On Saturday, January 25, 2020, a couple hundred friends, family, and school officials gathered in the Kell High School cafeteria to welcome the very first class of inductees into the school’s Longhorn Athletic Hall of Fame. The five individuals were: Jonathan Dwyer (football), Adam Morgan (baseball), Brian Randolph (football), Kendell Williams (track), and Coach Steve Lattizori (wrestling).

During the brunch event, which was catered by the Kell Culinary Arts department, the inductees and their families greeted, hugged, and reminisced with those in attendance. At the conclusion of the meal, the awards and induction ceremony began. Kell principal, Dr. Peter Giles, began with a few opening remarks. “Each of you,” he said, “have helped to create a legacy here at Kell. The kids that come after you are looking up to you as their examples.”

Each inductee was then introduced by a friend or family member. Jonathan Dwyer was introduced by his father, Tony Dwyer. “We have always felt blessed to be Jonathan’s and Jordan’s parents,” he said. “They have always represented Team Dwyer well.” Jonathan said that Kell means so much to him. “I always played for the name on my back, and the Longhorn on my helmet,” he said. “Kell is what made me who I am.”

Adam Morgan was introduced by baseball coach Keith Brown. “Two images stick in my mind of Adam,” he said, “a man who works hard, and a man who loves life. Adam always had a smile on his face, but he was a tough competitor. He always knew what he wanted.” When Adam took the podium, he noted that he was honored to represent baseball for Kell. “The lessons I learned here hold a special place in my heart,” he said. “I was taught to be a great athlete, but also to be a great part of the community. Academics and athletics went hand-in-hand at Kell.”

Brain Randolph was introduced by his friend and teammate, Brett Gillespie. “Brian was everything you could ask for in a teammate,” he said. “He was committed and he kept us all accountable.” Brian recognized Kell Athletic Director Richard Norman, who was his coach when he played, as the source of this attitude of accountability. “Coach taught me to play for my teammates,” he said. “I learned it from him.”

Kendell Williams was introduced by her father, Blane Williams. “Even though Kendell travels all over the world as a Nike-sponsored athlete,” he said,” her foundation is here at Kell. This is still her home.” When it was her time to speak, Kendell agreed. “Kell instilled in me a lot of the skills I still carry today,” she said. “In fact, beyond running, Kell gave me a passion for community outreach with Kell’s Angels. I loved my time here as a Longhorn.”

The final inductee was Coach Steve Lattizori, who was introduced by his friend and longtime colleague, Kirk Cross. “Steve and I have worked together for 30 years,” he said. “He is a great example of integrity, character, and hard work. And he has left a lasting legacy of excellence here.” Coach was humble, saying that “all these other people made me look good. To me, it was always about being ‘all in.’ And these inductees and their families were definitely ‘all in.’ Kell is a young school, but it already has a great reputation, thanks to people like this.”

At some point in their short speeches, all the inductees recognized and thanked Mrs. Carole Kell. The school was named after her late husband, Corky, a beloved coach and administrator in Cobb County for 30 years. Mrs. Kell took the podium to a standing ovation. “Corky is so glad you are here,” she said. “He loved coaching and he loved high school kids. He was adamant about making kids better and so here we are. We are proud and so is he.”

Closing out the event, Richard Norman recognized all the hard work and long hours put in by the inaugural Hall of Fame Committee. “When Dr. Giles told me that he wanted to do this,” he said, “I thought ‘Oh man, here we go.’ But this committee and all the people working behind the scenes made this possible. It was a pleasure to be a part of it.”

Sherri Hill, Chief School Leadership Officer for Cobb County School District was also appreciative. “Events like this give us an opportunity to thank our alumni and provide an outlet for them to share how our school contributed to their success,” she said. “Carole Kell continues the traditions her husband started and is a strong supporter of the Cobb County School District, Kell High School and the Kell community. Moving forward, these strong academic and athletic traditions at Kell will continue to make the community strong and provide opportunities to create more ‘exKELLent’ traditions.”