Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

During the excitement of the homecoming activities, our opportunity to thank the community as new members of the Hall of Fame was missed. This was the speech we had written:

Congrats to the other inductees in the class of 2016 – it’s an honor to be standing with them today as they were both wonderful athletes.

Sports was our family hobby as we were raised, and our parents (Dr. Ed and Mary Jo Piller) dedicated so much time to keeping us and many of our friends active. Our mom herself was a college athlete, so when our parents chose Red Oak as their home in 1982, she didn’t waste any time sharing her love of sports with her new community. Starting with ROYSA (Red Oak Youth Sports Association) and then the Montgomery County Family YMCA, she, and many other volunteers, impacted hundreds of youth who called Red Oak home. Janeen and I wouldn’t be here without that dedication, and it makes us strive to be the best moms and coaches we can be for the next generation. Thank you, Mom and Dad.

While I was honored to have been selected, it’s even more special to be standing next to my sister and best friend. We are two of six siblings which, after marriages and kids, has turned into quite the large group. And almost every get together still involves a competition. Football after Thanksgiving turkey, whiffle ball during Colorado vacations and teaching our next generation tennis – the recovery time may be a little longer, but the sibling competition that challenged us to be better athletes remains strong.

We would be truly remiss to not thank all of the coaches over the years. They coach not for the money, but because they love a sport and love watching youth grow. It takes a special person to open up the gym for practice all summer long, to reason with hormonal teens in the middle of a match or stay up late rethinking a decision they had made in the earlier ball game. These coaches gave up time with their own families and missed special occasions because of this dedication. Thanks to each and every coach along the way that pushed us to do our best – you know who you are – and those pushing the next generation. And a special thanks to their families who sometimes took a backseat during the season as we borrowed their parent(s).   

Finally, this town of Red Oak blessed us with the best fans! The support we had over the years we played was nothing short of amazing and unrivaled by other communities. We still think of each of you that spent evenings at the gym watching volleyball or basketball and those who sat in the heat during tennis matches. You chose to be there, and we did notice and appreciate it even more now that we are parents. You will always have a special place in our hearts and we are proud to have been Tigers!   

Micki (Piller) Morrison (Class of 1999)

Janeen (Piller) Gass (class of 2001)