Cosumnes River College held their fourth annual Hall of Fame Induction ceremony Nov. 7 at the Dante Club in downtown Sacramento.
Inductees included the late Archie Dunsmoor, tennis coach and mentor for 17 years ending in 1987. Soccer star Andrea Guijarno Zarte played tennis 1994-1996 and graduated in 1996 with honors.
The 1997 softball team, coached by Cheri LaDue, tallied a 50-12 won loss record and is the first team to be elected to the CRC Athlethic Hall of Fame.
Known then as the Cosumnes River College "Chiefs," the team's 50 wins are still a school record. They are the first and only team to make it to the State Championship Tournament, and even though denied the title, they are the best softball team CRC has ever seen.
"We had a pretty good turnout as eight of the 11 teammates were able to attend," Ladue said. "It was so cool to see the girls again."
The Pepsi Bottling group was also honored for their outstanding support and contributions since CRC's inception in 1970.
Then, there was coach Travis Parker.
Coach Parker has been at CRC for 37 years and he's not done yet.
Although he's stepped down from being a team coach, his presence is larger than life itself throughout the campus, much less the athletic department.
Coach Parker came back to California in 1972 after earning his masters degree in Illinois to coach the cross-country team at CRC.
"I was happy to accept the cross-country job, as well as track and field and felt I was on my way," Parker said.
"Then in '79 athletic director Bruce Werner called me into his office," Parker said. "He told me Cosumnes was dropping the football program, and said we needed another fall sport."
"I want you to start a soccer program," Werner said. "Just get us established and then you can step down." 23 years later, coach Parker was still on the job.
He has mentored men's soccer coach Ron Preble, and women's soccer coach Cesar Plasencia, among many others who are coaches in the area.
Of all the possible candidates to present him, Parker chose a former student and assistant coach. Plasencia had the honor to present Parker to where he belongs.
Plasencia said he was nervous at first.
"I mean he's the soccer god of CRC, I remember being a first year player on Coach Parkers team." Plasencia said. "He has always taught values, which I believe in and try to pass on to my teams."
Plasencia said that he was very honored to present the coach. "At the same time it was a little nerve racking,I was kinda uneasy as there was so much material to present," Plasencia said. I just wanted to do the man justice."
Plasencia said that he remembered when he first met coach Parker.
"He took a bunch of boys from South Sac who thought they were men, and taught us that we weren't. He taught us how to become men, and I'll never forget that."
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