Lancaster County Sports Hall of Fame honored a variety of award recipients at its annual banquet at the Eden Resort. Honorees ranged from Olympic athletes who have competed around the globe to a Kirchner Award winner and Volunteer of the Year grounded firmly in the county; from a boxing champion and coach to an Inspirational Athlete celebrated for his spirit.
And a frequent refrain during the evening's event attended by more than 300 was that many people contributed to their success.
"This is amazing," said George Derbyshire, upon receiving the Kirchner Award, "being exalted for doing what I was destined to do since graduating from college in the late '60s."
The longtime Manheim Central athletic director who served many roles, said he was in "total awe and completely overwhelmed" when he was notified he'd receive the highest honor in Lancaster County sports.
He congratulated all of this year's winners and the previous Kirchner winners from Manheim, including Yvonne Kauffman, Nancy Stevens and Mike Williams, whom he credited with organizing at least three tables of observers at the banquet.
He noted that both he and last year's Kirchner winner, former McCaskey basketball coach Pete Horn, had attended West Nottingham Academy near Rising Sun, Maryland.
He said he proudly accepted the award on behalf of all teachers, staff, coaches, student athletes and fans of Manheim Central and reflected on the night with words of songwriter Benson Boone as being "a mystical, magical moment for Derb."
Board member John Walk, in honoring Inspirational Athletic Lucian Li said those who know him do not talk about his athletic achievements in lacrosse, cross country and basketball, but "about he lifted everybody; how he made you feel good about yourself."
After his death at age 19 in a car crash caused by a wrong-way driver, Li inspired Manheim Township students to form a Live for Lucian Club and his Kenyon College teammates created practice rituals and established a Lucian Lee Teammate of the Year Award, Walk said.
Li's father, Eric, said his son encouraged being kind, helping others and having fun.
His mother, Sarah, said, "It is, of course, at the center of this that Lucian is not here with us tonight. It makes it both incredibly tough and also meaningful. Lucian's passing had an incalculable impact on more people than our family and close friends could have ever imagined. A great part of this impact came through sports."
She said through all the acts of his teammates and others "we know that they feel inspired by the way Lucian lived and the sadness of his passing." Athletes founded and remain the backbone of the Live for Lucian Club, she said, in another demonstration of "the moral beauty of collective effervescence, the buzz of working together" that sports provide.
Emma and Brooke DeBerdine, sisters who both played field hockey at Penn Manor, University of Maryland, on the 2024 Olympic team and other national teams, were among four receiving J. Freeland Chryst Awards and official induction into the hall of fame.
Brooke said the "crowd here tonight consists of so many Lancaster legends that it has been a joy spending time with everyone."
She said sports connected her with so many extraordinary people, including many Hall of Fame honorees. She mentioned Sam Bigler, 2018 inductee; Jill Witmer Funk, 2021 -- she wanted to be "exactly like her" -- Pam Neiss Stuper, 2017; and Bob Derr, 2010 Kirchner winner.
She thanked her many coaches, but especially, Denise Gobrecht, an HOF board member, saying, "I could talk all night about how Goby impacted my career at a young age."
Emma provided a video message from North Carolina, where she was preparing with the Women's National Team for matches against Argentina. She said she benefitted from "a community that breathes field hockey." She called the Paris Olympics the pinnacle, but only through looking back at her experiences here.
Jeff Glass told emcee Joe Calhoun that he remembered the Daily Double, a day he played on two winning teams -- McCaskey's soccer played right after school, and then he was picked up and driven to Cedar Crest, where he kicked and punted for the football team. He also participated in wrestling and track.
He said the night brought back many memories, but mostly of legendary McCaskey throws coach Bernie Santaniello "and that calm gravelly voice saying: 'Relax.'"
"Behind every athlete is a whole village. You've heard that before, and for me it was family, friends, coaches, trainers, mentors, the people that pick you up, believe in you and push you to be your best," he said.
"Success is not about records," he said. "It is about relationships."
He described his involvement in sports from the youth level that college at the University of Tennessee and mentioned many of helped him along the way. He urged everyone to keep encouraging the next generation
Casey Kaufhold said her favorite memory from the 2024 Paris Olympics was not winning a bronze medal in the mixed doubles archery event. "My favorite memory was getting to see my mom and dad."
A drug test and press conference after the medals ceremony delayed their meeting, but "hours later, I remember waiting quite impatiently to see them with just every ounce of me wanting to rejoice with them. The moment I saw them, we all just burst into tears."
Barry Stumpf said nobody does anything by themselves and spoke of Milt Finnefrock, 1995 Kirchner Award winner; Leah Mellinger, 2000 Chryst Award winner; and Fernando Rodriguez. He said he was lost as a 10-year-old kid when he met Finnefrock, who taught him how to box. "A wrong turn became a right turn in my life" and established a long relationship.
Ken Gerber, Volunteer of the Year, said he grew up as an Army brat and didn't settle down until he moved to Lancaster at 13 1/2. His involvement in sports began with coaching his son in baseball in Hempfield and then got into midget football, first as an equipment manager and then as a coach.
"And I just kept at it," he said. "And it was a great break for me. I got to learn how to be part of the community, get to know people. I had a stressful job at Armstrong. It was a great outlet that way."
The banquet also recognized 2025 LNP | LancasterOnline High School Senior Athletes of the Year — Manheim Township's Adam Kingston and Lebanon's Kailah Correa.
Jim Chryst, nephew of J. Freeland Chryst, presented those awards. Awards Committee chair Doug Kraft presented the Kirchner Award. Hall of Fame chair Jack Neal presented opening comments. Board member Jack Blackman offered the invocation.
Pictured at top are honorees Barry Stumpf, George Derbyshire, Jeff Glass, Brooke DeBerdine, and Casey Kaufhold. Below, from top, are Joe Calhoun and George Derbyshire, Brooke DeBerdine and Jonah Barley, Casey Kaufhold and Gaius Carter, Jeff Glass and Anthi Glass, Barry Stumpf and daughter Roxanne, Ken Gerber and wife Diane; and John Walk with Sarah and Eric Li.
Oct. 22, 2025
For previous award winners, go to Inductees in top banner
