FORMER FAIRMONT AREA SCHOOLS EDUCATOR CLIFF JANKE HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR INCLUSION IN THE 2019 MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE HALL OF FAME.
Cliff Janke, a 1973 graduate of Lead (SD) High School, has demonstrated excellence throughout his career of more than three decades as a coach and professional leader in the areas of Speech and Theater. For 29 years, he served as either co-head coach or head coach of the Speech Team at Fairmont High School. He coached 14 Class A champions, including a four-time gold medalist. Janke has been actively involved and has had an impact on every professional organization in Minnesota related to speech and debate. During his career, he served as the artistic director of more than 100 high school and community theater productions. Janke served as a member of the League’s Board of Directors from 1996-2000 and was the longtime president of the Communication and Theatre Association.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront Hotel. The event is open to the public. For event tickets, contact the League office at 763-560-2262 or visit the League’s website — www.mshsl.org — and click on the 2019 Hall of Fame Invitation link on the home page.
The League’s Hall of Fame, sponsored by Wells Fargo, started in 1991. The 2019 class is the 23rd group to be inducted. The inductees were chosen through a multi-level selection process. With this class, there now are 231 individuals in the hall and one group.
Other selectees:
Former Eagan High School girls’ hockey standout Natalie Darwitz and St. Paul Academy soccer sensation Tony Sanneh, both of whom rose to international stardom, along with longtime League administrator Dave Stead, are among 11 individuals and the Grand Meadow girls basketball dynasty that will be inducted into the Minnesota State High School League’s Hall of Fame.
The others selected for induction are: Minneapolis North basketball standout Khalid El-Amin; the Grand Meadow basketball program, which from 1929-39 won 94 consecutive games; Dave Harris, a former Alexandria coach, educator, media representative and the longtime Region 8AA Secretary; Faith Johnson Patterson, who led Minneapolis North and DeLaSalle to three consecutive championships each in girls basketball; Bill Kronschnabel, a longtime hockey official, rules clinician and state tournament administrator; Byron Olson, an activities administrator, wrestling official and state tournament manager; Gary Smith of Minneapolis, who is the first athletic trainer to be inducted, and Bill Webb, an Edina teaching icon, who spent nearly 30 years as a music educator and leader in the development of music education.
