Amateur Athlete
The Amateur Athlete award was presented for outstanding performance as an amateur athlete in their sport The Amateur Athlete award was presented to two individuals Sue Weir & Arsene Tanguy
Sue Weir – Master Swimmer
Sue Weir was born in Hamilton Ontario and moved to Sarnia in 1989. Weir began swimming in 1984 at the age of 28 and started competing in earnest in 1993 at the age of 36. Her best competitive events were the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly and backstroke. Over the last 20 years she has won more than 200 medals nationally and internationally.
Weir broke her first record in 1996 at age 39. She broke four Canadian records and 75 provincial records. Currently holds 26 provincial records.
Weir also attended three World Master Championships and won a medal at each. She earned top 5 rankings provincially and 10 nationally. In 1998 she was ranked 10th in the world for 2 events. (100m backstroke, 100m butterfly)
Arsene Tanguy – Barrel Racing
Petrolia area native Arsene Tanguy has had many wins, awards and accomplishments over the past 40 years. One of his highlights was in 1996 when he won the Senior’s 1-D National Barrel Racing Association in Augusta, Georgia. His winning time stood for three years and to date he is the only Canadian to accomplish this achievement.
Bud Morrison Award
The Bud Morrison Award recognizes a person who over a number of years has made significant contributions to the youth in their sport endeavours. (ie: coach, manager, official, trainer, facility maintenance, including school officials). This year recipient is Doug White.
Doug White
Doug White of Sarnia has been a trainer for over 30 years with various teams in Lambton County. He has worked with the Sarnia Jr B teams including the Legionnaires for over 30 years, White worked with the Mooretown Flags for 3 years and the Sarnia Pacers Jr B Lacrosse team for over 22 years. Doug has also worked with the Sarnia Minor Hockey Association, Sarnia Braves Baseball Tournament and Sarnia and Mooretown Silver Stick hockey tournaments..
Doug, a retired RPN has always shown good sportsmanship with the players, officials and supporters. He is easy going and speaks to players, coaches and officials with a positive attitude.
Builder Award
The Builder Award recognizes a person for their significant contributions in the establishment of a sport from its infancy to the mature state within the community;
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would have been the individual to keep a sport alive in the community;
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long-term service on sport committees and executive positions either at the local, provincial or national levels
This year’s recipient of the Builder Awards is being presented to Bill Riley.
Bill Riley – Silver Stick
Bill Riley has been involved with the International Silver Stick since 1970 as a founding executive committee member for the first ever juvenile regional silver stick hockey tournament in Mooretown. In 1972 he was nominated as the first International Silver Stick Juvenile Finals Tournament Director and held that position until 1981. In 1982 Bill was elected to the International Silver Stick Board of Directors and held this position on the board until 2012. During that time he was elected to the position of First Deputy Commission for International Silver Stick. (1988 – 1989) and in 1989 elected to the position of Head Commissioner. Bill was elected as an honorary life member of International Silver Stick in 2006.
Earl MacKenzie Award
The Earl MacKenzie Award recognizes those people involved in sports at least 30 years prior to the year of induction who are worthy of enshrinement. Receiving this year’s Earl MacKenzie award is Don (Mouse) McPhail.
Don “Mouse” McPhail - Baseball, Hockey
Don McPhail was involved in sports since 1949 as a youth and continued to play into his senior years.
In Baseball he played for the Senior Sarnia Easy Movers, Port Huron Cardinals and attended the St. Louis Cardinal Florida tryout camp. He later played for the London Majors and Sarnia Chippewa Indians.
From 1959-1967 Don played softball, first with the Polymer Industrial Softball Team who won the Ontario Intermediate Industrial Championship and later he played for the Dollard Des Ormeaux (Montreal) and were the Slow Pitch Champs in 1965-66.
In Hockey he played as a youth and in 1955-59 he was a member of the Jr. B Legionnaires team who won the all Ontario Championship in 1957-58. Don was also a member of the Polymer Industrial Hockey/Sarnia Chippewa Indians.
Don began coaching in 1970 for the SMAA Midget All Stars and won the London Silver Stick in 1971 and 1972.
Professional Athlete
The Professional Athlete Award is presented to an athlete for his/her outstanding performer at the professional level who has achieved professional status and maintained that level for three (3) years or three (3) seasons and be retired from his/her professional career for a minimum of three (3) years. The 2013 Award will be presented to Kris Hall.
Kris Hall – Watercraft
Kris Hall is a three time World Champion at the International Jet Sports racing association World Finals at Lake Havasu City in Arizona. Canada was one of 41 countries associated with the World Finals. Hall has won multiple Provincial Champions in Ontario and Quebec and has several Canadian Grand National titles from 1995 – 1998.
In 1997 he won the Shall Canada’s most Extreme Rider award at the Canadian Grand Nationals in Montreal Quebec. In 1996 he was voted the Most Dedicated Racer of the Year by the Canadian Watercraft Industry.
Special Achievement
The Special Achievement Award recognizes a person who over a number of years has made significant contributions to sports beyond athletic endeavours, i.e.: media, coach, official, trainer etc. This year Special Achievement Award is being presented to Gord Neely Sr.
Gord Neely Sr - Hockey – Lacrosse
As a player Gord Neely has been involved with sports competing in Lacrosse, Hockey, Roller Hockey, Broomball, Two Pitch and Football.
As a coach Neely’s coaching resume includes Lacrosse, Hockey, Two Pitch, Roller Hockey that includes youth and senior teams.
In Lacrosse his teams won the Peewee House League and All Stars and Midget House League and All Stars. Neely coached the Ontario Summer Games Silver Medalist Jr C. Point Edward Easy Movers. Coaching The OLA Jr B Point Edward Pacers the team won two All Ontario Championships and All Canadian Championship titles. Neely also coached the OLA Senior B Lumley Wrecking and were Canadian Runner up. Later he coached the Sr B. St Clair Storm and today he is head coach for the St B Sarnia Beavers.
Neely also earned Coach of the Year Title twice for his accomplishments with the Jr. B team and twice was selected to the Western League All Stars.
In Hockey Neely was involved with the Forest Boys Hockey, Point Edward Easy Movers Hockey, Walpole Island Hawks, Point Edward Comets and Local 530 IBEW Hockey program.
In the other two sports he coached the in the Chemical Valley Two Pitch League and the Sarnia Cavillers Roller Hockey team.
Team
The Team Award is presented to a group in recognition for winning a major championship or
team performing in an outstanding manner over a period of time. The 2013 Team Award is being presented to the 1987 Sarnia Ranson Men’s Senior A Fastball Team.
1987 Sarnia Ranson Men’s Senior A Fastball Team
Ontario Senior A Men’s Champions
In the summer of 1987 the Sarnia Ranson Men’s Senior A Fastball team went undefeated (7-0) and gave up just two runs to win the Ontario Senior A Championships that was hosted in Sarnia.
That same year the team won Silver at the National Championships in Calgary, Alberta
Team Members:
Wayne Parizeau, Keith Helps, Les Thompson, Lou Cicchini, Bill Fairbairn, Moe Steadman, Stan Newman, Derwyn Hodgins, Larry Lucas, Steve Scott, Rob Menzies, John Cannon, Bill Abercrombie, Jon DeRush, Darren Syer, Al Fangeat, Dale Powell, Bob Mckinnon, Bill Lumney, Bill Fairbairn, John Cannon.
Coaching Staff
Head Coach – Joe DeRush
Asst Coach – Bill Fairbairn, John Cannon
Manager – Hank Angers
Asst Manager – Jeff Angers, Al Drever
Athletic Trainer – Drew Groombridge
Bat Boys – Timmy Parizeau, Joey DeRush
Club Executive
President – Joe DeRush
Treasurer – Bernice DeRush
Secretary – Jan Morphy
Committee Members
Wilf Clothier, Carol Clothier, Jim Willer, Paul Morphy, Lynn Dobroski, Dan Dutrizac, Mary Bigras, Michelle Bigras.
The team was sponsored by Bob Gladwish Sr. and Family.
Joe DeRush Memorial Award
The Joe DeRush Memorial Award and Scholarship is presented each year to recognize local athletes with disabilities who performs in competitive events at the regional, provincial, national or international level. This athlete displays leadership qualities both on and off the field, with the team, in his or her school and within his or her community. Criteria includes: performance, leadership, positive attitude, sportsmanship, dedication and fair-play philosophy.
The Joe DeRush Memorial Award was presented to Tyler McGregor from Forest, Ontario. Tyler was diagnosed with Spindle Cell Sarcome in 2013 and as a result had to have his left leg amputated. McGregor's hockey career began at the age of 3 and he went on to play AAA hockey. After his amputation McGregor's competitive spirt continued and he turned to Sledge Hockey. In 2012 McGregor was selected to Canad's National Sledge Hockey team and has competed in National and Internation Tournaments. In 2013 McGregor was a member of the Canadian Gold Medal team at he IPC World Sledge Ice Hockey Championship in Goyang, Korea. Tyler is the son of Dean and Trudy and has one sister Meagan.
l-r Peter Kearns, Jenny Mott, Burt Hogson
Rose Hodgson Memorial Award
This special award recognizes outstanding contribution to our community in memory of founding board member Rose Hodgson. This special award is being presented to Bonnie Kearns. Bonnie's award was accepted by her husband Peter and daughter Jenny Mott. Kearns who is currently out of the country as a volunteer nurse with the Red Cross.