In 1986, the Jefferson County League Athletics Board initiated the Hall of Fame to honor retired coaches and other persons who have made outstanding contributions to Jefferson County athletics.

The 2008 inductees are Laura Haase, Ed Kintz, Bob Stokes and H.H. Maruyama. Laura Haase is a Wheat Ridge High School graduate with an impressive Jeffco teaching and coaching career that began in 1974 as a teacher and coach at WRHS. Haase has held the titles of physical education teacher and assistant principal and she held the title of athletic director at Alameda, Pomona and Arvada high schools where she helped the basketball and track teams bring home state itles. In 1994, Haase won the Colorado 5A Athletics Director of the Year and was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Colorado Coaches of Girl's Sports. Haase now lives in Arvada with husband Robert Pratt and family.

Ed Kintz is a 1957 graduate from Louisville High School, in Co. where he lettered in football, basketball and track. Kintz took his love for sports and turned it into an impressive coaching career that lasted for over 30 years. Kintz has coached football and track at Pomona, Bear Creek and Golden high schools and named Jeffco Coach of the Year in 1972, 1984 and 1991. He has also held the title of Colorado Coach of the Year, 1984 and is a member of the Colorado High School Coaches Hall of Fame.

Bob Stokes has had a 34-year coaching career in Jeffco Schools. He held the title of Golden High School's head basketball coach until his retirement in 2001 and coached baseball, girls' softball, tennis and golf teams. Honored as Coach of the Year for basketball twice in his coaching career, Stokes was also named Coach of the Year in softball, after his team placed second at state.

H.H. Maruyama has a notable career in medicine that began at Northwestern University where he earned his doctorate degree in 1955 and orthopedic surgery training from the University of Colorado Medical Center. Maruyama began working with the Jeffco Athletic Department in 1960 as a medical consultant to organize and implement medical coverage for all Jeffco football games, assign doctors to every Jeffco high school and create medical clinics for coaches and physical education teachers in the Jeffco district. Maruyama also served as a consultant to the Colorado Athletic Commission and the University of Colorado football program. Maruyama has been a Lakewood/Wheat Ridge resident since 1961.

This year's honorees will be added to the Jeffco Hall of Fame plaque, located at the Jeffco Stadium and the Jeffco Athletic Department office in the Education Center, Golden, CO.

Melissa Reeves
News Media Specialist
Jeffco Public Schools