Willie Weisbrook – Lincoln
Official. When his standout athletic career at Auburn High School and Nebraska Wesleyan Universityended, Willie Weisbrook picked up the whistle and striped shirt, beginning an officiating career that would span more than 40 years. A basketball referee in high school and small college starting in 1966, he was selected to officiate 17 state tournaments including […]
Harold ‘Hilly’ Beck – Minden
Athlete A three sport athlete at Minden High School, “Hilly” really excelled in football and basketball. In his senior year the Whippets had an undefeated football season and team captain “Hilly” was selected as All State Honorable Mention as a running back. Basketball was probably his big sport, he was picked on the Class B […]
Stephen Epler – Chester
Contributor–This well-educated gentleman was the inventor of six-man football, developed for the benefit of small high schools in Nebraska and played throughout the nation. While working toward a master’s degree at the University of Nebraska during the summer of 1934, he developed and wrote the first rules of this unique new game called six-man football. […]
Bill Lewis – Lincoln
Official. Bill Lewis began officiating basketball in 1961 while he was in junior high school and rose to become the Nebraska School Activities Association’s Supervisor of Officials. An intramural referee at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Chadron State, he continued to officiate after becoming a teacher. He worked the state basketball tournament from 1975 to […]
Rita Makovicka – York
Athlete. As an outstanding athlete at York High School, Rita has often been referred to as the greatest female athlete around, whether it was cross-country, basketball, track, volleyball, or softball. During her sophomore year (1976-77) York won the first Class B Girls State Basketball Tournament and Rita tossed in the winning basket with 4 seconds […]
Ray Novak – Omaha Tech
Athlete. In 1949 this young man was called by many the best high school athlete ever seen in the Omaha area. And for good reason. That fall he helped lead Omaha Technical High School to an undefeated Class A football state championship as quarterback of the Trojans. He was an all-around reliable athlete, starring for […]
Stan Parker – Bellevue
Athlete. A 1982 graduate of Bellevue East, Parker excelled at football where he lettered for three years for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and was an Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention in 1986. At Bellevue East he excelled in wrestling and track as well, going undefeated (25-0) in wrestling in 1982 and winning the state championship. He […]
Dean Steinkuhler – Sterling
Athlete–Not far from the Big Nemaha River in southeastern Nebraska is the village of Burr. From this small place came a young man with a large talent who graduated from Sterling High School in 1979. Fortunately for Cornhusker fans, Coach Tom Osborne was astute enough to discover the talent and he encouraged Dean Steinkuhler to […]
Dennis Smith – Papillion
Contributor. A huge, huge percentage of the credit for the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame Foundation goes to Dennis Smith. He had a vision of this organization and served the board from the organizational days of 1993. He’s been the treasurer since 1996. His 32-year career at Papillion-LaVista schools that included a position […]
Irving Thode – Loup City
Athlete (1949) Irv Thode was a dominating all-around athlete in high school. His 6-foot-3 high jump was the unofficial national schoolboy best in 1949. He was gold medalist in the long jump in 1948 (21-9) and 1949 (22-3) and the high jump in 1949 at the state meet. He was on the 1948 Class C […]
