Thu. August 1, 2024
Marcus Han still recalls the summer of 2012, playing left field for his Open Sunday Softball league team of the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association (CMSA), Wicked. He hit a game-winning, walk-off home run in the semifinals of that season’s playoffs – and his team went on to win the C2 Division championship.
“There have been a few (honors and accolades within CMSA), but I can’t remember,” he said. “I really try not to focus on the awards or accolades. I try to focus on building the CMSA community and just giving back to the people who have had such a positive influence on my life.”
Now CMSA is giving back to Han, 47, who has lived in Chicago for 25 years and been an ever-present part of CMSA since 2005. Over the past two decades, Han has played CMSA softball, flag football, basketball, indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, indoor soccer and dodgeball. He still plays indoor volleyball, which is his favorite and best sport.
He also has been the indoor volleyball commissioner for three years, served on the board for indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, flag football and basketball. Plus, Han has coached and managed numerous teams over the years, and umpired softball and refereed flag football.
Han is one of three inductees into the CMSA Hall of Fame, class of 2024, along with Kayla Cormier and Lindsay Frounfelkner. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is Saturday, August 3 at Sidetrack (3349 N. Halsted Street) at 6 p.m. and is open to the public.
“This year’s Hall of Fame class includes individuals with varied experiences making CMSA the organization it is today,” said Brian Kupersmit, Hall of Fame Committee Chair. “Kayla is known for her dedication as a teammate and commissioner for women’s dodgeball, her energy provided a safe, social environment for women on Friday nights. Lindsay led CMSA through our post-Covid re-opening and the restructuring of our financial processes. Marcus is known as a knowledgeable and dedicated official in flag football and a leader in volleyball.”
Begun in 2008, the CMSA Hall of Fame has honored individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond to build one of the largest not-for-profit inclusive sports organizations in the country. The honorees are nominated by fellow CMSA members and selected by a committee of current hall of famers.
Han was born in South Korea, grew up in North Babylon, New York.
“I joined CMSA in the summer of 2005 after playing in an LGBTQ basketball league the previous winter. In that league I met Shawn Albritton who encouraged me to play softball and meet more wonderful people through CMSA,” Han said. “Year one was magical, playing softball on the Buck’s Rockin Robins. It was a new team that quickly bonded with the help of our fantastic coaches, Mike Hendricks and Bob Webb. We played very well and earned a trophy. It was special because it was my very first time ever playing softball and after that experience, I realized that I could play and do well.”
Han said being inducted into the CMSA Hall of Fame is “an honor and I feel so humbled.”
“It ultimately means that I can recognize and honor all the wonderful people who I met through CMSA, who have equally helped me grow as a person and lead a fulfilling life,” he said.
Han added: “I feel like I just did the things that I love and am passionate about. I enjoy seeing people happy and having a good time and if it means giving a little piece of myself, I am more than willing to do it. Service and giving back are extremely important. Through the foundation of love and acceptance, we can and should do whatever we can to build the CMSA community.”
Frounfelkner, 43, said being inducted into the CMSA Hall of Fame “is the highest honor I’ve received next to (winning) the Brodie Award in 2018. Both (honors) show that my approach to sports, (and) sportsmanship above all else, is valued. I stand on the shoulders of so many great people who built this organization during much more trying times. Having my name even close to the same category is humbling.”
Frounfelkner, who manages finances at a law firm, has lived in Chicago for 23 years and is originally from Phoenix. She joined CMSA in 2008 when a friend asked her to join his open softball team. “I was finishing undergrad at the time and hadn’t played softball in a while so thought it would be something fun (and a way) to meet new people,” she said. “We lost every game (that season), but I met some of the greatest people who remain my close friends.”
Over the years, Frounfelkner has played softball, flag football, badminton, kickball and dodgeball. She still plays volleyball and softball, with the latter being her favorite and best sport.
In addition, Frounfelkner has been a volleyball captain, open indoor volleyball board member, women’s + fall softball commissioner, open softball assistant commission/board member, executive appointed board member, and CMSA president.
She truly shines her dedication to CMSA and long created a safe space – and fun space – for her softball team.
“Leading the organization through COVID and tightening financial policies to promote more transparency,” is part of her legacy, she said. “Promoting diversity in leadership and at the player level, too, along with giving back to the community – starting the school supply drive in the open softball league. Being president was one of the hardest years of my life. I spent a lot of it crying trying to balance the safety of our players with the enthusiasm for community and social activities during COVID lockdowns. Adding another financial scandal to that year made it even worse. I’m still getting over how bad that time was.”
Frounfelkner said winning the prestigious Brodie Award with the late Bobby Nicholson there to celebrate “is one of my favorite memories,” she said. “People pulling me aside when softball started back up in 2020, thanking the organization saying being able to be outside with friends was the highlight of their year (stands out).
“Sitting at the annual party in April seeing so many young, diverse, new faces realizing the organization is back on the right track brought me a ton of joy.”
Frounfelkner added that being inducted into the3 CMSA Hall of Fame tells others that you don’t need to play in upper divisions or even be good at sports to make a difference in the organization. “This class in particular shows the actual diversity of the organization which isn’t always seen,” she said.
Former CMSA president Matt Herek said Cormier “is highly deserving of this recognition,” particularly for her involvement with dodgeball and kickball.
“There is no one who brings the appropriate energy and organization to the sports and athletes she leads,” Herek said of Cormier. “Kayla is best described as low ego, high output. Her contributions have made an impact for many years.”
Cormier, 35, a support engineer with BQE Software, has lived in Chicago for 12 years. She is originally from New Hampshire by way of Boston. She joined CMSA in 2013 as Cormier “wanted to create queer community and move my body,” she said.
Her first year with CMSA included dodgeball with the Middle Aged Tomcats.
She has played dodgeball, softball, kickball, indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, Ultimate and basketball.
Cormier also has been a dodgeball commissioner, CMSA at-large board member and more, such as helping run CMSA’s Capture The Flag and Field Days in 2015 and 2016. In addition, Cormier has been a referee and more.
The CMSA Hall of Fame “is exciting for me to be acknowledged for showing up for something that I spent a lot of time and energy building and get so much satisfaction from participating in,” she said. “The years of playing, planning and building community on the shoulders of and alongside a gang of awesome humans has been the honor. This nomination is just the icing on the cake.
“I wanted to create safe spaces for people to grow and experience. I ran women’s+ dodgeball at a pivotal time of transition for the league. I showed up as my full self and helped others do the same,” she said.
Her dodgeball career has included diving and somersaulting on the court; plus, years of collectively grunting with the Bagel Bumpers cheer; meeting two partners; creating lifelong friendships.
Cormier’s advice: “Keep showing up and taking up space. Keep trying new things. Keep voicing your opinions and creating safe queer spaces where people feel comfortable to show up as their full selves, seen, heard and respected. Follow in my footsteps and use your voice, time and energy to make something great.
“Thank you to those who have come before me to build this league and create the opportunity for a silly little queerdo like me to take up space. Thank you (to) the Bagel and Bagel adjacent community for making this community what it is. Thank you to Gabi Bonucci for realizing how much my roles in CMSA mean to me and nominating me. Thank you to the Hall of Fame committee for accepting my nomination, specifically Brian Sommer and Matt Herek for advocating for me.”
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