Six inducted into Athletics Hall of Honor

The Wayland Baptist University Athletics Hall of Honor grew by six members Saturday morning when Brad Bass, Kim (Kayler) Clemmons, Todd Jeffress, Dr. Sylvia Nadler and Joe & Freda Provence were inducted during ceremonies at the Pete & Nelda Laney Center.
 
Also honored was Tim Thomas with the Harley Redin Coach's Award.
 

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Video Presentation (Begin Watching About 50-Minute Mark)

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Thomas, who was unable to attend the ceremony, was first to be recognized, in part through a video featuring one of Thomas' former assistant coaches, Tony Wagner. Like Thomas a former WBU Pioneer basketball standout, Wagner called Thomas, a 2003 Hall of Honor inductee, "a class act" when it comes to running and sustaining a quality program.
 
"I think he's one of the top five coaches in Texas regardless of high school or college," Wagner said.
 
Bass was the first Hall of Honor inductee. Wayland's baseball coach for 26 years before recently taking a similar position at Arlington Baptist University, Bass said most of the credit for his teams' successes doesn't belong to him.
 
"Most of the time I just sit in the dugout with my legs crossed and drink coffee," he said humbly.
 
Bass went on to offer a passionate acceptance speech in which he thanked his family, assistant coaches and hundreds of players "who said 'yes' to the call'" to play baseball in his programs. Bass said being able to coach his two sons at Wayland was something he'll always cherish. "My greatest years as a coach were the 10 years I spent with Calvin and Will on the field."
 
Bass also honored former assistant Tommy McMillan, who died this past September. Upon telling McMillan he was leaving Wayland for Arlington Baptist, McMillan responded, "I thought we would go out together." Bass said McMillan was "a perfect example of how to live your life." He then ended his speech with a solemn prayer.
 
Kim Clemmons was the next inductee introduced by emcee 2005/06 inductee Danny Andrews. The record-setting high jumper thanked the people most responsible and supportive of her collegiate success, including her parents, WBU coaches John Creer and Dr. Rick Beelby, WBU President Dr. Bobby Hall who was sports information director during her jumping days, and boosters Danny Murphree and Emmitt Tipton. Clemmons also voiced her appreciation for current coach Brian Whitlock "for keeping (WBU track & field) history alive."
 
"I didn't appreciate Wayland enough when I was here, but you don't know sometimes until you leave how great it was, and it really was a great place to be.
 
Next to the podium was Todd Jeffress, the most talented pitcher/position player combination in WBU baseball history. 
 
"I might be the first to get this award and not want to be (at Wayland)," he said, explaining how he was like many home-grown youth who prefer to move away from Plainview after graduating high school. "But in the long run I was supposed to be here. God had a way of keeping me here. As soon as Mom was hired as sports information director, I became part of the family."
 
Jeffress, whose mother Rhane was inducted into the Hall of Honor in 2016, thanked former coaches from Little League forward, including high school coach Jeff Pannell who attended the induction, as well as Bass and McMillan. He also thanked his family, saying his dad Tim served as his pitching machine and "Mom gave up having new furniture so I could have a batting cage."
 
He called his former teammates part of his family. "Growing up an only child, you guys became my brothers."
 
Dr. Sylvia Nadler, Wayland's former director of athletics from 1983-90, was described as a "great teammate ... of the athletics department" by another former WBU AD, Rick Cooper, a basketball coach during Nadler's tenure.
 
Nadler was unable to attend the ceremony, but in a video acceptance speech thanked the many "teachers, mentors, role models and friends without whom I would not be the person you're honoring today." She mentioned the many individuals who "recognized abilities, opened doors, set the bar high, modeled how to live one's life, created aspirations, (and) provided support. These folks and many others influenced my life in so many ways. I hope I have given to others as those … have given to me.
 
"I chose Wayland as my college so I could play basketball, and while that didn't turn out quite as planned, Wayland was central to who I became as a person and as a professional, and I will be grateful forever."
 
The final inductees were Joe and Freda Provence, longtime athletic department boosters described by 2017 inductee Joe Lombard as "two of the finest people in the world."
 
Freda accepted the award for both her and Joe, who due to declining health was unable to attend. "I'm not the one in our family who normally does the talking," Freda said with a smile. "I only wish Joe was with me here to celebrate this occasion."
 
Joe served as cheerleader sponsor for many years and Freda as his unpaid assistant while also working as administrative assistant to the university president. Together they have close to 70 years of service to Wayland.
 
"Joe and I have loved Wayland athletics and we are so appreciative of this honor," Freda said. "When you get an award for something you love, it's like icing on a real good chocolate cake!"
 
The induction ceremony had been delayed from 2020 due to COVID-19.