Wallaceburg Sports Hall Of Fame Announces Annual Award Winners
The 2018 award honourees have been announced for the Wallaceburg Sports Hall of Fame.
Athlete of the Year: Shauney Fischer
Shauney Fischer has just completed her final year at York University with an outstanding season for the Lions women's basketball team, earning career highs in points per game (10.1) and rebounds per game (6.8.) Over the course of five years, Fischer scored over 500 points and more than 450 rebounds. She was named team captain in 2017, and recorded a double-double in her final game with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Fischer earned academic success as well, earning the prestigious Kinesiology and Health Entrance Award coming out of high school. She also works as a student recruitment ambassador at York, and was named this year's recipient of the RJ3 Bursary and the Mary Lyons Excellence Award.
Back in high school, Fischer received five MVP awards: two in basketball, two in volleyball, and one in soccer. She won four straight Athlete of the Year awards, was a Chatham-Kent basketball all-star, recipient of the Brad Lightfoot Award and a Dr. Jack Parry Award winner in 2012. In 2010, Fisher won an OBA Gold Medal, and silver medals in both 2005 and 2006.
Fischer is now attending the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto.
Outstanding Achievement: Chloe Duffy
Chloe Duffy had an extremely successful season on the equestrian circuit in 2017, aboard her thoroughbred Oro Veradero. Duffy earned success on the highly competitive Ontario Eventing Circuit, which is an equestrian triathlon, including dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. She qualified to take part in the OCALA Florida, and went on to qualify to compete for Team Canada at the North American Junior and Young Riders Championship in Montana in July. The 16-year-old finished fifth out of 35 riders, and helped her team finish with a gold medal.
Duffy also competed in the intermediate division at the Ontario Horse Trails Association Eventing in Hawkstone, Ontario in September, finishing in first place. She and Oro were named the Ontario Horse Trails Association Association 2017 Young Riders Preliminary Division Champions, representing the highest placed young rider in the CC1 Division in Ontario.
Coach of the Year: Jeff Byrne
Jeff Byrne coached the Wallaceburg Airhawks under 16 Major Midgets to the Ontario Cup Division 2 provincial basketball championship in 2017. The Airhawks defeated Mississauga 61-35 in the Division 2 final after going 3-0 in their pool.
Byrne also coached the WDSS Tartans junior girls' basketball team to the SWOSSA 'AA' Championship, downing Kingsville 55-38. The team ended the year with a record of 18-4, winning four tournaments in all. Byrne also served as assistant coach with the WDSS senior girls' basketball team, winning the SWOSSA 'AA' championship, 46-26 over Essex, and then taking two games at OFSAA 'AA' before being eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Builder of the Year: Ben Hazzard
Ben Hazzard took part in a 5K Pickerel Run in Algonac, Michigan about 10 years ago, and decided our area was the perfect location for a run along the St Clair River. That led to discussions with Rose Atkins of the St Clair River Trail Committee, township council, and security forces. In 2010, a committee was formed and the first St Clair River Run was held with over 200 people taking part. The certified course runs through Sombra and Port Lambton, ending at Brander Park. The race has continued to grow each year, with CF Industries joining the team as a major sponsor. In 2017, over 800 runners took part in the chip-timed 5K and 10K runs. A Minnow Run has also been added for 4-7 year olds, and the St Clair River Run has become the largest in Lambton and Chatham-Kent. All proceeds go towards the upkeep and maintenance of the 35 kilometre St Clair River Trail. Plans are already in the works for the 2018 event.
Ray Aarssen Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship Winner: Shaelyn Denys
The Ray Aarseen Scholarship is awarded each year to a recent graduate of Wallaceburg District Secondary School who is currently attending college or university. During their time at WDSS, the recipient must have been involved in school activities and athletics while maintain high marks.
The 2017 winner, Shaelyn Denys, is currently enrolled in the kinesiology program at the University of Western Ontario. Denys was an Ontario Scholar in 2017. Among her many other academic achievements, Denys received a school letter, won the Brad Lightfoot Award, the ED Dickerson Award for university math, nominated for the Dr. Jack Parry Award, McFadden Award contribution to SAA, received the 2017 CK-Essex Mutual Scholarship, the OSSTF Award, and the MA Granger Award.
On the athletic side, Denys was SAA President, received the RJ MacLean Athletic Award, and was a member of the WDSS senior girls' basketball team, senior girls' soccer, girls' curling, and the track and field team.
Denys was also heavily involved in activities including scorekeeping, the WDSS School Senate, helped plan the Bronze Boot, swim meets, cross country meets, and coordinated a Mental Health Symposium, as well as helping to run community teen dances and Ford Test Drive fundraisers.
The Wallaceburg Sports Hall of Fame awards will be handed out in a ceremony at the UAW Hall on January 27th, tickets are $65 per person.
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I am so proud to live in a community that encourages, recognizes, and honours our young athletes. Kudos to the Wallaceburg Sports Hall of Fame Committee for their great work!