PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth High School’s first athletic hall of fame is becoming a reality at long last.

“There’s over 50 years of history at Portsmouth High School that needs to be and deserves to be recognized,” PHS Athletic Director Stephen Trezvant told the School Committee Tuesday night.

The idea received overwhelming support from committee members and administrators, who had only one question: What took so long? Middletown, Newport, Barrington and Tiverton high schools all have athletic halls of fames, as do the towns of Bristol and Warren.

“As an outsider coming in, I was kind of surprised we don’t have a Hall of Fame here because we’re known for our sports,” said Superintendent Ana Riley, who came to the district only last year.

Replied PHS Principal Robert Littlefield, tongue firmly in cheek, “We wanted to have 50 years of history, which we have accomplished. We believe the time is right.”

Mr. Littlefield, who’s spearheading the effort along with Mr. Trezvant, said being inducted into two different high school halls of fame — one as an athlete, another as coach — were among the highlights of his life.

“It brings people back to school and gets alumni thinking about their school and making connections. All things positive come out of these events,” he said.

Mr. Trezvant said the first task, which he hopes will be completed by December, is to form a hall of fame committee consisting of former coaches, athletic directors, administrators and others. A set of bylaws will establish the hall of fame as a “self-sustaining” organization that will rely on fund-raising to keep it going, he said.

Among the questions the hall of fame panel will need to tackle, he said: Will individuals be selected only by nominations? Will post-PHS achievements be recognized? How many years after graduating does someone need to wait until they’re eligible to be nominated?

By March 1, the panel will send out information about the hall of fame to the community as well as a request for nominations. The selection of inductees will start June 15 and continue throughout the summer, he said.

An inaugural event and ceremony recognizing individuals who were selected for the hall will be held in the fall of 2016, Mr. Trezvant said.

John Blaess, a former PHS athletic director, vice principal and track coach who graduated in 1972, is also assisting with the efforts. He said the hall of fame should also honor successful coaches who made a difference in the lives of athletes at PHS.

Teams that achieved milestones for the school should also get some attention, he said. One probable candidate for the hall, said Mr. Blaess, is the 1968 varsity football team that won the Class C crown, “the first championship of any kind for Portsmouth High School.”

Some of the money raised by the hall of fame committee, he said, should go toward a permanent display at the “new gym” or wherever the principal deems it appropriate.

“It’s long overdue,” he said.

Speaking of the gym, committee member John Wojichowski suggested that perhaps the hall of fame group should also be tasked with coming up with an official name for the building.

“We keep calling the gym ‘the new gym,’ and it’s not really that new anymore,” said Mr. Wojichowski.

Teams recognized

At the start of the meeting, the committee recognized three school sports teams that captured state titles last year. Chairperson Terri Cortvriend read proclamations and extended congratulations to the following teams, which all received applause:

• The Portsmouth Middle School girls’ basketball team, which won the school its first state title in that category in 41 years.

• The PHS varsity girls’ soccer team, which took home the Division I crown last fall, a first for a girls’ squad at the school. (The team could not attend the meeting because it was playing a game at South Kingstown that very moment.)

• The PHS cheerleading squad, which won the state title in March.

Teacher of the year

Also Tuesday night, Rebecca Silveira, a longtime teacher at the middle school, was recognized as the district’s “Teacher of the Year.”

Jacob Caron of the technology department was recognized as the support staff member of the year.

Thomas Kenworthy, assistant vice principal, said administrators received many nominations in both categories.

Next meeting

The next School Committee meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13.