BEVERLY — Former cross country, wrestling and lacrosse standout Jason Haley; girls soccer, basketball and lacrosse superstar Tara Smyth; one-time teacher, coach and athletic director Robert Iannucci; and legendary wrestling coach Michael Reinacher have been inducted into the Landmark School's inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class.
The event coincided with the school's 40th anniversary as well as the opening of their new Alice Ansara Athletic Center located on campus in Prides Crossing.
Jason Haley, a 2002 Landmark graduate, was named the 2001-2002 New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Athlete of the Year as a senior. In wrestling he was both a two-time High School All-American and a two-time New England champion, winning his titles as a senior at Landmark and in his post-graduate year at Northfield Mount Hermon. Haley also was part of the 2000 New England Prep School Track Association Division 3 championship, and in lacrosse he was the leading scorer during his final three seasons and an Eastern Independent League (EIL) all-star during his senior campaign. In his final year at Landmark, Haley was given the school's Male Athlete of the Year Award.
Tara Smyth, a graduate of the Class of 2005, was a three-season varsity player in soccer, basketball and lacrosse, winning nearly every award that the school and her conference offered during her high school years. In soccer these accomplishments included being named team MVP multiple years, Independent Girls Conference All-Conference, All-New England and Player of the Year (2005). Smyth was named MVP her senior season of basketball as well as earning All-Conference, All-New England and IGC Player of the Year honors. Smyth wrapped up her final spring at Landmark by being named to the IGC All-League girls lacrosse team as well as the recipient of the team's Coaches' Award.
Robert Iannucci served as a teacher, coach and athletic director at Landmark from 1989-2005, including AD for the last 11 of those years. He helped grow the young school's athletic program, oversaw the creation of the sub-varsity program, and was instrumental in the creation of the Interscholastic Girls Conference (IGC), holding the position of both president and treasurer of that organization. Among his many awards was being named the Eastern Independent League most outstanding boys basketball coach for both 1997 and 1999.
Michael Reinacher was the head coach of the Vikings' wrestling program from the 1989-2005, guiding the team to 11 Eastern Independent League tournament titles and six dual meet titles. Under Reinacher's supervision, Landmark's varsity wrestling teams went undefeated in the EIL in back-to-back seasons (2000-01 and 2001-02). Two of his wrestlers went on to win New England championships in 1996-97 and 2001-02. Over his 16 years, Reinacher was EIL Coach of the Year many times over and also served as the EIL wrestling commissioner for multiple years.
"We have seen many outstanding athletes, coaches, and athletic directors pass through Landmark's doors in the past 40 years. We knew that it was finally time to formally honor some of them through a Hall of Fame display and event in our new Alice Ansara Athletic Center, for which they helped lay the foundation," Landmark School Headmaster Bob Broudo said in a release.
"Our students and professionals are gifted at problem solving, being creative, committed and resilient. We see this play out again and again in athletics and we're very proud of their achievements. This Hall of Fame enables us to preserve some of these accomplishments as a way of saying thank you and building the school's future."
Landmark School is an independent, coeducational boarding and day school with elementary, middle, and college preparatory high school programs. It caters to students, grades 2-12 with language-based learning disabilities, such as dyslexia.
