by Jan Didawick
One wouldn’t necessarily think a number would be that big of a deal, especially the number 21, but for one native family in Morgan County, the number 21 in girls sports at Berkeley Springs High School has played a huge part off and on for almost 50 years. The grandchildren, and the great grandchildren, of George H. Didawick and Hattie Michael Didawick are proud to have worn that number.
The tradition will continue in the Spring of 2025 when Alaira Harrington, daughter of Richard and Laura Didawick Harrington be the 6th member of the Didawick family who will play in her final season for Berkeley Springs High School softball team wearing number 21 on the back of her uniform.
Alaira has played the last three seasons as a pitcher and outfielder, where the last two years she has been selected on the Potomac Valley All Tournament team, 2nd Team; Class A All Star selection; All Area Softball, 1st Team All Conference 2nd team; All State and 1st Team All Area.
She also played basketball at the school but decided not to go out for her senior year to preserve her knee for softball. Alaira was recruited to play softball by Potomac State College Catamounts in 2026 and signed on December 3, 2024.
What began as an unplanned tradition in the 1975- 76 school year, Berkeley Springs High School brought forth women sports when Title 9 was won in 1972.
Jan Didawick, daughter of Hall of Famer, Ercel Didawick and his wife, Donna, was a junior at Berkeley Springs High School and played
basketball and softball. She chose uniform number 21 on the back of a yellow polyester shirt, which led to the almost half century span. Her two-year career at BSHS led her to Hagerstown Junior College, wearing number 21 there as well.
In 1977 Jan’s cousin, Pam Didawick Warfield, daughter of Philip and Peggy Didawick Sr, played on the Junior Varsity team and also wore number 21.
After a 10-year span, in 1987, basketball standout Laura Didawick Harrington daughter of George H. and Janice Didawick, began her four-year career at BSHS wearing the number 21 in both basketball and softball. Her career led her to play for Frostburg University, where she continued to wear the same number at the college.
In 2013, Laura’s daughter Makenah began wearing number 21 at Berkeley Springs High School when she played her four years, which carried her to Potomac State where she wore the number 21 for the Catamount Softball team for two years.
From 2017 through 2020, Kalea’h Mellot, Makenah’s cousin and daughter of Gina Didawick Mellot, began her 4-year basketball career and wore number 21 as well.
Will there be another? Possibly, because waiting in the wings and now learning the fundamentals of basketball and soccer, is Kara Novak, who is in middle school hopes to be playing sports as well. Kara is the niece of Pam Didawick Warfield and the daughter of Ashley and David Novak. Ashley’s parents are Philip Jr., and Candi Didawick. Kara is the great great granddaughter of George and Hattie Michael Didawick.
For almost a half century later the uniform styles may have changed throughout the years but the one thing that has never changed is the respect and the honor of wearing a shirt for many years at Berkeley Springs High School.
A number is just a number until meaning is given to it, and for at least six players already in the Didawick family, the number 21 has turned out to be a “Didawick” Family Tradition and hopefully, will continue on for many years.