Twelve individuals and a team comprise the Sarnia-Lambton Sports Hall of Fame's class of 2017.
The inductees and various award winners will be celebrated at the 35th annual enshrinement dinner September 23 at the Sarnia Golf and Curling Club. Tickets are available until Sept. 10 by contacting any board member.
Professional athlete
Jason Simon played 20 years of pro hockey, including brief stints with two NHL teams. After a youth spent on Sarnia's Aamjiwnaang First Nation, he became the first native in history to go to the minor leagues to the NHL in one year.
Amateur athlete
Figure skater Taylor Steele and ATV flat track racer Dave Little will share this category. Both have won multiple championships in their storied careers.
Bud Morrison award
Larry Lecour has won the Morrison award, which recognizes a person who has made a significant contribution over many years to youth in their sports endeavors. He has been involved as an executive, manager and coach with championship teams in baseball, softball and hockey.
Special achievement
Collette McAuley has won the special achievement award for contributions to sports beyond athletic endeavors. McAuley has coached rugby for almost two decades, guiding a number of teams to championships at the high school, university and national levels. She was also a national level athlete from 1996 to 2007.
Builder
Brian Fowler and Joe Kerrigan – a pair of Wyoming residents – share this award. Fowler is a lifelong leader of minor baseball in Wyoming. On top of being on the executive of that organization for a quarter of a century, Fowler has also coached several teams to championships. Kerrigan has also been involved in Wyoming minor baseball for decades, doing everything from helping to create policies and building registration to serving as president.
Earl Mackenzie award
Joe Panik has won the Mackenzie award, which recognizes contributions to the establishment of a sport from its infancy to a mature state within the community.
A former SMAA baseball chairman, he enhanced registration, especially at the T-ball and novice levels and reorganized the travel program. He is also credited with reviving the juvenile, junior and senior levels of baseball in Sarnia.
Rose Hodgson award
Norma Cox has won this award, which is for outstanding contributions to the community. Updated and new facilities at the city pool and park that created the Cox Youth Centre were made possible by a $1 million donation Cox made in 2006 in memory of her husband, Edward.
Joe DeRush award
Swimming star Koty Alkerton has won the DeRush award, which celebrates athletes who have overcome disabilities. Alkerton, who has autism, has won many awards while taking part in OFSAA and SWOSSA meets for Northern Collegiate. He also had two fourth place finishes at the Ontario Special Olympics, where he was competing against almost 250 other athletes.
Pappy Burr award
Marissa Mueller and Katie Barwitzki are co-winners of this honour, which goes to students who have graduated from high school and are headed off to university or college. Both have remarkable records of achievement in academics and volunteer work.
Team
The 1967/68 Sarnia Legionnaires have been enshrined almost half a century after they steamrolled their way to the Sutherland Cup as Jr. 'B' hockey's all-Ontario champions. The squad finished in first place during the regular season, amassing a sparkling record of 38 wins against just 11 losses and three ties. And they scored 333 goals while surrendering only 178.
During the playoffs the Legionnaires won four best-of-seven rounds. And they did it in short order, posting 16 wins against a single defeat.