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Rick Hitt (left), SFSC Athletic director, and Jeff Sikes at the SFSC Foundation Christmas Luncheon
AVON PARK, Fla. – Dec. 6, 2024 – With the thousands of alumni and exceptional graduates that South Florida State College (SFSC) has nurtured since 1965, selecting an outstanding alumnus for the SFSC Panther Alumni Society Hall of Fame is a difficult task. SFSC’s most prestigious alumni honor was awarded on Thursday, Dec. 5 to Jeff Sykes, during the SFSC Foundation’s annual Christmas Luncheon at the Hotel Jacaranda in Avon Park. Previous Hall of Fame inductees were Jeffrey Roth and John Sedlock.
“The SFSC Alumni Association is proud to honor Jeff Sikes as its 2024 Panther Alumni Society Hall of Fame Inductee,” said Anastasia Fuchser, SFSC Alumni Association coordinator. “Mr. Sikes embodies this award throughout many areas of his life by serving others and his community, as a positive role model for his athletes, and by making an impact in their lives both on and off the field. We are proud to call Jeff Sikes an SFSC alumnus and bestow this honor upon him.”
Sikes played baseball for the SFSC Panthers during the 1979-80 seasons and is a 1980 graduate of the College. He went on to the University of Kentucky, where he played baseball and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration in 1982. He was awarded a Master of Sports Science in Sports Management in 1993 from the United States Sports Academy.
Sikes served as head coach of Warner University’s Royals Baseball Program for 40 years, retiring in 2023. Since then, he has participated in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ (FCA) Coaches Ministry. According to the FCA, it is a 60-year-old organization in which athletes and coaches combine their passions of faith and athletics “to impact the world for Jesus Christ.”
While at Warner University, Sikes became the longest-serving head coach in the Sun Conference and the only coach to have participated in every season in the Conference’s history, with an impressive career record of 1,230 wins, 944 losses, and four ties. As head coach, he dedicated 40 years to building a legacy of success, sportsmanship, and mentorship. Beyond the field, he has had a lasting impact on his baseball players, 14 of whom went on to careers in Major League Baseball (MLB) and 50 became high school, college, or professional coaches. Many of his former athletes credit him for their successes off the field from the lessons learned under his guidance.
“As someone who has witnessed Coach Sike’s leadership, humility, and dedication to his players, his faith, and his community, I cannot think of a more deserving candidate for this honor,” said Taylor Massey in her nomination of Sikes for the SFSC Panther Alumni Society Hall of Fame. “I am confident that his accomplishments, character, and influence will continue to inspire future generations.”
