WL Honors Athletes with Hall of Fame Inductions

You do not have to play sports to be affected by them. You can watch them (for the game or the players), coach, or support a local team. No matter what, athleticism touches everyone’s life—just more directly for some than others. Washington-Liberty High School celebrates its athletes through the Hall of Fame, a program that honors those who have left a lasting mark on the school community. This January, six new inductees joined the group of distinguished WL athletes.

The Selection Process

The Hall of Fame impacts not only former athletes but current students as well. Many participate in athletics, but only a select few are recognized at this level. Each year, six inductees are chosen from a pool of nominations. Anyone can submit a nomination, which remains active for five years.

Senior Helen Hanke, who serves on the selection committee, explained the process.

“Essentially, people can choose to write a letter… that they would send to the athletic committee, [describing why] this person should be in the Hall of Fame; these are their achievements, this is why [they] think [that person] should be part of the board…” she said.

The selection committee includes students like Hanke, along with teachers and coaches such as Mr. Bolfek and Mr. Healy. This group reviews around 15 nominations per year, then presents them to the current Hall of Fame members.

“We had [around] 15 minutes [to present] each person, and then everyone got to vote on who they thought should be inducted. Then… the top six with the most votes end up getting inducted,” Hanke explained.

The process underscores just how prestigious the honor is—each inductee has made an important, individual contribution to Washington-Liberty’s athletic program.

Lasting Impact of Baseball

Daniel “Dan” Pototsky, a former WL player and baseball coach, exemplifies that legacy. A 1977 graduate, Pototsky helped lead the team to a regional championship before continuing his career at the University of Kentucky. He later returned to coach, and in January was inducted into both the WL Hall of Fame and the Arlington Athletic Hall of Fame.

Baseball, he said, was a defining part of his youth.

“It was really the only thing I did; was really the only sport I played in high school… You have this baseball community, and so… once you’re a part of it, you know, you’re kind of into that… It just becomes part of your fiber to just do that,” he said.

That community spirit also shaped Julio Rivas, another new inductee, who played baseball for WL in the late 1990s.

“If I didn’t get good grades in school, I couldn’t play… Pototsky used to drag me to school… and that’s how I guess I was [set on me] being an athlete,” Rivas recalled.

The Rivas name is well known in WL baseball. Julio, class of 1998, followed in the footsteps of his brother Manny Rivas (class of 1994, also a Hall of Famer), and alongside their older brother Felix, who also played for WL.

Julio emphasized the life lessons baseball taught him:

“[Giving] my 100% in everything I did, whether it was playing baseball, [or just] doing anything in life… My motto is [to always] give my 150%… Every time you play, give it your all… like it’s gonna be the last time you play.”

One of his fondest memories came in the regional tournament against Oakton High School, when he hit a triple in the sixth inning to secure a lead that WL carried to victory. He said he hoped his performance would inspire younger athletes, just as his brothers inspired him.

“You never know [what] little kid [wants to] be like you or better than you… I used to see my brothers and I always wanted to be… better than they were… so [always] give it your all,” Rivas said.

His older brother Manny’s impact is still remembered by teammates. Sean Moran, class of 1994, praised Rivas as both a talented player and a unifying teammate.

“Manny was a very special player. You know, when you’re playing high school baseball, you can tell if… certain players are [talented], or they just really stand out. It’s easy to see that talent level… [Rivas] had all the talent in the world,” Moran said.

He also remembered the camaraderie:

“Everyone got along with [him]… We were kind of a very close-knit group of guys… and we had a lot of fun.”

Moran also spoke highly of his coach, Pototsky:

“Pototsky was a great coach, a great baseball player. He was like a baseball genius or savant. He could do anything on the field… and he held us to really high standards because he had that kind of talent level.”

Honoring Women Athletes

Not all inductees came from traditional WL teams. Melba Griffin Martin, class of 1966, competed in women’s water polo with the Northern Virginia Aquatic Club, since WL did not have a program at the time.

“And the people on the committee decided that since… there weren’t that many women in the Hall of Fame (because there weren’t that many women’s teams that [women] could play on)… they went back and looked at people who had competed in the Arlington area or the WL area, and that was how I was chosen,” Martin said. “I was very surprised, and I felt honored.”

She credited her success to the guidance of her coaches.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did if it weren’t for my coaches and teammates… Listen to your coaches, they know best.”

A Community Celebration

At the induction ceremony, each new Hall of Fame member was paired with a student usher, often from a similar sport. Hanke, a swimmer, was paired with Martin.

“I think it was really special to be a part of this, which is like, a massive moment for some of these people in their lives,” Hanke said. “It’s really just nice to get to know people who used to be [at Washington-Liberty].”

The Hall of Fame is not just a list of names. It is a living celebration of the people who have shaped WL athletics, inspiring today’s students to push forward—whether on the field, in the classroom, or beyond.