Beach residents inducted into Lee Hall
Two Beach residents representing Cypress Lake High School were inducted into the Lee County Athletic Conference Hall Of Fame during an awards banquet at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Fort Myers this past Sunday.
Patrick Farrell and Tyra (Harper) Turner were ceremoniously welcomed to the 2015 class, along with Patrick Burke, representing Mariner High School; Katie Kennedy, representing Fort Myers High; Thomas Tisell, representing North Fort Myers High; Jerry Demming, representing Riverdale High; and Richard Hagy, representing Mariner High.
Farrell, age 65, teaches at Cypress Lake High and was a long-time head soccer coach for the Panthers, compiling a 216-51-18 record for both girls’ and boys’ programs in his 13 years from 1995 to 2008.
“The tragic passing of Jeff Sommer of Estero serves as a reminder of the important role that coaches play in lives of studentathletes. Great coaches should be judged not only by wins and loses but also how they help boys and girls develop into adults with a clear set of values,” said Coach Farrell. “I am truly honored by induction into the hall of fame. Reach out and thank your favorite coach today!”
Turner, age 38, is a 1994 graduate of Cypress Lake High School where she starred as a volleyball and softball player and still holds most volleyball records. She enjoyed a successful pro career in both indoor and beach volleyball.
“What more could a beach kid ask for. Family and friends have been supporting me in this community for over 20 years. Much of my drive has always been just to make my Mom and Dad proud. Seeing their faces during the ceremony was priceless,” said Turner. “The induction into the Lee County Athletic Conference Hall of Fame was a perfect welcome home. This beach community doesn’t forget it’s people. It’s one of the reasons my husband and I have returned home to raise our three boys here.”
This marks the fourth year that the Lee County School District has recognized former student-athletes and sports contributors. The inaugural class in 2012 involved 36 inductees. The Hall of Fame was created that year to honor student-athletes and staff members who have made significant contributions to the 13 schools and athletic departments.
Farrell, a graduate of St. Helena’s in Bronx, N.Y. and St. John’s University, is regarded as one of the best boys’ and girls’ soccer coaches in Southwest Florida history. The first year he jumped from assistant to head coach of the boys’ program, he led the Panthers to a 20-2 record, a district championship and a regional runner-up. In 1997, his team finished 21-1 with an undefeated regular season, a second district title a regional runner-up.
A year later, Farrell began coaching the girls’ team, which turned in three consecutive winning seasons, then finished as district runner-up in 2001, before capturing five of the next six district titles. The Panthers were state qualifiers in 2006 and 2007 after seizing regional championships in those years.
Turner, who graduated from the University of Central Florida, is also a Knight volleyball record-holder (most blocks, kills and matches played) and was named Female Athlete of the Year and Scholar Athlete of the year in 1998. She was inducted into the UCF Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.
As a professional volleyball player, Turner excelled on the AVP Professional Beach Volleyball tour from 2003-2012 and was ranked as high as sixth as well as a Team USA member of the FIVB International Beach Volleyball Tour that collected nine medals (5 silver, 4 Bronze). Her pro indoor career prowess includes a league champion and team captain of the Minnesota Chill and a member of the US National team from 1997-2000, when she participated with the Olympic team and played internationally in Greece and Turkey for USA Volleyball.