by Linsey | Jul 23, 2019
Tracey is one the most versatile and talented athletes ever to grace the hallways of H HS. After lettering in cross country for three years while still in Junior High School, she went on to letter on 10- Hamburg school championship teams: Track and field- 5 Field Hockey- 2 and Basketball- 3, totaling 15 letters in all! Tracey’s prowess on the basketball court is noteworthy, playing on the Lady Bulldog’s first ever championship as a sophomore and then leading the team to repeats the next two years. For her efforts, she received All-ECIC and All-WNY honors, which earned her a scholarship to Houghton College. One of Tracey’s most memorable games wearing the purple and white was scoring 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots against Sweet Home for the team’s ninth consecutive win of the season, during her senior season. Tracey has taught 5th and 6th grade in the Cuba-Rushford Schools for 20 years.
by Linsey | Jul 23, 2019
Family and friends at a very early age remember seeing Bridget “hanging around” the Hamburg courts looking for a match, someone to hit with, or just hitting off the school walls for hours at a time That love, enthusiasm, dedication, commitment and competitive spirit to the game of tennis has followed Bridget through her middle school, high school and college years and into her adult life. Bridget began her tennis career at Hamburg in 1988 as a 7th grader. By 8th grade she was playing third singles. The following year she advanced to Hamburg High School’s first singles and established herself very quickly as one the premier high school first singles players in WNY for the next four years. Fond high school memories included playing matches in 30 degree weather, traveling to away matches and singing songs the entire time and winning the sectional championship in 1992. Bridget notes a special thanks to Coach Marty Snyder who made tennis fun for everyone. Bridget, an excellent student with a 92% average, upon graduation attended the University of Richmond on a full tennis scholarship where she played second singles and first doubles. In 2005 she became the tennis pro at the River Bend Club in Great Falls, Virginia. Coach Snyder: “Bridget is one of the best tennis players to come out of WNY High School tennis. She also had one of the best work-ethics and attitudes toward tennis and life in general, a quality person.”
by Linsey | Jul 23, 2019
Ron Smolinski was undoubtedly one of the finest wrestlers to ever wear the purple and white! Ron wrestled four years under Coach Witman, lettering each year. As a junior, he finished Section VI- Runner-up, wrestling at 167 pounds. Ron was named captain of the wrestling team as senior, and went on to win the Section VI-Champion, while moving up to wrestle at 177 pounds. Ron dominated his weight class during his senior year finishing the season undefeated (33-0), winning 6 tournaments, before finally losing on a technicality scoring dispute, and ultimately finishing 3rd in the State, with an incredible record of 37-1! In 1983, Ron also took home the Section VI-Sportsmanship Award, and the Robert Bedell Jr. Memorial Award, which is given to the outstanding wrestler of Western New York. Ron loves to be outdoors; hunting, snowmobiling, and spending time with his family.
by Linsey | Jul 23, 2019
Dr. Holly S. Andersen is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Attending Cardiologist, and Director of Education and Outreach for The Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute at the New York Presbyterian Hospital. Holly Andersen graduated from Dartmouth College and with Honors from the University of Rochester Medical School where she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. Dr. Andersen completed her training and was named Chief Medical Resident at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, Cornell Medical Center. She is dual board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology. A Visiting Professorship for Integrative Medicine is endowed in her name. Castle Connolly and New York Magazine have selected Dr. Andersen as one of New York’s Best Doctors. She speaks extensively on cardiovascular disease, is on the medical advisory board of the Ladies’ Home Journal, and has been an on-air consultant to ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, NBC Evening News, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and The Fox Television Network. Dr. Andersen is a member of the Board of Trustees for Rockefeller University, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the International Women’s. Health Coalition, and is on the Board of Overseers for The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.
by Linsey | Jul 23, 2019
Joanne was one of the true pioneers of girls’ sports at HHS. A 1973 graduate, she played and was named captain of four different varsity sports. In 1973, she was awarded the “Director’s Key” after being named MVP of the field hockey, volleyball, basketball and softball teams that school year. During her junior year, she played on Hamburg’s first ever-ECIC Girls’ Basketball championship team. In the spring of 1973, JoAnne was co-captain of the 1st year of Softball played at the interschool level. She was also the President of the Girl’s Athletic Association, which was the female equivalent to the Varsity “H” club. Joanne went on to a successful athletic career at Cortland State, where she was the starting pitcher on the Cortland State Softball team that won the state championship in 1977. After receiving her bachelor’s, Joanne continued her education at Cortland, obtaining a Masters in Education, and then taught physical education for the East Aurora School District for 33 years.
