Sports Hall of Fame Inductees
Group Photo
Jeff Glenn
Bob “Scrooge” Hughes
Carrie (Plourde) Krapf
Laurelynn (Glass) Martin
Linda (Grant) Smith
Jeanette (Kotowski) Yaworski
Joseph Kapteina Service Award Recipient
Sportsperson(s) of the Year
Brittany Grabill
Brianna Lenehan
Dyshelle Pemberton
MiaLynne Park
Legends Team Recognition
The Wonder Bar Basketball Teams – Early 1970’s to Late 1980’s
Scholarship Recipients
Ashbow O. Sebastian, Norwich Tech
Rebecca Smolenski, Norwich Free Academy
Hall of Fame Inductees
Jeff Glenn
Bob “Scrooge” Hughes
Bob began his sports career by playing Little League Baseball at Fitzgerald Field and later played baseball and basketball in the Norwich Intermediate, Junior and City Leagues. At NFA he played freshman football, basketball and baseball and received the Outstanding Achievement Award. In his sophomore year he played JV basketball, varsity football and baseball and received his varsity “N”. He played on the CDC State Championship varsity baseball team in his junior year, contributing a pinch hit homerun with 2 RBI’s in a 5-2 win. That summer Bob played on the State Championship American Legion baseball team going 3 for 4 with 3 homeruns in the championship game. As a senior, he received the “Wonderbread Award” for outstanding achievement against New London for batting 3 for 4 with a homerun, 2 doubles and 6 RBI’s in a 9-5 win. After high school, he continued to play basketball from 1963 to 1970 in the Norwich City League and New London Industrial League. In 1964 he was on the Bulletin Record championship team. In 1971, Bob joined the US Air Force and was stationed in Omaha, Nebraska where he played in the softball and basketball leagues. After being stationed in Okinawa, Japan, he played on the Base baseball, slow-pitch and fast pitch, and volleyball teams. After being discharged on 1974 he continued to play softball and basketball in the local leagues.
In 1978, Bob relocated to Deltona, Florida and for the next 30 years focused on work and raising a family. In 2008, he began playing in senior softball leagues. In 2010 while playing in the Deltona, Altamonte Springs, and Bunnell softball leagues, he was selected for a travel team, which is a unique accomplishment in these communities. From 2008 to 2010 Bob played a total of 258 games. He finished 1st place in the Bunnell league, batting .648; 1st place in the Altamonte League, batting .658; and 1st place in the Deltona league, batting .688. In the 20th Century Traveling League, his team won two championship tournaments and Bob batted over .800 with at least 11 RBI’s in both tournaments and was named MVP in July 2010. He compiled a tournament batting average of .688 with 68 RBI’s and led the team in both categories with a record 93 “at bats”.
Bob has also given back to his community between 2004-2007 by coaching Youth T-Ball and Little League Baseball and serving as assistant coach for a Junior Soccer league. Bob is also a Hospice volunteer and at age 69 is looking forward to playing the game he loves year-round in Florida.
Carrie (Plourde) Krapf
Carrie began her impressive sports career by participating on youth leagues. At a young age she became well rounded by playing soccer, basketball and softball.
Carrie attended Norwich Regional Technical High School where she was awarded “Rookie of the Year”. She followed that by being Athlete of the Year three years running. She was an eight time QVC All Star in cross country, basketball and softball. High school highlights included being a 1,000 point scorer in basketball and All State in softball. If high school sports didn’t keep Carrie busy enough, she found time to play on the Norwich Bulletin All Eastern basketball and softball teams. A pinnacle in her career was being awarded the 1988 Norwich Sports Hall of Fame Sportsperson of the Year.
Carrie and her husband Edward have two girls, Dani and Jami. They are following in their mom’s footsteps by playing sports themselves. Carrie coaches Lisbon recreational basketball and is the assistant girl’s basketball coach at the Lisbon Middle School. She also volunteers in classes at her daughter’s school.
Even with her full schedule, Carrie still finds time to play softball with a travel team. She and her team traveled to Worlds in Florida to the Wide World of Sports where they finished 17th out of 104 teams.
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Laurelynn (Glass) Martin
Over the years, The Norwich Free Academy girls’ basketball program has been known as one of the best programs in Connecticut, winning seven state championships, having numerous All-State players, Gatorade State players of the year and Division 1 players. Many athletes established the foundation of this program with Laurelynn Glass-Martin, Norwich Free Academy class of 1979, being in the forefront. She has the distinction of being the leading scorer during the first two years of Girl’s Varsity Basketball at NFA, averaging 15 points per game. In addition, she was captain, team MVP and All Conference in those two years.
Laurie was also a member of the Girls’ Varsity Tennis and Track teams, as well as the Club Softball team. In tennis she was NFA’s Number 1 singles and doubles player and earned SAC singles runner-up in 1978. For her athletic accomplishments at Norwich Free Academy, Laurie was an SAC All-Star in both basketball and tennis, received the Charles Hamblen Cup (the top award for female athletes at that time) and was selected as Class Athlete.
Following NFA, Laurie attended Indiana State University on a four-year tennis scholarship where she was part of the #1 doubles team. After college she was hoping to join the Women’s Professional Tennis Circuit, but suffered a medical accident that ended her career. Laurie was inducted into the NFA Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
Personally, she is a published author of three books. She appeared on the Dr. Oz Show in the fall of 2011 for her first book “Searching for Home”, the recounting of her near death experience. As Vice-president and co-owner of Logee’s Greenhouses in Danielson, she and her business partner appear regularly on the Martha Stewart Show.
Laurie is very involved in the lives of her two children. Sixteen year old Elijah is a varsity soccer player at Woodstock Academy and a premier NEU player and fourteen year old Angel is an accomplished vocalist and varsity tennis player at Woodstock Academy. They currently reside in Brooklyn, CT.
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Linda (Grant) Smith
Linda entered Norwich Free Academy in 1980 and immediately joined the Girl’s Cross Country Team. She became a 4 year letter winner, placed 4th in “LL” in 1983, was selected as All-Conference in the ECC League and All State in 1984. She was chosen Co-Captain of the team in her senior year and earned the honor of being one of the top scores.
Linda found even more success on the Girls’ Track Team where she again received a letter all four years. Her events were the 3000 meter, in which she set the NFA girl’s record; the 1500 meter where she also set the NFA record; and the 800 meter which she ran when needed. Linda’s honors in track included: the coaches award for leadership, a plaque for 4 years of accomplishment and dedication to the team, All-Conference in the ECC, and All State in the CIAC Class “LL” in both the 1500 and 3000 meter.
Linda attended Dickenson College in Pennsylvania for one year. While there, she set the course record in Women’s Cross Country and qualified for the Middle Atlantic Conference, Division III.
Linda then transferred to Wesleyan University in Middleton, CT for her last three years. At this time she decided to try something different and joined the Women’s Crew Team in 1985 as a rower and cox swain.
Never losing interest in cross country, Linda joined the Women’s Cross Country team and was named Co-Captain of the team. She earned the Wesleyan Cup for leadership and was an NESCAC qualifier.
Since graduation, Linda has been a competitor in the Rose Arts Race and the Lisbon Fall Festival Road Race where she was also the event organizer.
Linda and her husband, Scott, have three sons, Aiden, Daniel and Connor. While the boys were in school, she was the distance running coach for the team.
Linda is presently a Certified Financial Planner in Centerville, TN.
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Jeanette (Kotowski) Yaworski
Jeanette began her year-round involvement with soccer, basketball and softball as a student in the Canterbury schools. While at the Canterbury M.S. she became the leading scorer in both basketball and soccer. One week prior to attending her first class at NFA, Jeanette began competing as a member of the soccer team and didn’t stop until 4 years when completing her senior year as Captain of the softball team – participating in more that 200 games of soccer, basketball and softball.
At the Academy, Jeanette was a member of the Soccer team for four years, earning three varsity letters and All-Conference honors 3 seasons. Individually, she was the team’s leading scorer, MVP, and the first NFA player to record a “hat trick”. As Soccer Captain her senior year, she was selected to the All-East Area Team, while leading the team to the State Tournament for the first time in school history.
Jeanette was a Basketball team member for 4 years, earning varsity letters the last two seasons. Utilizing her soccer skills, she was regarded as a defensive standout in hoop. Never one to let a season go by, Jeanette also played Softball for four years, starting in centerfield and leading the team in hitting for two years. In her senior year, the team won 16 games and advanced in the Class LL State Tournament until losing in the semi-finals to the eventual State Champions.
Recognizing her 4 year commitment in both athletics and academics, Jeanette was awarded the NFA Athletic Council Cup while graduating with Honors.
Always one to juggle academics and athletics, Jeanette coached the Canterbury Middle School girls basketball team for 3 years while earning her PE degree at ECSU. She was the first Griswold HS Girls Soccer coach and a member of the Eastern CT Soccer Officials Assn. She is currently a 12-year member of the Basketball Officials Board #8.
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Salvatore Colonna
Salvatore P. Colonna was born in Norwich on August 31, 1917. He was an army veteran of World War II, having served in the European-North African Theatre with “D” Company of the 179th Infantry Regiment. He was awarded the Purple Heart. After returning from the service, Sal founded the Norwich Boy’s Club in 1946. He was the owner of the former Colonna Ball Field, now the Mohegan Park Apartments. With the help of the boys and the generosity of the area merchants, Sal organized his famous Annual Thanksgiving Day Barrel Burning. Hundreds of people gathered to see this event each year.
Sal Colonna’s Ball Field was Norwich’s only all year round recreation center. Their activities included baseball, football, track and field, ice skating, hula hoop contests and Sal’s famous bicycle races for all the youth of Norwich. Sal held many fundraisers and had many local businesses that supported these activities. He made sure that everyone excelled in all sports and made all of his participants feel special and important. Sal donated all of his time and love to the Colonna Ball Field and his Boy’s Club participants.
Serving his community, Sal was involved in politics in the 50’s. He favored increased recreation for the town of Norwich and focused on creating additional educational programs. He was self-educated, self-motivated and an intelligent gentlemen. He encouraged all of his “boys” to attend college and fulfill their dreams.
After retiring from General Dynamics, Sal volunteered at several churches and libraries until age 75. He always used his time constructively by working, volunteering, collecting coins, listening to his Italian music, walking, gardening, playing cards and cribbage, watching his favorite “The Sound of Music” and always whistling happy tunes.
Salvatore has a great sense of humor and was a very kind and generous gentleman. His zest for life and positive energy was contagious.
Salvatore P. Colonna married Pierina Colelli of Rome, Italy at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome in July 24, 1958. They had two children, Patrick and Concetta. He took his wife and children to Italy every summer.
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