4 Inductees Tapped For Howard County Community Sports Hall Of Fame

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Four new inductees have been tapped for the Howard County Community Sports Hall of Fame, which honors individuals for their commitment or contributions to community sports in Howard County.

The four newest inductees are Bill Parlock, Ralph Eggen, Michael Rand and Rodney Peterson.

"Our newest inductees have given us an immense amount of time, energy and dedication, which is a testament to what makes Howard County’s athletic community and sports programming so great. Their unwavering commitment has inspired, improved and encouraged our youth to get up, get out and get active," Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said.

The induction ceremony will take place at the 21st Celebration of Sports on Oct. 14 at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center.

"The success of our sports community is built on the passion of our coaches, volunteers and program leaders. The inductees we are honoring today have left a mark on the lives of every athlete they have guided. Their dedication, love of sports and selfless service are an inspiration to us all," said Nick Mooneyhan, director of the Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks.

Below is additional information about each Hall of Fame inductee, courtesy of Howard County.

Bill Parlock

For three decades, Bill Parlock has served as a coach with Special Olympics Howard County (SOHC), volunteering his time, enthusiasm, patience and gentle manner with countless athletes. In 1995, Bill started as a swim coach teaching beginner swimmers the basic strokes and an Alpine Ski coach, a volunteer role he held for 25 years. Three years later, he created SOHC’s cycling program, showing young Special Olympic athletes the fundamentals of riding, including how to ride without training wheels, how to shift gears and how to brake safely. In his role as the cycling program’s head coach – a role he continues to hold to this day, Bill has organized numerous competitions for athletes to partake in locally and internationally. Athletes also know they can always rely on Bill to help them with their bikes, as he always comes equipped with the necessary tools to pump up or change a flat tire, and more.

Ralph Eggen

Ralph Eggen has been a true giver of his time to the Howard County adult softball community for the past 30 years. Dedicated to providing the best softball officials in the county, Ralph has traveled all over to train, observe and help improve new umpires. Whether developing a great relationship with the players and umpires with recreation and parks’ adult softball programs, participating in 15 USA Softball National Championship tournaments, or coordinating the umpires for Special Olympics softball for local and state level games, Ralph’s work as an umpire has earned him national recognition. For his time and commitment to the game, USA Softball has recognized Ralph with its National Indicator Fraternity award, “Elite” umpire award, and gold, silver, bronze and blue service medals. In 2023, he was also inducted into the Washington Metropolitan Slow Pitch Softball Hall of Fame and was previously recognized by recreation and parks’ with its “Good Sport” award for officials.

Michael Rand

Although hockey is not a recognized high school sport in Howard County, Michael Rand coached a team of students from Howard High School in the Maryland Scholastic Hockey League for 15 years. He welcomed both male and female students to the team, regardless of their hockey experience, feeling it was important to be inclusive, to give everyone ample playing time and to embody the highest standards of sportsmanship when stepping out on the ice. As a coach, Michael worked to ensure Howard County players were considered and chosen for league all-star teams and awards. In fact, his teams were some of the most successful in the county, winning six county titles and reaching the state semifinals multiple times. His drive to offer his athletes a chance at player growth and success is best exemplified by the two times in the 90s when he took an all-star high school team of Howard County players to Montreal, Canada to compete in an all-star tournament, where the team competed against more skilled players and won.

Rodney Petersen

Rodney Petersen has been active in youth sports in both Howard and Montgomery counties for nearly 30 years. During that time, he has served as a girl’s rec and travel basketball and softball coach, high school softball coach and the recreational basketball commissioner for the Savage Boys and Girls Club, where he currently sits on the board of directors. In addition, he has also served as Atholton High School’s Booster President. Known for his passion, Rodney believes in providing children with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of each sport, while gaining important life skills, including teamwork, communication, conflict management and problem solving.