Daniels joins the Clark Athletic Hall of Fame Saturday

Washougal resident and historian Roger Daniels will be inducted into the Clark College Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday.

The ceremony takes place from 5 to 6:30 p.m., at the Gaiser Hall Student Center, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way. The other inductees are Dracy Church (track and basketball), Ted Farnsworth (meritorious service), Jim Johnson (basketball), Erin Tharp (basketball), Darryl White (basketball), the 1947 men’s basketball team, the 1956 baseball team, the 1956 men’s basketball team and the 1956 track and field team.

The event is free to attend, but seating is limited. Call 992-2691 to reserve a seat.

Daniels served as the college’s third athletic director, from 1982 and 1996. Under his leadership, the Penguins earned 28 league titles and captured six Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges team championships. Clark also finished second in the NWAACC nine times.

“People ask me how we won so many league championships in a short period of time,” Daniels said. “I like to tell them it’s because we had great coaches. But the coaches will tell you that it’s because I helped them with recruitment, such as conducting campus tours, helping athletes apply for academic and vocational scholarships, find campus jobs, off campus employment and local housing.”

Daniels established Clark College as a desired location for student athletes. He successfully petitioned the NWAACC to bring championship volleyball and basketball tournaments, and track and field meets, to Vancouver. Working in cooperation with the director of Health and Physical Education, Daniels and Gaydena Thompson persuaded the college administration to replace the gym floor, bleachers and scoreboard in the O’Connell Sports Center. They also convinced the administration to construct the Kindsfather Baseball Field and the Christensen Soccer Field.

Daniels put forth the same amount of effort into his community. In 1991, he helped run a Washougal School District building campaign to raise $51 million to remodel Washougal public schools. In 2001, he was elected Fire District 1 Commissioner and was involved with a successful merger that created East County Fire and Rescue. In 2003, he was appointed by Gov. Gary Locke to serve on the Washington State Lewis and Clark Advisory Committee. One of his initiatives was the creation of Capt. William Clark Park in Washougal, an 85-acre Washougal park on the Columbia River. He also worked with Norm Danielson to secure the funding necessary to construct the Danielson Soccer Fields.

“I am equally proud of my accomplishments locally,” Daniels said. “After leaving athletics, I had so much free time to engage in community programs and events.”

Several rewards came along the journey. Daniels was named Camas-Washougal Citizen of the Year in 2001, received an NWAACC “Outstanding Service Award” in 2002, became a Clark College “Outstanding Alumni” in 2005 and earned a “Community Leadership Award” from Washougal schools in 2008.

“It all started in Washougal,” said the 1968 WHS graduate.