National High School Hall of Fame
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Diane Laffey was inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame on July 8 at the National Federation of State High School Associations annual summer meeting in Minneapolis. She is shown receiving her Hall of Fame medallion from MHSAA Executive Director Jack Roberts. |
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - July 8 - Diane Laffey,
Michigan's all-time winningest coach in girls basketball and
softball, was inducted into the National Federation of State
High School Association's National High School Sports Hall of
Fame in ceremonies at the NFHS annual summer meeting here.
Laffey was one of 14 individuals in this year's induction class,
which included four other coaches, two officials, three administrators,
one contributor and three athletes.
Laffey is the third inductee from Michigan into the National
High School Sports Hall of Fame. Previous inductees are Charles
E. Forsythe, the first full-time and longest serving executive
director of the MHSAA (1983), and Lofton C. Greene, Michigan's
all-time winningest coach in boys basketball, who coached River
Rouge to 13 MHSAA titles (1986).
(The following was published in the program distributed at the
induction ceremony)
More than a quarter-century ago, Diane Laffey took over the reins
of the Harper Woods Regina High School basketball and softball
programs. She currently holds the head coaching position of both
sports, and is the school's athletic director as well.
Through the 1999 basketball season, Laffey was the Michigan all-time
winningest coach with a 468-241 record. Four of her squads played
in the MHSAA title game.
Through the 1999 softball season, Laffey was Michigan's and the
nation's winningest coach with a 701-236-2 mark. Her 1989 team
captured the MHSAA Class A title.
Laffey was co-founder of the Michigan Softball Coaches Association
and is the current Michigan chairperson of the National Fastpitch
Coaches Association. She has also been a MHSAA registered game
official for 21 years in basketball, volleyball and softball.
Additionally, Laffey is a member of the following Halls of Fame:
Detroit Catholic League, Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan,
Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association, Metro Detroit
Amateur Softball Association, Michigan High School Coaches Association
and National High School Athletic Coaches Association.
She was also the 1991 recipient of the MHSAA Women In Sports
Leadership Award, presented annually to the person who makes
major contributions to encouraging and preparing women for positions
as athletic administrators, coaches and officials.
Laffey was born on August 16, 1939, in Detroit. She is following
in her father's footsteps as a high school coach, as she was
a fan of all his teams.