2014

Athletic Hall of Honor Inductees 2014

Steve Gibralter

Steve Gibralter was a two-sport athlete at Duncanville High School from 1988 through 1990, playing football and baseball. Steve was recognized as one of the best high school outfielders in the state of Texas during his time at Duncanville High School. He was a tremendous hitter in baseball who showed an unparalleled competitive spirit and work ethic as a player.

A 1990 graduate of Duncanville High School, Steve lettered in football in 1988 and 1990 earning All-District honors as a punter and kicker. In baseball, Steve lettered all three years at Duncanville. In 1988 he was named sophomore of the year. Steve was named to the All-District and All-Metro teams while helping the Panthers reach the State Tournament in 1989. In 1990 Steve was part of the 5A State Championship team and earned All-District, All-Metro and All-State honors as an outfielder. 

During the 1990 State Championship run, Steve carried the offense for the Panther baseball team. Steve hit a three-run homer early in the playoffs to send the Panthers to the next round and recorded two hits, one being a triple, off Todd Van Poppel from Arlington Martin in the state semifinal game that the Panthers won 1-0. In the 1990 State Championship game, Steve, typically an outfielder, ended up being the winning pitcher of the game by striking out the final five hitters he faced and then on offense he started the rally in the bottom of the seventh inning that led to the home run that won the state championship for the Panthers. 

Steve earned a baseball scholarship from Mississippi State University; however, he was selected in the sixth round of the 1990 MLB Amateur Draft by the Cincinnati Reds and decided to forego college. He played 12 seasons of professional baseball for Cincinnati, Kansas City and the Chicago White Sox. Steve spent time in the Major Leagues with Cincinnati during the 1995 and 1996 seasons, and made his Major League debut on June 1, 1995. Injuries derailed Steve’s career, and in 2001 he hung up his spikes. 

Steve is currently a Dallas Police Officer and is married to Jennifer Tanton Gibralter. They have twin daughters and currently reside in Rockwall, Texas. 
 

Steve Martin

Stephen (Steve) Paul Martin was born in Dallas on September 15, 1950, the son of Mary and Paul Martin. He is the middle child of three boys. Steve has a daughter Angie and a son Aaron, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He married Janice (McJunkin) Savage-Martin in November 2006. He was in the glass business with Republic Glass & Mirror for 40 years before selling the business in March of 2009. 

Steve has always been an active volunteer for over 35 years before becoming President/CEO of the Duncanville Chamber in July 2009. He has always tackled tasks and projects that have bettered the City of Duncanville, the Duncanville ISD, Duncanville Lions Club and the Duncanville Community Theatre. He formed the first Political Action Committees in Duncanville for both the City and the Schools. For the City, he was a driving force in the Duncanville Citizens for More Shopping and Less Taxes to help bring beer and wine to town. He helped the school district pass two major Bond Elections to build the High School and Athletic Facilities that we know today. 

Steve has received numerous awards and acknowledgments including a Duncanville Police Department Commendation in 1986 and being voted as Duncanville’s Man of the Year in 1999. Steve has served two terms as president/Chamber Chairman in 1986 and 2001 for the Duncanville Chamber of Commerce. He was the Duncanville Civic Auction Chairperson in 2000 and 2001, served as the Best Southwest Partnership Director in 2001 and served on Duncanville 4B (Economic Development) Board from 2007 to 2011. He was awarded the Pioneer of the Year Award in 1999 and the Volunteer of the Year Award 2000 and 2001. He received the Duncanville John C. Pelt Masonic Lodge Community Builder Award in 2003 and was awarded Duncanville’s Key to the City awarded by Mayor Glenn Repp in 2003. Steve was also honored by Mayor David Green’s proclamation for August 15, 2006 to be recognized as “Steve Martin Appreciation Day.” 

As a member of the Duncanville Noon Lions Club, Steve served as Vice-President from 2001 to 2004, as President for 2004-05, as Las Vegas Night Auction Chairperson from 1998 to 2008. He was awarded Cub Lion of the Year in 1997-98, Lion of the Year 1998-99, the Melvin Jones Fellow Award in 2006, and the Jack Weich Fellow Award in 2007. 

Steve also serves as the Sandra Meadows Memorial Basketball tournament director. He coordinates, schedules, and oversees all aspects of the Sandra Meadows Tournament and with his efforts, the tournament continues to be the premier girls’ basketball tournament in the state of Texas for high school teams. 

Amy Sheiron Tennison and Andee Sheiron Kenter

A Duncanville Pantherette is a young lady with pride in herself as a student, an athlete, and a member of the community. She not only represents herself and her family but also her teammates and coaches. She shall be a leader and conduct herself in such a manner as to be esteemed not only as a basketball player but more importantly as a person.” – Pantherette Handbook 

Amy and Andee have always been great ambassadors for Duncanville Athletics, and embody the spirit of being a Pantherette throughout the State of Texas. These two often received attention for being identical twins; however, this was always soon overshadowed by their work ethic, determination and their drive to excel. These traits helped them to be major contributors to the 1994-95 State Final Basketball team. This team’s record was 37-1, losing the state championship by three points in overtime. Along with this accomplishment, the twins received District 9-5A honors as Defensive (Amy) and Offensive (Andee) Players of the Year. Amy was 1995 All-Region first team and All-State second team selection, and Andee was All-Region third team and UIL State All-Tournament Class 5A. The pair played on basketball teams that only lost seven games from seventh grade through high school. 

Amy and Andee received basketball scholarships to Sam Houston State University, where both graduated in 1999, Amy with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and minor in Chemistry and Andee with a Bachelor of Business Administration. Both received Second Team All-Southland Conference honors (at different times) and Academic All-Southland Conference honors. Amy also received Southland Conference Freshman of the Year honors, and currently holds the SHSU Career Assists record. Both continued their education, Andee graduating with a Master of Business Administration from SHSU in 2000, and Amy with a Master of Education Administration from Lamar University in 2011. 

After college, Amy continued in the basketball world as a coach at Midlothian High School, as well as Mansfield Legacy HS, assistant Coach at Texas A&M University, Cedar Hill HS, Duncanville HS and Fossil Ridge HS. She received Coach of the Year honors in 2002-03 at Cedar Hill HS and in 2008-09 at Legacy HS. 

Andee worked in the insurance industry for seven years before beginning her most important role of stay at home mom. She has also recently been named the Middle School Basketball Coach at Ovilla Christian School, and coaches youth sports teams in Midlothian. 

Amy is married to Glen Tennison, and has two boys, Bryce and Brett. Andee is married to Corby Kenter, and has three kids, Kylar, Colten, and Kalyn.

Reneé Southers Rodgers

Reneé Southers Rodgers was a multi-sport athlete in Duncanville ISD. She played basketball and ran track at Reed Middle School in her seventh and eighth grade years. She played volleyball her freshman year and made All-District. She also ran track all four years of high school and went to Regionals in the Mile Relay. She played basketball at Duncanville High School for four years and was on the first State Championship team in 1976. Renee' was selected to UIL State All-Tournament team. She made the TGCA All-State in 1976 and 1977. Reneé was also selected to play in the Texas North-South All-Star game and the Texas-Oklahoma All-Star game after her senior year. In 1977 she was named All-American for High School sports. 

Reneé played college basketball on a full scholarship for two years at South Plains Jr. College. After graduating from South Plains she attended Sam Houston State University on a full softball scholarship and played basketball as well. In 1980, the Sam Houston womens basketball team were State Champions with Reneé's leadership. In softball, she played center field and helped lead her team to two National Championships (NAIA and NCAA) in a row her junior and senior years. She was named an NCAA All-American her senior year in softball. 

After college, Reneé returned to Duncanville to teach at Reed Middle School where she taught science for 24 years. She was also the track and basketball coach at Reed Middle School for 14 years. Reneé retired from teaching but owns Globetrotter Travel, an adult/student travel company. She takes groups every year to Europe. She is married to Jim Rodgers and has raised three children, Jim Lee, Zach, and Rachel.

George Whitley

George Whitley was a small-town boy with down-home values and respect for God, women, and his country. Throughout George’s life, those qualities remained among his finest virtues. 

George graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science from East Texas State College. He served our country in the United States Air Force and then continured to get his Master of Science from the University of Texas-Austin in 1955.

Growing up in Honey Grove, Texas, George had Laverne Mankin as a Honey Grove High School typing teacher. Laverne’s husband Adair Mankin hired George for his first coaching job in Duncanville in 1955, where he served as coach and history teacher. Coach Whitley took over as head coach and Athletic Director for Duncanville ISD in 1960. According to the Dallas Times Herald, dated Tuesday, Feb 13, 1962, “The Duncanville Panthers weren’t given much of a chance to win the District 11-AA football championship last fall [1961]. But somewhere along the line, Coach George Whitley convinced his chargers that they could win the crown. And Whitley's Panthers went on to win that title over a heavily-favored Lancaster team…Thus Whitley has been named Coach of the Year for Class AA in Dallas County.” Coach Whitley was honored at the Sports Achievement Dinner for Dallas County on Friday evening, February 16, 1962. At that time, Coach Whitley had been head football coach at Duncanville for only two years. 

Coach Whitley was also the head track coach and won District Track Championships in 1959, 1960, 1961, and 1962. He coached the first Duncanville track athletes who qualified for the UIL State Track Meet in Austin. As Duncanville High School Athletic Director from 1960-64, he supported the following teams to the playoffs: Girls Basketball - state final four, 1962, district champions, 1961, 1963, and 1964; Baseball Regional Champions, 1961, Regional Finalists, 1963, District Champions, 1964. 

George became an Assistant Principal at Duncanville High School in 1963. In 1974, he was promoted to Director of Student Services. George was also a longtime member of the Duncanville Lions Club and served as President in 1969. Coach Whitley retired in 1998 after 43 years of service to DISD. For many years, even after his retirement, he served as the spotter for the announcer at DHS football games. He remained a staunch Panther fan until his death, May 1, 2012. 

George and Doris adopted their daughter Tiffany when she was three days old in October 1982. She now lives in Waxahachie and works in the non-profit field. George and Doris Whitley celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary in 2011. Doris Whitley was an English teacher and drill team teacher at DHS.

The love they shared for Duncanville can best be summed up by this quote: “You never leave a place you love; part of it you take with you, leaving part of yourself behind.”