George Rague, director of the Maplewood Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs, was beaming with pride last night, and for good reason.

Last night was Maplewood Recreation Department Recognition Night at the Township Committee meeting. Four of the Recreation Department's youth basketball teams and their coaches were recognized for their outstanding play this spring, as were a number of other programs and instructors.

Rague reported that Louis Toledo, the instructor for the Recreation Department's Karate Program, had achieved master martial arts instructor status and had been inducted into the International Association of Martial Arts Hall of Fame in May. Toledo also received the Martial Arts International Pioneer Award for his "commitment and dedication to the art and his students."

John Trinity, the Recreation Department's tennis pro and tennis program instructor since 1983, said Rague, has helped bring more than 25 local students to play tennis  at the college level and received the 2009 New Jersey High School Girl Tennis Coach of the Year Award.

Rague also singled out 8th grade boys basketball coach Lenny Grace for special mention. "Lenny not only coaches," said Rague, "He teaches the boys that they are students first, citizens second and players third." Rague said that Grace's insistence that students perform academically before they can perform on the court has been important to many of the boys' academic achievement and character-building.

Rague also spoke of the Department's Special Sports Starts program and Special Sports Clinics which have provided recreational opportunities for children with special challenges. More than 25 special students have participated in the program and clinics, but even more impressive, said Rague, is the fact than more than 75 volunteer students from Columbia High School have come out to aid the special students during the clinics. "Giving up their Sunday afternoons to help with the program, these students exemplify the quality and commitment of our young men and women to help improve their community by giving back to help those who need a little extra assistance."

Rague told Patch, "I think the high school students are getting more out of this than the special ed students!"