Cloukey, McAvoy newest “Legends”

    PRESQUE ISLE – Rene Cloukey, longtime WAGM-TV sports director, is one of the newest inductees into the Maine Sports Legends Hall of Honors. Cloukey and William “Bill” McAvoy will both be representing the Northern Region in the hall for 2008.     The official induction will take place at the 13th annual Maine Sports Legends banquest on Oct. 12 at noon in the Alfond Youth Center in Waterville.
    Cloukey played high school basketball and baseball for four years at Ashland High School. After graduation, he coached Little League baseball and youth basketball.
    Cloukey soon found his niche in broadcasting sports, first on the radio for seven years and then on television. For the past 25 years as sports director, Cloukey has brought the excitement of high school sports into living rooms around the County as well as middle school, recreation and Special Olympic events.
    “Rene always makes sure all sports, not just basketball or baseball, are covered and no one’s accomplishments are overlooked.     His commitment to athletics, especially high school sports in the County, enhances our coverage and highlights youngsters taking part in a wide variety of activities,” said Jon Gulliver, news director at WAGM-TV.
    Former athletic director Dwight Hunter commented, “I can’t count how many times over the years we would see Rene with camera propped on his shoulder both indoors and outdoors, taping the games or events himself for his sports program.
    “Rene doesn’t favor one school over the other in his program; this in itself shows what a special broadcaster he is,” Hunter added.
    Cloukey’s in-depth coverage has garnered many honors. Cloukey was named Maine Sportscaster of the Year three times, Maine College Basketball Coaches Association and Athletic Directors Media Person of the Year and Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Media Person of the Year.
    Cloukey has also been involved in the community with the Maine Special Olympics. For 20 years, he has organized a golf tournament to benefit and raise awareness for the Special Olympics program in the County.
    As a member of the Aroostook Management Team for the Special Olympics, Rene has been honored with the Maine Special Olympics Service Award and the Special Olympics Hero Award presented by Special Olympics International.
    Cloukey’s other community involvements include announcing moto-cross and Spud Speedway events, past president of the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club, Ashland Fish and Game Club, Ashland Jaycees and Madawaska Jaycees. He is also a former member of the Ashland and Presque Isle Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Service.
    McAvoy was an outstanding high school athlete at Sherman and Katahdin. In his junior and senior years, 1967-68, he was chosen as an All-Tournament team member.
    “Bill was one of the most polite, caring and hardest workers I had ever coached. He conducted himself the same way outside the sports setting,” said McAvoy’s high school coach Ron Marks. “We won the State Class S Championship, beating Strong High School, with Bill being the key man on the Sherman team.”
    At Unity College, McAvoy set four hoop records, was chosen Outstanding Small College Athlete of America, had the most points in one season and game, was selected to the Outstanding College Athletes of America Hall of Fame, and was named to the All-Maine and All-Conference teams.
    After college, McAvoy played semi-professional basketball for three years with Terry’s Texaco and Sunoco teams.
    McAvoy started his coaching career at Central Aroostook in 1972. McAvoy was at Central Aroostook as an assistant coach and head coach for a total of 19 years. After taking a couple of years off, he returned to coaching at Katahdin for 12 years.
    “He absolutely loves the game of basketball and the kids he has coached. He is a real student of the game, and he never stops trying to learn more about it. Billy still looks at tapes and reads articles about basketball. He is very intense and that rubs off on his teams,” said longtime girls basketball coach Dick Barstow, who has known McAvoy since the fifth grade.
    McAvoy’s Katahdin team won the 2000 Class D Eastern Maine title, and McAvoy posted his 300th win.
    “Bill has a tremendous knowledge of basketball, so the kids have confidence in him. He creates a good team atmosphere where all the kids work together. He brings out their best qualities,” said Bob Dyer, Katahdin athletic director.
    McAvoy was chosen Class D coach of the year four times during his career.