Wichita Sports Hall inducts 2017 class

Jamar Howard’s family wanted to be there through it all, especially during his five-minute Wichita Sports Hall of Fame induction speech during Saturday’s ceremony.

Howard’s youngest daughter sprinted toward the former Wichita State basketball standout in the middle of his speech, and he carried her on his shoulder for the remainder of his talk. As the three-time All-MVC member set his daughter down to pose for a picture, she cried in agony.

Howard then picked up her and his oldest daughter, Kensley, up on his shoulders as he posed for a photo with Wichita Sports Hall of Fame president Paul Savage.

“Without (my family), I don’t know where I would be,” Howard said.

Howard was one of 10 individuals inducted Saturday along with WSU’s national championship bowling teams, media honoree Clark Schafer and organizational inductee Vype Magazine.

Former NFL defensive end Kamerion Wimbley said coaches as well as his family helped lead to his spot in the Hall. Wimbley mentioned that it was through his first football coach on his third grade football team that he learned toughness and leadership by playing quarterback.

While his father coached him in multiple sports, Wimbley joked that his brother helped him prepare for the toughness of the gridiron by being physically tough on him throughout his childhood. He said his mother-in-law and father-in-law were “instrumental” to his dream of playing in the NFL.

They took Wimbley to his first NFL game and it was at that Tampa Bay Buccaneers contest is when he realized he wanted to play in the highest level of professional football. Wimbley he played nine years with the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders.

“For me to be able to see that was really instrumental for me to know that I made it this close,” Wimbley said. “I wanted to be drafted by the Buccaneers but I got drafted by the Browns. I would like to thank them for that experience as well.”

Butler football coach Steve Braet, former Newman basketball coach Mark Potter, baseball contributor R.D. Hubbard, former Wichita State pitching coach Brent Kemnitz, catcher Charlie O’Brien, tennis donor Sheldon Coleman, and all the WSU national champion bowling teams were represented in the class of 2017. City League coaches Rod Browning (Kapaun Mt. Carmel girls basketball) and Alan Schuckman (Bishop Carroll football) were also officially inducted on Saturday.

“To be here is truly a humbling experience and it’s an honor,” Wimbley said. “My family is truly appreciative of it and very grateful. I’ll never forget this moment. It’s the accumulation of a lot of years of blood, sweat and tears and practice and mistakes and really it’s something that seems so real.”

This story was originally published April 29, 2017 at 5:35 PM with the headline "Wichita Sports Hall inducts 2017 class."