Our First Honoree, Coach Ernest J. Perry, Senior, is our true founder. About a hundred years ago, Ernie Perry was an intelligent Lawrence kid and an outstanding athlete. A likable kid, forward thinking people helped Ernie get a Colby College education. At Colby, he was a two-year football captain. Not long after college, Ernie returned to Lawrence and began a teaching and coaching career at Lawrence High School.

The senior Perry coached track at LHS from the mid 1920's until 1966. He was nicknamed "Old Ernie" by his track squads of the 1960's after his son, "Young Ernie," became his assistant coach.

Old Ernie's legacy is simply this: he was committed to paying forward the advantages that were once given to him. He cared about the education, well-being, and good citizenship of his athletes and students. Through Coach Perry's outreach and under his guidance, many young men went on to post-secondary programs and colleges, from where they enjoyed careers in medicine, law, government, industry, public service and education. And, carrying forward the values of teamwork and caring nurtured by Coach Perry, many served heroically, meritoriously and with dignity in our country's military.

Old Ernie's son and his grandchildren followed in his footsteps, coaching high school, college, and professional teams.