May 16, 2011
HAMPTON, VA-- Former ODU Sailing Coach and member of the ODU Sports Hall of Fame,Gary Bodie inducted into the 11th anual Athletic Hall of Fame for the Lower Peninsula over the weekend. Bodie was inducted with Aaron Brooks, VInce Brown, Buddy Lex and Mike Tomlin.
Bodie, a graduate of Hampton High School and the California Institute of Technologyis a longtime leader in the Hampton Roads sailing community.
In the early 1980's, Gary Bodie put a young Old Dominion University sailing program on the map, and helped to pilot the program to national prominence. Under his guidance, the Monarchs captured the 1982 Intercollegiate Yacht Racing Association women's sailing national championship.
The team first qualified for the Dinghy National Championships in 1982, finishing 12th. The dinghy squad placed ninth in 1983 and sixth in 1985. The Monarchs qualified for the Team Racing National Championships in 1982, finishing eighth, qualified again in 1983, finishing third.
The titles were the first of many, as he coached the school's first sailing all-American, K.C. Fullmer in 1983, along with Alan Kilgore, the Monarchs first Olympic sailor. Fullmer, who later became the Monarchs' head coach was inducted in the Old Dominion Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. Bodie also coached future All-Americans, Linda Taboada and Mike Martin along with Stacy Ench, the school's first All-Star Crew All-American recipient in 1985.
Bodie was instrumental in the designing of the sailing center which opened in 1984. Old Dominion hosted the ICYRA women's Dinghy and Team Racing National Championships in June of 1985. The school also hosted the ICYRA singlehanded National Championships in December of 1980. In 1985, Bodie coached at the Olympic Festival in Baton Rouge, LA.
Bodie coached Old Dominion's sailing program until 1985 before becoming the head coach at the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1995, he became the director of the sailing program at Hampton University.
In 1998, Bodie was named coach of the United State Olympic Sailing Team and hassince coached in three Olympic games.
Bodie was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
In 1971, the Hampton City Council established the Athletic Hall of Fame of the Lower Virginia Peninsula to honor individuals who by outstanding achievement or service have made lasting contributions to the cause of sports on the Lower Virginia Peninsula. And that their achievements, have reflected favorably on the Lower Peninsula area in the eyes of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation and the world. Every three years the committee selects new inductees to be honored. Since 1971 fifty-two members have been selected to the Hall of Fame. This year will mark the 40th Anniversary of the Athletic Hall of Fame of the Lower Virginia Peninsula.