The Miami Lakes Sports Hall of Fame inducted two coaches and two former professional athletes in its Class of 2023 on Dec. 9.
The late Bill Arnsparger led college football teams and was athletic director at the University of Florida. A Miami Laker, he was a defensive coordinator in the NFL and credited with the No Name Defense. He was on the coaching staffs for the 1972 and 1973 Super Bowl championship-winning Miami Dolphins.
Samari Rolle played football and basketball at Optimist Park. A cornerback, he played at Florida State and for the Tennessee Titans and the Baltimore Ravens before retiring in 2009.
Adrian Cardenas played baseball at Optimist Park and for Monsignor Edward Pace High School. In the major league, he played second base for the Chicago Cubs until retirement in 2012.
Town resident Jose Enriquez was the first soccer coach at Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School and first coach to win both the Greater Miami Athletic Conference and a state championship in the same year, 1978. The first principal of Jose Marti Middle School, he retired in 2000.
Shown in the first photo while unveiling their plaques in the Optimist Park Clubhouse from left are Adrian Cardenas, David Arnsparger, son of Bill Arnsparger, Jose Enriquez and Samari Rolle.
In the second photo from left are Committee Chair Ryan Holland; honoree David Arnsparger; Committee member Roman O. Garcia, Jr.; honoree Adrian Cardenas; Hall of Fame member and Committee member Miriam Ochoa, Class of 2020; honorees Jose Enriquez and Samari Rolle; Committee Vice Chair Jim Hamilton; Committee member Marcos Gutierrez and Town Councilman Josh Dieguez.