On Monday June 5th, the Florida High School Athletic Association announced the eight- member FHSAA Hall of Fame Class of 2017. Among the names on the class list is Coach Ernie Chatman.
In an article on Coach Chatman’s passing on July 24, 2016, Hernando Sun Sportswriter Chris Bernhardt Jr. wrote, “Ernie Chatman ran for 8,814 straight days and compiled more than 700 coaching victories. But the amount of lives he touched? That number is countless. Well, perhaps only he could recall the exact total, as he seemingly could every single detail of the past six decades of Hernando County athletics.”
The FHSAA press release announcing the Hall of Fame Class of 2017 describes Chatman as “ a legendary coach who found success in five sports over five decades in Hernando County. The 1997 FHSAA State Championship winner was named the St. Petersburg Times Coach of the Year 19 times.”
Chatman’s classmates in the 2017 Hall of Fame are:
• Vassar Carlton, a student-athlete considered one of the most dynamic athletes in Brevard County history. The former Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court lettered in football, basketball and baseball from 1926-31 at Cocoa High School.
• David Jarrett, an official from the East Coach Officials Association in Palm Beach County who has earned a whopping 24 state final assignments in the past 25 years. The former NFHS Florida High School Football Official of the Year has worked 12 state championship games since moving to Florida in 1985.
• Bill Kramer, a football coach who led Naples High to a pair of state championships, including the first by any school in Southwest Florida. Kramer has also coached several state champions in track & field.
• Michael Parks, an official from Crestview who has umpired in the FHSAA State Series for baseball from 1996-present. The leader of the Miracle Strip Officials Association has also been selected to work four football state championship games.
• Mike Pittman, the first coach in Florida history to lead a school to four-consecutive football state championships. Pittman led Suwanee High to an overall record of 92-37 from 1985-96 after the Bulldogs had finished the previous 14 seasons under .500.
• Mark Schusterman, a softball coach who has won six state championships, made 11 Final Four appearances, brought home 13 regional titles and captured 29 district crowns. Schusterman was instrumental in helping the state of Florida transition from slowpitch to fastpitch softball.
• Brian Wheatley, a four-time state championship coach in volleyball who has led Venice High to 16-consecutive 20-win seasons. Wheatley has had 17 former student-athletes become coaches following their playing days.
The Class of 2017 is the 27th to be inducted, spanning over 90 years and celebrating the accomplishments of the most talented student-athletes, coaches, administrators and officials from the state of Florida.
“We are thrilled to honor the careers of these eight exceptional people who have spent their lives dedicated to enriching education-based athletics in the state of Florida,” FHSAA incoming Executive Director George Tomyn said. “They are an outstanding illustration of greatness and we are proud to call them FHSAA Hall of Famers.”
A special induction ceremony will take place in Gainesville on Sunday, September 17.