The Lake Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame Committee was proud to announce the induction of four distinguished members on Friday, September 6, 2024. This year’s inductees, Blake Bridges, Brittany Turner Flynn, Brandi Love Higginbotham, and John Utley, were honored during a celebratory evening that included a dinner, induction ceremony, and a special pre-game presentation at the home football game. Read each inductee bio below.
𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬, a 2008 graduate of Lake Hamilton High School, is a distinguished cheerleader, scholar-athlete, and leader. Serving as the captain of the 2008 Lake Hamilton High School Runner-Up Cheerleading Team. Blake received a full scholarship to the University of Kentucky, where he made history by winning two of Kentucky's renowned twenty-five total National Collegiate Cheerleading Championships—the only cheerleader from Lake Hamilton to do so for a Division 1A College. Blake graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and began his fitness career at Barry's Bootcamp in Los Angeles. He quickly rose through the ranks to become the Head of Fitness and Curriculum for Barry's Australia Pacific, opening studios in Sydney, Melbourne, and Singapore. Currently, Blake resides in Miami, Florida, where he serves as a fitness concierge and personal assistant to a prominent tech founder and politician, working between Miami and New York City.
𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐥𝐲𝐧𝐧, a 2008 graduate of Lake Hamilton, left a lasting mark on the school’s tennis, cross-country, and track programs. She became the first Lake Hamilton tennis player to win an individual state title, securing the 2006 State Singles Championship after clinching conference honors in both tennis and cross-country. Her success continued in track, helping her teams win multiple state titles in 2006 and 2007. At Arkansas Tech University, Brittany excelled as a four-year letterwinner in tennis, earning academic and athletic honors, including Second-Team All-GSC and Gulf South Conference Academic Honor Roll recognition. Brittany pursued a career in nursing and, after obtaining a Master of Nursing degree, she now balances her professional life with her greatest blessings: her husband Patrick and their two sons, Robert and Jack.
𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦 spent over three decades shaping Lake Hamilton's athletic legacy, both as an athlete and coach, from her time as a student to her retirement in 2024. A standout in basketball and tennis, Brandi earned all-conference and all-state honors and was selected for the Arkansas All-Star game in 1990. She went on to coach basketball, softball, golf, track, and cheerleading, receiving recognition as the 2000 AAA Softball State Coach of the Year and the 6A South Basketball Coach of the Year in 2009. Among her most cherished memories are the joy of winning state titles with her teams in softball and basketball and working with legendary coaches. Brandi also played basketball at Arkansas College, where she earned all-conference honors and was inducted into the Lyon College Hall of Fame in 2007. She currently serves as Assistant Women's Basketball Coach at Ouachita Baptist University. Brandi is married to Shawn Higginbotham, Superintendent of Schools at Lake Hamilton, and they have two children, Ginny and Jack.
𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐔𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐲, a retired coach and athletic director, dedicated 30 years to Lake Hamilton's athletic programs from August 1994 to May 2024. He played a pivotal role in the success of several teams as an assistant coach for baseball, track, and football and as head coach for golf, swimming and diving, bowling, and wrestling. John was honored as the 2007 Arkansas High School Coaches Association Bowling Coach of the Year and earned numerous accolades, including the 2017 AHSAAA State Athletic Director of the Year. Under his leadership as Athletic Director, Lake Hamilton teams captured 26 state championships. His proudest moments include winning state titles in football (2008), bowling (2007, 2008, and 2017), and boys' indoor track (2000). John is a three-year starter and letterman at Arkansas Tech University. Married to his wife Belinda for 40 years, they have two children, Nic and Brooke, both Lake Hamilton graduates.