept. 21) at the Avon Performing Arts Center at Avon High School. The Class of 2024 members were also recognized at the football game Friday night (September 20).

The mission of the Hall of Fame is to recognize outstanding sports figures and/or teams of Avon who have demonstrated outstanding athletic ability at the high school, college, amateur or professional level, according to information from the high school’s athletic department. Also to recognize those individuals who have contributed greatly to the promotion of sports through leadership, sponsorship, coaching or providing assistance to athletes of athletic programs.

Inductees this year include Ali Haldi Harrison (Class of 2008), Ron Isaac (Class of 1969), Megan Repas (Class of 2009), Dan Smith (Class of 2008), and Dale Smitek, as the Frankie Smitek “Super Fan” award winner.

“We are excited to welcome the Class of 2024 into the Avon Athletic Hall of Fame,” said Erich Frombach, Avon High School athletic director in an email. “Their remarkable achievements and commitment to excellence embody the spirit of our community. We are honored to recognize, not only their hard work, but their coaches, teammates and their families that have helped them accomplish all their goals.”

Haldi Harrison held the title of Avon varsity basketball’s all-time leading scorer from 2008 until 2023, with a total of 1,018 points, including 88 three-pointers. She was a four-year letter winner and team captain. Throughout her high school career, Haldi Harrison earned numerous accolades, including multiple Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, All-County, and All-District honors, while maintaining a 3.9 GPA.

In addition to her basketball success, Haldi Harrison also excelled in volleyball.

As a key player, she set records for most aces in a match and for the season, earning spots on the Lorain County All-Star Team and receiving the West Shore Conference Sportsmanship Award.

After high school, she earned her doctorate degree in physical therapy and continued to reside in Avon with her husband John, also an Avon athlete, and their twin daughters, Kendall and Kamryn.

Isaac played a key role on both football and basketball teams all four years at Avon High School. On the football team, he played offensive guard, end and linebacker on defense, along with all special teams. During his senior year, he served as team co-captain. He received All-Inland Conference, All-Northeast Ohio, and All-Ohio honors.

Following graduation, Isaac attended Ashland University where he played football his freshman year. Transferring his sophomore year to the University of Akron, he subsequently graduated cum laude with a physical education degree in 1973.

After college, Isaac taught health and physical education for four years at the Copley-Fairlawn schools, where he coached eighth football and basketball, boasting winning season records all four years in both sports.

He went from teaching to a supervisory position in the health club industry overseeing 13 clubs in Ohio. Continuing his passion for weightlifting, he competed in both bodybuilding and powerlifting. He took third place in the Great Lakes bodybuilding competition. In powerlifting, Isaac achieved two second-place finishes in the 181-pound class with lifts of 365-pound in bench press, 425-pound squat, and 505-pound deadlift.

Running in the bodybuilding/powerlifting circuit, he puts many of the sport’s luminaries. Making the most significant impression, Arnold Schwarzenegger became a friend and inspirational role model, according to information from the athletic department. In the early 1980s, Isaac launched a career as a self-employed businessman running weight loss and other successful businesses over the course of 34 years.

These days he counts his golden retrievers as co-loves along with football and weightlifting. Isaac, his wife and business partner Christie, and their Golden Retriever, Sammie, currently reside outside of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Meal was a four-year varsity starter and letter-winner for the Avon girls soccer team from 2005-2008. She was twice named First Team All-Ohio – after her junior and senior seasons. She was also recognized as the West Shore Conference Player of the Year during her senior season, as well as First Team All-Conference and All Lorain County for all four years.

When her high school career ended, her name was in the Avon sports record books with:

First Career Goals – 84

First Single Season Goals (tie) – 26

Second in Single Season Points – 66

Second in Career Assists – 38

Second in Career Points – 206

The team record during her tenure was 54 wins, 17 losses and 5 draws including winning the District Championship in 2007 and 2008.

During her high school career, she also played Club Soccer for the Central Alliance Soccer Association (CASA) and the team won the National Championship. She was also selected to the National Olympic Development Team.

She was awarded a scholarship to play collegiate soccer at Kent State University. A four-year letter winner, her most memorable moment was scoring the game winning goal against Ohio University with one second left in the game. The win clinched the Mid-American Conference East title for the program. Meals completed her tenure ranked second in Kent State University history with 17 career assistants.

She currently resides in Columbus where she is the clinical director for a chiropractic and wellness center.

Smith lettered in track, soccer, and swimming. He was a member of the National Honors Society and was a scholar-athlete.

His major high school athletic accomplishments include breaking Avon’s 23-year-old mile record and running 4:23.48, winning conference and district titles, and finishing 10th at State, among being a leader as captain of the track and soccer teams. In soccer, he was also named the offensive MVP.

He continued his running success in college at Ohio Northern University where he studied Mechanical Engineering. On the track, he amassed 13 conference titles (eight individual and five relay), was a two-time national qualifier, earning All-American (5th) in the indoor mile, qualifying in a school record 4:09.41, and earned 10th in the outdoor 1500m, qualifying in a personal best of 3:50.00. Hey

holds personal best marks of 14:52 in the 5k, 8:38 in the 3k, and 1:52 in the 800. He was also All-Region (21st) in cross country running 25:43 in the 8k.

Today he still enjoys running, coaching in his spare time, and works in renewable energy developing large solar projects. Smith resides in Philadelphia with his wife Winnie and two-year-old son Johnathan.

The Frankie Smitek Award was established by the Avon Athletic Hall of Fame Committee to recognize individuals whose actions, accomplishments, demeanor and positive manner have supported athletics in Avon.

The committee sought to honor Frankie, who was a committed member of the community, who had a remarkable appreciation for the athletes of Avon and was a true “Super Fan,” according to information from the high school.

Dale Smitekthis year’s Frankie Smitek Award recipient, is a lifelong resident of Avon. His family has been in Avon since 1846. He graduated from Avon High School in 1967.

He was a member of two basketball teams ((1965-66 and 1966-67) that were inducted into the Avon Athletic Hall of Fame. Dale was part of the Avon basketball dynasty that won 60 regular season games in a row, which is currently the sixth most consecutive wins in state history.

He continued to give back to Avon serving on the Avon School Board for 14 years. In that time, he was part of building Avon High School, Avon Heritage North Elementary, Avon Heritage South Elementary, the Avon High School and Avon East Elementary additions, along with the acquisition of land where the Avon Middle School stands today.

He was part of putting in the first turf field in Lorain County in 2007. He and the rest of the school board were supportive of adding multiple teams and sports at the middle school and high school. Most importantly, he was an advocate for hiring good teachers who also had a passion for coaching, according to information from the high school.

Dale has been married to his wife Cathy for 48 years and they have three children and nine grandchildren.