Media Release for 2009 Induction Ceremony
June 24th, 2009 - The Penetanguishene Sports Hall of Fame received 10 nominations from the general public by our May 31st deadline - the highest number ever received! What was even more impressive was the quality and thoroughness of the packages submitted in support of their nominees, as some were truly outstanding and gave the PSHOF committee great portraits of the nominees and invaluable historical information about them and their sport’s contribution. The nominators should be applauded for their fine efforts. The committee made two nominations on its own as well. The 2009 field of nominees were exceptional and indicate a rich and varied array of sporting life and accomplishments in and from Penetanguishene.
It is with great pleasure that the Penetanguishene Sports Hall of Fame Committee announces its nine (9) 2009 Inductees in three categories:
Builders-
1-John Gouett, nominated by Henry Bisschop, was born in Toronto but moved to Penetanguishene at a young age. In 1967, he was instrumental in founding his first Oldtimers hockey team, the Penetanguishene Centennial Oldtimers, who would go on to tour Ontario. In 1974, he established the Canadian Oldtimers Hockey Association which he quickly expanded into an international movement by organizing Oldtimers tournaments all over the globe. In Oldtimers hockey circles, he is known as “the Founder”.
2- Kevin Scott, nominated by Scott Hartman, taught at Penetanguishene Secondary School between 1986 and 2001 and became instrumental in establishing PSS as a wrestling powerhouse. His 13 year wrestling program produced a vast array of local and provincial champions that put PSS and Penetanguishene on the wrestling map. His impact on the sport and the students under his tutelage is exemplified by the many graduates of his program who went on to excel in their sport at the college, university and international levels. All credit Kevin Scott for their success.
3- William “Bill” Hartman, nominated by Kathy Adamson, taught and coached volleyball at PSS for 22 years. He was instrumental in making PSS a powerhouse in boy’s and girl’s volleyball, with his teams winning countless medals locally and provincially between 1986 and 2008 which include 14 local GBSSA championships, 15 provincial OFSSA appearances and 4 provincial OFSSA medals of which the highest was a Girl’s Senior silver medal in 2007. Bill was also instrumental in establishing a local Beach Volleyball club in nearby Midland.
4- Ken Desjardins, nominated by Steven Gauthier, has been teaching karate in Penetanguishene for over 14 years, establishing his Shito-Kai Karate Dojo karate club in 1995. Sensei Desjardins has been an inspiration to his many students locally which culminated when three of his Penetanguishene students received their black belts in competitions held in Monterrey, Mexico in 2004. His students have participated and won countless medals at competitions provincially, nationally and internationally. A 4th degree black belt himself, Desjardins has also been a coach for Canadian teams at international competitions.
Athletes -
5- Elizabeth “Liz” Duval, nominated by Annette Duval, began playing hockey at the age of 10. She played women’s hockey locally before enrolling and playing on the women’s varsity Gryphon’s team at the University of Guelph. As captain for three years, she led the Gryphons in scoring. They would win the Ontario OWIAA championship in 1994-95. As the team’s MVP, Liz was a finalist that year for the University of Guelph’s Sportswoman of the Year Award. She also starred with the Mississauga Chiefs of the Central Ontario Women’s Hockey League between 1994 and 2000, and scored the overtime winner in 1996 in leading the Chiefs to the Ontario Senior AA Women’s hockey title.
6- Brian Dubeau, nominated by John Dubeau, was a tennis prodigy from the town’s growing tennis scene in the late 1950s. In 1958, the 14 yr. old stunned the provincial tennis world by powering his way to the Toronto Telegram Provincial tennis finals where he disappointingly lost. He put the experience to good use though and when he returned the next year to the same Toronto tournament, incidentally by hitchhiking a ride, he was ready. Showing grit and determination, Brian won the 1959 Junior Boys Toronto Telegram provincial title with powerful serves and overhead smashes that had him the talk of the town and the province’s sports pages.
Teams –
7- 1979-80 Russ Howard Curling Team, nominated by PSHOF, the Penetanguishene curling Club team consisted of skip Russ Howard, second Larry Merkley, third Bob Ruston, and lead Kent Carstairs. They won the local playdowns and then advanced to and won the Ontario Tankard Championship. Representing the province at the Brier in Calgary Alberta, they lost in a deciding playoff game against the eventual winner Rick folk of Saskatchewan, but it put Penetanguishene on the Canadian Curling map, a place it would stay for the next decade and beyond.
8- 1986-87 Russ Howard Curling Team, nominated by PSHOF, the Penetanguishene Curling Club team consisted of skip Russ Howard, second Glenn Howard, third Tim Belcourt, lead Kent Carstairs and fifth Larry Merkley. They were the Ontario Tankard Champions and then advanced to and won the Canadian Briar Championship in Edmonton, Alberta. Their year culminated when they next won the World Curling Championship, beating West Germany at BC Place in Vancouver.
9- 1992-93 Russ Howard Curling Team, nominated by Paul Stack, the Penetanguishene Curling Club team consisted of skip Russ Howard, second Glenn Howard, third Wayne Middaugh, lead Peter Corner and fifth Larry Merkley. They had another stellar year when they won the Ontario Tankard Championship, the Canadian Briar Championship and the World Curling Championship. The team also won the Player’s Invitational Championship and the TSN Skin’s Championship.
The 2009 PSHOF Induction Dinner & Ceremony will take place on Saturday, October 3rd, 2009 at the Brian Orser Hall. The tickets will be available towards the end of the summer. It promises to be a historical evening and tickets will be in great demand as seating will be limited. Further details to follow.