A coach who led Park Rapids to its only state trip in tennis and an athlete who earned the school's first state medal in gymnastics will join the Panther Athletic Hall of Fame.
Barb Thomason and Marcy (Clark) Andreason will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during the 42nd annual All Sports Banquet on Wednesday, May 15. The banquet will begin at 6 p.m. at the Area High School gym.
Thomason served as the Panthers' head boys tennis coach for 22 seasons from 1987 to 2008 and led Park Rapids to the Section 8A title and a trip to the state Class A tournament in 1999. The Panthers compiled a school record 19-3 mark that season while placing sixth at the state tournament. That is the only time Park Rapids has qualified a tennis team for state. In her 22 seasons as the boys head coach, Thomason led the Panthers to 169 victories and Section 8A runner-up showings in 1998 and 2000. In those 22 years, the Panthers qualified five singles players and one doubles team to the state tournament.
Thomason also served as the head coach of the Park Rapids girls tennis team for six seasons from 2001 to 2006. During that time, the Panthers compiled 85 wins (including a 19-7 record in 2001 and a 19-4 record in 2005) and claimed six subsection runner-up finishes. Two singles players and two doubles teams qualified for the state Class A tournament during Thomason's reign as head coach.
In addition to serving as the Panthers' head coach, Thomason taught Community Education youth tennis classes for numerous years, helped organize the Park Rapids Tennis Association and worked to develop the Depot Courts.
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Clark joined Mary Dailey as the first members of the Park Rapids gymnastics program to qualify for the state meet in 1985. Clark finished third in vault at the Region 7A meet to qualify for state, where she tied for 15th place as an eighth grader.
As a freshman in 1986, Clark won the Region 7A title in vault and was third in floor exercise to qualify for state in two events. Clark ended up earning runner-up honors in vault to earn the school's first state medal and was chosen for the Minnesota All-State Select Team.
After suffering a season-ending broken shoulder bone during her sophomore season, Clark returned to state as a junior in 1988 by winning the Region 6A title in vault and placing fourth to earn another state medal.
Clark capped off her high school career by repeating as the Region 6A champion in vault and placing sixth in her final state meet. Clark would have brought home another medal, but was awarded sixth place after a tiebreaker by the judges and missed reaching the podium by one spot when four girls tied for the final three medals with 9.30s.
Clark, who also was a three-time section competitor in track and field, is the only Park Rapids gymnast to bring home two state medals. Clark still holds the school record in vault with a 9.70.
The cost for the banquet is $5 per person. Tickets for the banquet can be reserved by stopping in at the Area High School office. The reservation deadline is Wednesday, May 8. The banquet is sponsored by the Park Rapids Coaches Association.
