CYO Hall of Famers honored for athletic leadership

Pictured from left at the Catholic Charities' CYO Athletics Hall of Fame awards dinner March 23 are Catholic Charities CEO Jilma Meneses, honoree Joanne McDonnell, honoree Barney Barron’s daughter and wife who accepted the award in his absence; honoree Jim Keenan; and director of Catholic Charities CYO Athletics Kevin Finn. (Photo courtesy Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Francisco)
 

April 10, 2019

Christina Gray

Catholic San Francisco

Barney Barron, Jim Keenan and Joanne McDonnell were honored for their contributions to CYO Athletics at the annual Catholic Charities' CYO Hall of Fame Awards dinner held March 23 at the Father O’Reilly CYO Center at the St. Emydius School Gymnasium in San Francisco.

The trio were recognized for their distinguished, decades-long leadership as coaches, athletic directors and board members of Catholic Charities' CYO Athletics. 

Barney Barron was instrumental in developing the St. Paul of the Shipwreck program as athletic director and coach. Jim Keenan was a St. Cecilia athlete-turned coach who went on to become the longtime athletic director and coach at St. Anne and St. Thomas the Apostle schools. Both Barron and Keenan served on the original CYO Athletics Board. Joanne McDonnell is currently in her 22nd year as St. Brendan girls’ athletic director and served nine years on the CYO Athletics advisory board. 

Leo Cinco of St. Stephen School, Dan Mauer of St. Peter School in Pacifica, Lynda Simpson of St. John the Evangelist School and Erick Solares of St. Elizabeth School were recognized the same evening as “Coaches in the Spotlight.”

Catholic Charities' CYO Athletics provides healthy growth and development through games, practices and the life lessons that sports teach, according to catholiccharitiessf.org. It serves more than 11,000 youth in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties through 54 programs.

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