The Berwick Sports Hall of Fame held its 17th annual induction June 13 at the Berwick Lions Hall.
First on the agenda for the evening was special recognition for wheelchair athlete Ben Brown, who is still on track to race for Canada at the 2016 Paralympics and is a good bet to compete at the 2015 Para Pan-Am Games in Toronto in August.
Also recognized was Scott Turnbull, a Berwick resident and a nationally-known coach of Special Olympics athletes.
Recognition was also given to athletes from Berwick and area who had high-level achievements during the past year, such as winning provincial championships, placing high at provincial or national competitions or playing on provincial teams.
The it was on to the inductions, which included the 1997 Berwick White Sox provincial midget 'C' baseball champions.
Coaches Steve Greenwood and Randy Rockwell and players Matt Wright, Scott Connelly, Leigh Rockwell and Ryan Harris were present for the induction to represent their team.
Also inducted was the two-time Western Counties champion curling team skipped by Brian Bethune, and also including Brian's dad, the late Rod Bethune, Bill Wilson and Dave Miller.
Brian Bethune, Wilson and Miller were all present for the induction. Wilson noted that the team had won its first championship "43 years ago."
"My dad was never much for personal accolades," Brian Bethune said in his remarks, "but if he were here tonight, he would be both pleased and proud."
Inducted in the athlete category was Donald Hall, who was unable to attend in person due to illness, but was represented by his daughter, Janice Nichols, and her husband Paul.
Also inducted as an athlete was Laura Hubbert, a championship thrower in school competition in the late 1990s. In her remarks, Hubbert paid tribute to her parents and the role they played in her becoming a championship athlete.
Speaking prior to the ceremony, Hubbert said she felt "very lucky and fortunate" to have accomplished things during her career deemed to be worthy of induction.
She added,"when you come from a great family, play with great teammates, and live in a great community, great things happen."
Hubbert said that while her parents, Greg and Debbie, were always supportive, "I was never pushed to be an athlete. It was a normal part of our family's life to be active, and engaged and involved in sport."
Hubbert termed the induction "a great honour. I look around at all the great athletes Berwick has produced over the years. To think I'll now be numbered among them is pretty special."
The late Fred Clarke, a hockey and baseball coach for many years in Berwick as well as chair of the town's Recreation Committee for 11 years, was inducted as a builder.
Clarke, who passed away in 2010, was represented st the induction by his wife Margaret and sons David and Chris.
"Fred was passionate about all outdoor sports," Margaret Clarke said. "He volunteered his services, and loved every minute of it."
Somerset resident David Fairfax, a nationally and internationally-known official in the sports of volleyball and luge, was also inducted as a builder.
In his remarks, Fairfax paid tribute to his wife Joanne, mother of the couple's four athletic and overachieving daughters.
"I've gotten the chance to travel all over the world because of sport," he said, "which meant I was away from home a lot. It's satisfying to know your children are being well taken care of at home while you're away."
Fairfax found the induction "a little surreal. I've been to a lot of these ceremonies. It's a little different to be on the other side of things." He said, "I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunities I have," and added, "without the support of my wife, I couldn't have done any of the things I've done."
See a slideshow of the Berwick Sports Hall of Fame induction here.
The Berwick Sports Hall of Fame held its 17th annual induction June 13 at the Berwick Lions Hall.
First on the agenda for the evening was special recognition for wheelchair athlete Ben Brown, who is still on track to race for Canada at the 2016 Paralympics and is a good bet to compete at the 2015 Para Pan-Am Games in Toronto in August.
Also recognized was Scott Turnbull, a Berwick resident and a nationally-known coach of Special Olympics athletes.
Recognition was also given to athletes from Berwick and area who had high-level achievements during the past year, such as winning provincial championships, placing high at provincial or national competitions or playing on provincial teams.
The it was on to the inductions, which included the 1997 Berwick White Sox provincial midget 'C' baseball champions.
Coaches Steve Greenwood and Randy Rockwell and players Matt Wright, Scott Connelly, Leigh Rockwell and Ryan Harris were present for the induction to represent their team.
Also inducted was the two-time Western Counties champion curling team skipped by Brian Bethune, and also including Brian's dad, the late Rod Bethune, Bill Wilson and Dave Miller.
Brian Bethune, Wilson and Miller were all present for the induction. Wilson noted that the team had won its first championship "43 years ago."
"My dad was never much for personal accolades," Brian Bethune said in his remarks, "but if he were here tonight, he would be both pleased and proud."
Inducted in the athlete category was Donald Hall, who was unable to attend in person due to illness, but was represented by his daughter, Janice Nichols, and her husband Paul.
Also inducted as an athlete was Laura Hubbert, a championship thrower in school competition in the late 1990s. In her remarks, Hubbert paid tribute to her parents and the role they played in her becoming a championship athlete.
Speaking prior to the ceremony, Hubbert said she felt "very lucky and fortunate" to have accomplished things during her career deemed to be worthy of induction.
She added,"when you come from a great family, play with great teammates, and live in a great community, great things happen."
Hubbert said that while her parents, Greg and Debbie, were always supportive, "I was never pushed to be an athlete. It was a normal part of our family's life to be active, and engaged and involved in sport."
Hubbert termed the induction "a great honour. I look around at all the great athletes Berwick has produced over the years. To think I'll now be numbered among them is pretty special."
The late Fred Clarke, a hockey and baseball coach for many years in Berwick as well as chair of the town's Recreation Committee for 11 years, was inducted as a builder.
Clarke, who passed away in 2010, was represented st the induction by his wife Margaret and sons David and Chris.
"Fred was passionate about all outdoor sports," Margaret Clarke said. "He volunteered his services, and loved every minute of it."
Somerset resident David Fairfax, a nationally and internationally-known official in the sports of volleyball and luge, was also inducted as a builder.
In his remarks, Fairfax paid tribute to his wife Joanne, mother of the couple's four athletic and overachieving daughters.
"I've gotten the chance to travel all over the world because of sport," he said, "which meant I was away from home a lot. It's satisfying to know your children are being well taken care of at home while you're away."
Fairfax found the induction "a little surreal. I've been to a lot of these ceremonies. It's a little different to be on the other side of things." He said, "I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunities I have," and added, "without the support of my wife, I couldn't have done any of the things I've done."
See a slideshow of the Berwick Sports Hall of Fame induction here.
