In the spirit of National Parks and Recreation Month, the Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks has just announced the 2024 inductees into its Community Sports Hall of Fame. This year’s honorees are sports devotees Will Brewington, Wendell Thomas, and Wilma Moran-Wylie, each recognized for their significant contributions to local athletics, as reported by the county's news announcement.
Will Brewington is known for bringing rugby to the forefront of Howard County’s sporting scene. Starting the Ellicott City Express Youth program in 2000, Brewington not only led the under-11 team to a state championship but continued to actively grow the sport through his coaching roles. Despite leaving Ellicott City Express to coach the Rocky Gorge Men’s Rugby Club in 2014, he couldn’t seem to fully step away, returning to once again help coach in 2021, and remains an influential figure there to this day.
It's not only rugby that’s been touched by local leadership. Wendell Thomas has actively shaped multiple sports including soccer, lacrosse, and volleyball. From founding the boys’ soccer program at Atholton High School in 1978 to coaching Special Olympics volleyball teams to success, Thomas’s coaching journey is marked with accolades and recognition, notably being named “Man of the Year” twice by the Howard County lacrosse coaches.
Wilma Moran-Wylie has left her mark on the soccer fields, where for over a quarter of a century, she has mentored young boys. Her legacy with the Soccer Association of Columbia (SAC) extends from hands-on coaching to serving as an age-group coordinator and vice president of the recreation program.
According to the official news release, Recreation & Parks Director Nick Mooneyhan expressed, "The passion of the inductees and their love of sports and helping others has shown through during their years of service to our community. They are truly an inspiration to the future leaders of our sports leagues and programs." The valued impact these coaches and leaders have on Howard County’s youth and broader community will be formally celebrated during the 20th Celebration of Sports taking place on October 15th at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center.
