BUTLER TWP — Butler High School is creating its own athletic Hall of Fame.

An 11-member committee has been empanelled and the first 10 inductees will be announced in the fall of 2010, most likely at the football home opener.

"After 40 years of hoping, wishing and pressing, this is finally happening," said school board member and former Butler football coach Art Bernardi.

"There is so much athletic tradition here and so many outstanding athletes who have brought credibility to the school through their performance.

"They deserve to be honored here and now they will be," he added.

The Butler Athletic Hall of Fame will stand separate from the Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame, which honors sports legends from throughout Butler County.

"Other schools have their own Hall of Fame," Bernardi said. "The Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame has its place. The Hometown Heroes have their place.

"The Butler Athletic Hall of Fame is long overdue and deserves its place."

Bernardi said a movement to form a high school Hall of Fame gained momentum through the Butler Football Hometown Heroes, a program in place for six years that honors on- and off-field contributors to Golden Tornado football.

"We received some criticism from people wondering about the other sports," Bernardi said. "We've had so many sports in existence here for so many years, male and female.

"It's exciting to think we're going to be honoring so much of our history."

Butler High offers 25 sports today and the Tornado football program dates back to 1907. Dutch Ross' school-record time of 9.8 seconds in the 100-yard dash was set in 1935.

"The ball got rolling on this just through conversations with (superintendent Michael Strutt), Curt Phillips, myself and others," assistant principal Brian Slamecka said. "Everybody got on board with this."

After the inaugural induction class of 10 athletes, along with up to two coaches and/or administrators, the Hall of Fame Committee will induct anywhere from three to eight athletes annually. Coaches and administrators will continue to be inducted separately.

"We're going to learn history while we're doing this," Butler athletic director Curt Phillips said.

Athletes won't be eligible until 10 years after the graduation of their high school class. Nomination forms soon will be available in the high school athletic office or online at goldentornadosports.net.

Deadline to submit nominations is Dec. 31.

The Hall of Fame Committee consists of Bernardi, Phillips, Jerry Slamecka, Brian Slamecka, Jeff McAnallen, Dave Barnes, Jeff Schnur, Eagle sports editor John Enrietto, Fay Steving, George "Mike" Kelly and Gary Milanovich.

"It will be nice to celebrate so many of the great athletes who have come through this school," said Brian Slamecka, a 1995 Butler graduate. "Just during my time in school ... I played soccer and Troy Mohney was a great player. Matt Clement, Scott Milanovich, I saw Tyrell Sales come through here.

"I don't know where to begin in naming people. The first 10 will be tough."