Riverside Hall of Fame to Induct Three Sports Icons as First Class; Banquet Will Celebrate, Honor Inductees

There are simply people in your life that make a difference, they guide you, they care about you, and you just never forget them.

For many those people are coaches.

The Riverside Hall of Fame will pay honor to its first class, all coaches, at its First Annual Hall of Fame banquet at Shakespeare’s Restaurant on May 4th from 6 to 10 p.m. Attendees will celebrate the esteemed inagural class of: Dan Oliastro, Karl Florie, and Royann Winfield.

“This banquet is not just an event; it’s an opportunity to come together as a community, to express our gratitude, and to honor these individuals who have dedicated themselves to shaping the lives of our athletes,” said Alex Vucelich, President of the Board for the Hall of Fame. “Your presence at this event will not only make the evening more memorable but also contribute to the continued success of our community initiatives. Please help sponsor a portion of the event or make a donation to support our shared vision of fostering a strong and united community.”

Those interested in attending the event, becoming a sponsor, or making a donation, can email Riversidesportshof@gmail.com for information.

The whole purpose of The Hall of Fame, a 501c3 organization, is to honor the dedicated coaches who have made a difference in the lives of so many area athletes, and celebrate the achievements of prestigous alumi, to raise money for the upkeep of sports facilities when the district can’t make ends meet, and to make sure sports programs stay alive and well funded for upcoming generations.

“These Hall of Fame inductees and all the coaches throughout the years deserve a lot of gratitude,” Vucelich said. “Coaching is a thankless job most of the time. This first class has a long, long track record of service.”

A little about the inductees:

• Royanne Winfield: Royann Winfield’s final season was 2022 and ended with her team winning the Beaver County Championships before she lost her life to cancer. She gave back to Riverside for over 42 years as an assistant and head coach of girls track. She won a WPIAL Team Championship, had 9 undefeated Section Titles, and helped produce multiple State Champions in individual events.
• Karl Florie: Karl Florie, wasn’t the school board’s first choice to coach Riverside’s football program, but it came to pass that he was he was the right choice. And although his first season produced zero wins, he went on to build a program that became a powerhouse in Western Pennsylvania. In his last 9 years as head coach he went 72-27, with 5 consecutive playoff appearances, 2 MAC championships, and won the 1985 WPIAL championship.
• Dan Oliastro: Dan Oliastro became the winningest coach in WPIAL history on March 30, 2022. And in 2023 he added a fifth State Title to his resume as his Panthers baseball team became only the 10^th team in Beaver County Sports history to win a PIAA State Title, four of those previous titles already belonged to Oliastro.

“Please join us on May 4th at Shakespeare’s Restaurant to make this night a true celebration of dedication, passion, and the spirit of community,” Vucelich said. “We look forward to your positive response and sharing this special occasion with you. You don’t usually get second chances to go back and say thank you to your mentors. Unfortunately, Royann has since passed on, but memories are eternal if you keep talking about people. This first class is a group that are worthy of being remembered and we hope the community comes out in droves to echo that statement.”

Although this year’s class of inductees are all coaches, Vucelich said future classes could honor outstanding athletes as well.

Follow the Riverside Sports Hall of Fame on Facebook and Instagram.

For more information please contact: riversidesportshof@gmail.com.

Note: Ellwoodcity.org will do a series of stories that will feature the inductees closer to the event. Stay tuned!