ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Previous Athletes Of The Year
2017: Carol Teel, The Villages; Mike Welter, Cape Coral
2016: Kathy Petrillo, Jupiter; John Horwath, The Villages
2015: Janet Brown, Lakeland; Rudy Vazmina, Sarasota
2014: Danuta Kubelik, Crystal River;
Walt Deal, St. Petersburg
2013: Nina Hammer, Bonita Springs; Tom Bliss, Melbourne
2012: Linda Frisch, The Villages;
James Richling, Port St. Lucie
2011: Essie Faria, North Miami; Segismundo Pares, Ocala
2010: Avis Vaught, The Villages; Richard Merrill, Lady Lake
2009: Patrice Hirr, The Villages; John Shultz, Inverness
2008: Suzy Nothhouse, Estero; Dean Davis, Fort Myers
2007: Claudette Braswell, Lake Wales;
Larry Wallen, Jacksonville
2006: Sari Kisbany, Redington Shores;
Roger Gentilhomme, Dunedin
2005: Patricia Sargeant, Melbourne;
Andy McGuffin, Umatilla
2004: Lillian Webb, Sebring; Harry Carothers, Pinellas Park
2003: Madelaine “Tiny” Cazel, The Villages;
James Anderson, New Port Richey
2002: Janice Lathouwers, The Villages; Allen Bjork, Sebring
2001: Sperry Rademaker, Floral City;
Howard Hall, Port Charlotte
2000: Erika Messner, Clermont; Al Treichel, Spring Hill
1999: Patricia Bond, Bradenton; Gordon Johnson, Dundee
1998: Lucia Schatteleyn, Englewood;
Donald Ritenour, Belleview
1997: Ethel Lehmann, Largo;
Seymour Duckman, Daytona Beach
1996: Hope Fage, Largo; F.L. McFadden, Lakeland
1995: Mary Melehan, Englewood;
Leonard Stone, Barefoot Bay
1994: Doris Prokopi, Land O’Lakes;
Wayne Wakefield, Bradenton
2019 FLORIDA SENIOR GAMES PRESENTED BY HUMANA | OFFICIAL PROGRAM 39
a gold in women’s doubles and silver
medals in women’s singles and mixed
doubles.
A native of Massachusetts, Harrison was
a member of the U.S. Field Hockey team
from 1968-70 while a student at the
University of Massachusetts. She moved
to Florida in 2004 and has been a fixture
in the Florida Senior Games since.
With long and lean physical presence,
at 6 feet tall, Brian Hankerson propels
through the air for record-setting
performance in Track and Field Jumps
competitions. His long legs also help him
reach the finish line for gold medals in
running races.
I’ve heard that before by other athletes,”
said Hankerson. “I’ve been told I’m the
perfect size for what I do.”
Besides his physical stature, Hankerson
participates alongside elite athletes in
programs at Bommarito Performance
Systems three days a while working on
the track on sprints and jumps two days
a week.
“Last year I was working out with
Frank Gore (NFL running back from
the Miami area),” Hankerson said. “The
program combines weight training and
movement training for running.”
Hankerson won two golds and a silver in
the jumps events at the 2018 Games. He
won the high jump gold medal with a
leap of over 5 feet and his long jump of 18
feet was seven feet more than the second
place finisher. His triple jump of 33 feet,
eight inches was six inches short of the
gold medalist. He holds five age group
records in the 50-54 and 55-59 age groups
(two long jump, two triple jump and one
high jump) and has been a sprints gold
medalist in previous years as well.
His gold medal winning ways continued
at the 2019 National Senior Games in the
60-64 age group with top performances
in the high jump, long jump and triple
jump. He won the long jump gold medal
with a leap more than 1.5 feet than
the silver medalist and over two feet
more than his closest competition in
the triple jump. He holds the top NSG
performances in the long jump in the 50-
54, 55-59 and 60-64 age groups.
At the 2017 National Senior Games, he
won four golds and a silver medal in the
55-59 age group and set records in the
long jump and triple jump.
Deb Harrison, of The Villages,
won 31 pickleball medals and
18 golds in table tennis.