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Open nomination for CNMI Sports Hall of Fame
Members of the CNMI Sports Hall of Fame are recognized during the 2013 NMASA Sports Banquet at Kanoa Resort. Nomination for the CNMI Sports Hall of Fame, Class 2014 is still open. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
“A sports federation need not nominate a candidate for the Sports Hall of Fame, though they can if they wish. However, a nominee must be in a sport whose federation is in good standing and a member of the Northern Marianas Sports Association,” committee head Kurt Barnes said in an email to Saipan Tribune.
It was earlier reported that only federations can nominate individuals, who if voted by NMSA members later this year, would be inducted to the 2015 class of the elite group.
NMSA is seeking nominees who must be athletes, coach, official, or sports administrator. Athletes and officials must be at least 35 years old and should be involved in his/her sports for at least 10 years. For coaches and administrators, age requirement is at least 45, while minimum involvement in sports is 15 years. Nominees must be a U.S. citizen or have achieved distinction as a CNMI representative and must have resided in the Commonwealth for at least 10 years.
Nomination should be made in writing and must include the following details: individual’s name, age, and years in specific sport. Statistics and other proof of the individual’s contribution to CNMI sports should also be detailed in the nomination documents.
For the class of 2015 and the succeeding years, the maximum number of inductees is three (for athletes and should be from different sports) and one each for the coach and administrator categories.
So far, the CNMI Hall of Fame has 18 members. The list includes Barnes, Jose Tenorio Sablan, Ricardo Duenas, Antonio Benavente, Jean and Bill Sakovich, Mike Villagomez, Jeff Race, Frank Castro, Tony Rogolifoi, Tony Satur, Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios, Cecilia Lisua, Bertha Chong, Mel Sakisat, Michael White, and the late Jess Wabol and Irene Alpet.
Deadline for submission of nomination papers is on Sept. 30. Documents can be dropped off at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium or emailed to Barnes at dr.kurtbarnes@rocketmail.com. For more information, contact Tony Rogolifoi or Elias Rangamar at 234-6674 or Dr. Barnes at 235-5853.
