Chatham sports shrine inducts five new members at annual ceremony The Chatham Erie & Huron Beverages Midgets proved in 1979 that biggest isn't always best.

The 1979 Chatham Midgets baseball team was inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday at the WISH Centre in Chatham. Team members are, front row, left: coach Paul Denomy and manager Mike Bennett. Middle row: Dale Dunlop, Todd Langstaff, Perry Mader, Steve Kenney, Rick Kucera and Jeff Green. Back row: John Wall, Bruce Hickmott, Rod Couture, Mike Torrie and batboy Dave Charbonneau. Absent are: Blake Alward, Bob Arnold, John Bink, Keith Blackford, Barry Brackett, Wayne Burey, Chris Kelly, Scott Ruttle and Frank Stoof. They outlasted 25 other teams, many from larger cities, to win the Ontario elimination baseball tournament. "That's what made this particular win so rewarding," centre-fielder Rick Kucera said. "You were playing against all the communities in the province, whether you were from a small community like Chatham or a big community like Toronto." The team was inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday at the WISH Centre. Also enshrined were figure skater Joelle Batten-Daigneau (athlete-modern), football player Randy Rybansky (athletelegend), high school teacher and coach Gene Dziadura (builder), and the 1983-84 and '84-85 Maple City Ice Crystals junior precision skating team. A record turnout of almost 280 people attended the annual ceremony. Guests included baseball legend Fergie Jenkins, who was a close friend of Dziadura. The Chatham Midgets wrote their own chapter in local baseball history with a fourth-place finish at the Canadian championship in Niagara Falls after winning the provincial banner. "That was fantastic," Kucera said. "That was the experience of a lifetime. You don't get that opportunity very often." 

The team of 16-and 17-yearolds had done well before. They'd reached the Ontario final as peewees and bantams but couldn't bring home the gold. "It was just a great bunch of athletes in all sports," said manager Mike Bennett, whose roster was dotted with high school football and basketball all-stars. They toughened themselves by playing highly ranked teams from Windsor and Michigan. Other smaller centres in the Western Counties league weren't enough competition. "You learn a lot more losing 2-1 than winning 20-0, 30-0," Bennett said. Their lineup for the Ontario elimination tournament was bolstered by 15-year-old bantam pitcher Perry Mader, a future Toronto Blue Jays farmhand. They won their first four games at the double-knockout tournament before losing to Windsor Athletic Association. After beating Toronto Riverside in a semifinal, Chatham got another shot at WAA in the final and won 11-5. "(It) was a complete shock to everybody in Ontario baseball," Bennett said. They not only pitched and hit well, they also fielded almost flawlessly with only five errors in the tournament. "We played such sound team defence," Bennett said. "Other teams were amazed at the defence we played." The victory let many players end their baseball careers on a winning note. "What was most rewarding is that was the end of hardball for most of us after midget year," Kucera said. He credits Bennett and coach Paul Denomy for the team's success. Bennett, in turn, praises Hall of Famer Ed Myers for special twice-weekly lessons when the players were tykes and peewees. "Our win was a culmination of everything Ed Myers put into Chatham Minor Baseball in those years," he said. Numerous injuries at the Canadian championship end any hopes of another gold-medal celebration. They still managed to go 2-2 in the round-robin, including a 7-4 win over the eventual champions from Quebec. They lost 8-0 to Niagara Falls in the bronze-medal game. "It was disappointing, but, at the same time, it was just a great experience," Kucera said. "... We were really proud to represent Chatham and eventually the province."

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Precision skating team won bronze twice at Canadians Back in the mid-1980s, the Maple City Ice Crystals owned a jewelry collection any teenage skater would have envied. Contributed Photo The 1983-84 Maple City Ice Crystals junior precision skating team will be inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday. The Ice Crystals went to 13 competitions in the 1983-84 and '84-85 seasons. They came home with 13 medals, including bronze twice at the Canadian championships. "It was a group of very talented ladies," said coach Esther Bordenuk (nee Polacek). The junior precision skating team will be inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday at the WISH Centre. The Ice Crystals finished out of the medals in their first few years together, but that changed in the spring of 1983. Winning gold at a competition in Bowling Green, Ohio, opened their eyes. "Wow, we can win," said skater Cherie Alexander (nee Anakin). "And from then on, we never lost a competition for the next two years." She added: "We had a really strong team and Esther put together a really good program. At that point, the majority of our team was gold test skaters. I think that helped. And I think we'd been together so long, it was second nature." The teens had not only the physical talent but also the mental strength to do well, Bordenuk said. They continued to do well after graduating from high school. Four Ice Crystals - Alleta Brodie, Delynn Riddell, Paula Stefina and Rhonda Rennie - skated professionally with Disney on Ice. Alexander and Jacquelyn DeNure travelled to Europe with the London-based Synchronicity senior team while at The University of Western Ontario. In their breakthrough ' 83-84 season, the Ice Crystals won three gold medals, including the Mid-American championships in Fraser, Mich. 

heir bronze at the Canadian championships was part of an Ontario medal sweep. "We had a strong coach. Our performances were technically strong," said skater Barbara Baker (nee Perkins), whose mother Marnie Perkins was the team manager. "Everything just kind of came together." Performances had to look effortless, though they were anything but. Between team practices and their own solo workouts, skaters were on the ice constantly. "I was skating every day of the week, probably four to five hours a day, when I was on that team," Alexander said. "... And we all were doing that. We were skating a good 20 to 30 hours a week." In '84-85, the Ice Crystals won bronze at the Western Ontario and Central Canadian championships before picking up another bronze at the nationals. They also won gold at the MidAmerican championships again. As one of the few Canadian teams at the U.S. events, they were always treated well, Bordenuk said. "We could have given them an award for being so nice to us," she said. The Ice Crystals' team spirit endeared them to their hosts. At the 1984 Mid-American championships, a new Friendship Award was named for them. "We just really enjoyed the whole team aspect of it," Baker said. "There was a lot of energy, very positive. And I think other teams ... (in) the United States, they just sort of responded to the cheering and the positive atmosphere we gave off. And we didn't only cheer for our team, we cheered for the other teams."

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Former CFLER Rybansky starting 24th year as high school teacher Randy Rybansky freely admits his CFL career involved a lot of luck. 

Ursuline Lancers coach and former CFL player Randy Rybansky will be inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame in the athlete-legend category Thursday at the WISH Centre. Some was bad, but good always seemed to follow. Being cut by the Toronto Argonauts? Bad. Landing with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and playing in the Grey Cup? Good. Suffering a career-ending injury? Bad. Starting a teaching career that's entering its 24th year? Good. "Darned right I'm lucky," he said about his CFL career. "It all worked out in the end. It was a hell of an experience." Rybansky will be inducted Thursday into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame at the WISH Centre in the athlete-legend category. 

His CFL journey began in 1984 at the Argonauts' training camp. He was their last cut, but the Ottawa Rough Riders called a week later after a fullback was hurt. The McGregor graduate stayed in Ottawa for almost three weeks, learning the playbook inside and out. However, there was no guarantee he'd make the team. Although the Riders coach begged him to stay, Rybansky returned to Wilfrid Laurier University for his fifth and final season. Days later, the Riders' starting fullback got hurt, too. "That was my key not only to make the team but to get a starting spot," said Rybansky, 50. "That was a bitter pill to swallow." The next year, he made the Argonauts. All went well until a broken toe sidelined him late in the season. As soon as the toe healed, the Argos cut him. "Just playing that sport and getting there was one thing," he said. "But realizing how much of a business it was when you're there is another thing. It really opened my eyes." He wasn't unemployed for long. He signed with the Ticats and went to the 1985 Grey Cup, losing 37-24 to the B.C. Lions.

Rybansky played in the Grey Cup on special teams and was used at tight end in short-yardage situations. He was on the field for one Ticats touchdown. His career ended early in the 1986 season in Hamilton. The webbing between his thumb and forefinger was cut down to the tendon. Recovery took awhile. Rybansky saw the injury as a sign to enroll in teachers' college at the University of Windsor. "I was ready to move on with my life," he said. "I needed a solid base in terms of what I was going to do." He began teaching in Bramalea in 1988. After three years there and nine in Mississauga, he came home to Chatham and started at Ursuline in 2000. Rybansky loves coaching the Lancers, who have won five Kent senior titles in eight years. He's in charge of the senior team each fall and assists with the juniors each spring. "Once you get out here and you get among the kids, they see you and you see them in a different light," he said. "You can develop a great rapport, different than what you have in the classroom." Rybansky played five seasons at McGregor, including four undefeated senior campaigns. He made Laurier as a walk-on after not being recruited. He knew the Golden Hawks had a great program with a tradition of sending running backs to the CFL. His fourth year in 1983 was a breakthrough campaign. He was chosen team MVP after scoring 10 TDs, which is still tied for the second-highest single-season rushing total in school history. Rybansky was an OUA second team all-star in 1984. He's fifth in rushing TDs (16), seventh in carries (256) and 10th in rushing yards (1,297) all-time at Laurier. "To me, this is the greatest team sport," he said. "And the camaraderie you're going to develop among players is invaluable. They're going to keep in touch the rest of their lives."

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Former figure skater Joelle Batten-Daigneau will be inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday at the WISH Centre in the athlete-modern category.

The career of one of Chatham's most successful figure skaters got off to a wobbly start. Former figure skater Joelle Batten-Daigneau will be inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday at the WISH Centre in the athlete-modern category. Joelle Batten-Daigneau was two years old when she first tried gliding across the ice. "We didn't have any high expectations for Joelle," said her mother and coach, Jo-Ann Batten. "We just wanted her to go out and have fun. "In fact, when she was starting, she was awfully stiff-legged. I thought, 'OK, she's not going to be anything special. She's going to be a regular skater.' And then one day she bent her knees and away she went." She went on to win two medals, including a gold, at the national championships and compete in Italy with the Canadian junior team. She'll be inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame in the athlete-modern category Thursday at the WISH Centre. Batten-Daigneau, 40, is still involved with figure skating on a daily basis as a full-time coach. "I love working with kids and I love teaching," she said. "It's kind of like the perfect fit." From the day her mother went into labour on the ice, Batten-Daigneau seemed destined to be a skater. Her parents never pushed her. She went at her own pace, but she was a quick study. "She had a good feel for the ice and a good rhythm," her mother said. "And she caught on really fast. It didn't take her long to acquire a skill." She loved being at the arena, even for practices at 5:40 in the morning. Getting out of bed wasn't a problem. "I just loved it," she said. "I don't remember ever a day I didn't want to go skating." Batten-Daigneau twice competed in ladies singles at the Canadian senior championships, finishing ninth in 1991 and 14th in 1992. At the time, she wasn't that impressed by ninth place. "But the further I get away from that moment, I realize what an accomplishment it was," she said. "There haven't been any singles skaters from Chatham that have done that (since)." Batten-Daigneau earned six medals (two gold and four silver) at the Western Ontario championships. She won five more (three gold and two silver) at the Central Divisional championships. "She was a very athletic, strong skater," her mother said. "She had very high jumps. She had speed. And she had the charisma and the style. "But she was known for her strength, her speed and the height of her jumps." Batten-Daigneau captured the Canadian novice championship in 1986. The next year, she won a bronze at the nationals as a junior. The bronze landed her a spot on the Canadian junior team. She wore the Maple Leaf to Italy in 1987 for the Merano Spring Trophy junior ladies competition. The event was held on outdoor rinks, so she battled rain, snow and strong winds to win a bronze medal. After one more season as a junior, she moved up to senior but failed to qualify for the Canadian championships again until her third year as a senior. After two trips to the senior nationals, she retired from competitive skating. "I had accomplished everything that I could," she said. "There just comes a point in time in your life when you have to get on with things. I was already teaching at that point. 

I wanted to finish university. It was just time to." She graduated from the University of Windsor with a bachelor's degree in sociology. During her career, she trained in Barrie at the famed Mariposa School of Skating as well as in Seattle and Colorado Springs. "But I would always come back to Chatham," said Batten-Daigneau, who went to school at Gregory Drive, King George VI and Chatham-Kent Secondary School. "My mother was a great coach. The city of Chatham was very generous to me with the ice times."

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• Athlete Modern - Joelle Batten-Daigneau (Figure Skating)
• Athlete Legend - Randy Rybansky (Football)
• Builder - Gene Dziadura (High school Coach)
• Team - Tie 1979 Erie and Huron Beverages Midget Baseball Team
• 1984 & 85 Maple City Ice Crystals Junior Precision Skating Team

A stylish skater, a bruising ball carrier and a cherished coach are among the newest inductees to the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame.

Figure skater Joelle Daigneau (athlete-modern), football player Randy Rybansky (athlete-legend) and high school teacher Gene Dziadura (builder) were named Friday to the Class of 2011. Two teams - the 1984 & '85 Maple City Ice Crystals junior precision skating team and the 1979 Chatham midget baseball team - will also be inducted Sept. 15 at the W.I.S.H. Centre. They tied in the voting. 

Rybansky played in the CFL with Toronto and Hamilton in 1985 and '86. He was a Grey Cup finalist in 1985 with the TigerCats. He went to the pros as a fullback, but he also saw action at tight end and on special teams. "I was very surprised, to tell you the truth - in a good way, that is," the Ursuline College teacher said about his Hall of Fame election. "It just kind of makes you feel humbled, in the sense of where you started and where you are now and who got you there." Rybansky was a football and basketball star at McGregor before focusing on the gridiron at Wilfrid Laurier University. He was the Golden Hawks' MVP in 1983 and an OUAA all-star in 1984. He'll be the first ex-CFLer in the Hall of Fame but probably not the last, thanks to the success enjoyed by Andy Fantuz, Derek Krete, Dan Comiskey and John Comiskey in recent years. "You're always rooting for local guys to do well (and) experience that, and those guys have," Rybansky said. 

Daigneau, nee Batten, was a two-time medalist at the Canadian figure skating championships: gold as a novice in 1986 and bronze as a junior in 1987. She also won six medals, including two gold, at the Western Ontario championships. As a member of the Canadian junior team, she earned a bronze in 1987 at the Merano Spring Trophy competition in Italy. Daigneau placed as high as seventh in ladies singles at the Canadian senior championships. She's now a coach with the Chatham Skating Club. 

Dziadura, who died in November 2010 at age 74, taught and coached for 35 years at Chatham Collegiate Institute. "A little bittersweet," his son, Chris Dziadura, said about the Hall of Fame selection. "Really proud of him. ... He's very deserving of this award for what he did for numerous athletes around the city." Dziadura is perhaps best known as the mentor to Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins, but he also coached football, basketball, tennis and track at CCI. He tried to get his football teams into the Hall of Fame, but he wasn't interested in personal accolades. "That's the kind of guy he was," Chris Dziadura said. "He was very humble. And he always put his athletes ahead of himself." Dziadura, a Windsor native, also played in the Chicago Cubs' minor league system before he became a teacher. He was a longtime scout for the Philadelphia Phillies. 

The Ice Crystals won medals in each competition they entered in the 1984 and '85 seasons, going 13 for 13. The Ester Polacek-coached team won bronze medals at the Canadian championships and gold at the Mid-American championships each year. A friendship trophy at the MidAmerican championships was named for the Ice Crystals to commend them for their sportsmanship. The underdog Chatham Midgets won the 1979 Ontario elimination tournament in Hamilton with a 6-1 record. "It kind of raised a lot of eyebrows," manager Mike Bennett said. "How could a 'B' team win an Ontario championship? We shocked an awful lot of people with that. "Over the course of two weeks, we played a lot of solid baseball." The team later placed fourth at the Canadian midget championship after losing several players to injuries. The inductees were chosen by Hall of Fame voting members. Ninety-one of 153 eligible members cast ballots. 

Tickets go on sale Aug. 1 for the induction ceremony and dinner. They'll be available at the W.I.S.H. Centre, from Hall of Fame directors and from Jay Teetzel (519354-2333). They cost $40 for adults and $20 for children under 10 years old.

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Four teams, 12 individuals on ballot for Class of 2011 The Chatham Sports Hall of Fame has whittled the list of submitted nominees for the Class of 2011 down to 16 candidates. The board of directors has chosen four candidates for each of the four categories.

• Athlete-Modern: Joelle Batten-Daigneau, Roy Galloway, Derek Krete and Tyson Parry. 
• Athlete-Legend: Fran Crummer, Shirley Pilson, Randy Rybansky and Eddie Wright. 
• Builder: Martin Aarts, Gene Dziadura, Jim Maynard and Bob Weedon. 
• Team: 1979 Chatham midget baseball, 1983-84 and ' 84-85 Maple City Ice Crystals junior precision skating, 1986-87 Chatham peewee hockey and 1987 Chatham peewee baseball. 

Voting members will receive their ballots June 1 and must make their choices by June 30. The inductees will be announced by July 11. The annual induction dinner and ceremony will be Sept. 15 at the WISH Centre. Tickets go on sale July 11. Following is a brief look at each candidate: 

ATHLETE-MODERN Batten-Daigneau won six medals, including two gold, at the Western Ontario skating championships and was a two time medalist at the Canadian championships (gold in 1986 as a novice and bronze in 1987 as a junior). She won a bronze medal at a 1987 competition in Italy as part of the national junior team. Her best finish at the Canadian senior championships was seventh in 1991. Galloway won four Canadian trap shooting championships: two in singles (1972 and 1979) and two in doubles (1974 and 1978). He's also a four-time Ontario champion. He was inducted into the Ontario Provincial Trap Shooting Association Hall of Fame in 2001. Krete was a three-time Ontario university football all-star and three-time Canadian all-star with the Western Mustangs from 1993-97. He won the Vanier Cup in 1994 and was chosen the Canadian stand-up defensive player of the year in 1996. He played linebacker and on special teams for two CFL seasons: 1999 with Toronto and 2000 with Saskatchewan. Parry won five Canadian youth tennis championships and was ranked No. 1 nationally in his age group in 1992 and '93. He played four seasons at the University of Minnesota and made the Big Ten all-conference team as a sophomore in 1999. He competed internationally and played in qualifiers for the tournament now known as the Rogers Cup. 

ATHLETE-LEGEND Crummer won six ladies club championships and three senior ladies championships at Maple City Country Club. She also played in 27 Ontario championships at the junior, ladies and senior levels between 1937 and 1982. Pilson twice skipped Chatham Granite Club rinks at the Ontario senior ladies curling championships and won three straight Southern Ontario Ladies Diamond senior championships from 1985-87. Before moving to Chatham, she won nine provincial championships in New Brunswick. Rybansky played football at Wilfrid Laurier University from 1980-84 and was an Ontario second-team all-star running back in 1984. He played in the CFL with Toronto and Hamilton in 1985 and '86, making one trip to the Grey Cup. Wright played hockey at Boston University from 1966-69 after starring for the Chatham Jr. Maroons. In 1970, he became the first black collegiate hockey coach in the United States when he was hired by the State University of New York at Buffalo. He coached for 11 seasons before moving into athletics administration at the school. 

BUILDER Aarts has been a president, director, coach and referee in the Chatham Youth Soccer Association since co-founding the organization in 1975. He's also been active at the high school, regional and provincial levels and has coached the Chatham Express men's team since 1988. Dziadura coached several sports during a 35-year teaching career at Chatham Collegiate Institute. He was an area scout for the Philadelphia Phillies and is credited with developing Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins. The Windsor native also played in the Chicago Cubs' minor league system before moving to Chatham. Maynard has been a coach, supervisor, scorekeeper and, for the past 25 years, program director for Chatham youth five-pin bowling. Weedon has been president of the Maple City Slo-Pitch League since 1978. He's also a longtime executive member of the SloPitch Ontario Association and Softball Ontario. 

TEAM The 1979 Chatham Erie and Huron Beverages Midgets won the Ontario Baseball Association elimination tournament and placed fourth at the Canadian championship. The Ice Crystals won bronze medals at the Canadian championships and gold at the Mid American championships in 1984 and again in 1985. The 1986-87 Chatham Moose Lodge 'AA' Major Peewees won the Ontario Minor Hockey Association and All-Ontario championships. The 1987 Chatham McDonald's Peewees won the Ontario Baseball Association 'AA' championship. Most of the players also won an OBA title in 1985 ('AA' tyke) and were OBA finalists in 1986 ('A' peewee).

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Elaine Hinnegan's life may have followed a much different path if not for one special gift at Christmas. 

Ron Blommers, left, Dan Lewis and Elaine Hinnegan were inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday night at the W.I.S.H. Centre. 

The talented tennis and badminton player was home from Lakehead University for the holidays when she received a squash racket from former CCI coach Noralie Jacket. "Here's another sport to play," Jacket told her. Hinnegan was a quick study. It wasn't long before she was invited to try out for the Canadian squash team. She'd go on to play at three world championships, win tournaments around the world and compete for national teams from five countries. After living in the Philippines, Taiwan and Singapore, she's settled in Chatham - Chatham, N.J., that is. "Isn't that a riot?" she said, laughing. Hinnegan, 56, returned to her hometown - "my other Chatham" - for the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony Thursday. She was enshrined in the athlete-modern category. Basketball player Ron Blommers (athlete-legend), high school basketball coach Dan Lewis ( builder) and the 1985-86 McGregor Panthers girls basketball team were also inducted in front of 160 people at the W.I.S.H Centre. Hinnegan was a multisport star at Chatham Collegiate Institute in the 1970s. At Lakehead, she played varsity field hockey for four years and basketball for three before dropping hoops. At five-foot-three, she knew there was no future for her in basketball. She also wanted more time for her studies. Thanks to Jacket's gift, she'd started playing squash for fun. "It's a nice combination of skills I had for basketball, badminton, tennis and field hockey: running, hitting and thinking. And it's all in one little room," said Hinnegan, who sells real estate. Her breakthrough came when she won the consolation title at the Winnipeg Open. (Australian Heather McKay, who was unbeaten for 19 years, won the championship.) Canadian squash officials asked Hinnegan to try out for the national women's team. She was a team member from 1978-83 and a three-time runner-up at the Canadian championships (1982, '83 and '84). She played at three world championships (1979, '81 and '83). She was the only Canadian to reach the round of 32 in 1981 and was the top-ranked Canadian in 1983. She also became the first female pro at the Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club. " I was one of the first Canadian squash professionals," she said. "I think at that time in Canada we had maybe three." She also coached in the Los Angeles area as she and her husband - they've since divorced - began globetrotting for his banking job. Hinnegan thought her competitive days were over after the 1983 worlds. "That was my swan song," she said. But within three weeks of moving to the Philippines in 1984, she and her husband were invited to dinner by a wealthy client with a squash court at his home. Soon she was coaching the national junior and senior teams. She continued to play, too, and twice won the Philippines championship. She was the runner-up in 1984 and the champion in '85 at the East Asian championship. Their family later lived in Taiwan and Singapore as she kept coaching and competing. She was a finalist at tournaments in Japan and Australia. Hinnegan, who has two sons in university, has been back in the United States since 1997. She still plays three times a week. She won the 50-plus division at the 2006 U.S. championships and wants to compete this year at 55-plus. "That's my goal: I'd like to keep playing squash until I'm 60," she said. "Then I'll see." She still coaches, too. Her pupils include private-school girls who are told to play squash as long as they can. "Wherever you go, pack your racket," she tells them. "It will open many doors for you. You'll make new friends."

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Squash player Elaine Hinnegan will be inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday in the athlete (modern) category. Hinnegan, pictured in l983, is a former member of the Canadian National Team who competed at three world championships.

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He'll be inducted as a builder Thursday at the W.I.S.H. Centre. Lewis, 56, won two OFSAA gold medals at Chatham-Kent Secondary School (1991 and '92), one at Ridgetown (1997) and two at McGregor (2000 and '01). He also won a bronze (McGregor in 2005) and placed fourth twice (CKSS in 1986 and McGregor in 2002). "The winning was great," he said. "That wasn't the reason I did it." Coaching kept him around the students. He had more time to help them reach their goals and help them mature. "It was something I looked forward to and enjoyed," he said. He coached golf, volleyball, soccer, track and badminton, but basketball's been his No. 1 sport. " It 's the one I probably enjoyed the most," he said. He coached senior boys for 23 years and junior boys for seven years, winning a total of 11 SWOSSAA titles. He used tough love at times. Dunk when you weren't allowed? You're benched. Late for the team bus to the OFSAA tournament? Find your own ride. Lewis said he was lucky to have had a lot of good players. And he was well-supported, not only by his fellow coaches, but also by parents and by the folks at elementary schools, summer camps and youth leagues. The community support for sports is "phenomenal," he said. "You look at Chatham, Kent County as a whole and how successful they've been, it's amazing," he said. "It's just amazing." Four years ago, Lewis was inducted to the Sarnia Lambton Sports Hall of Fame for his prowess as a teenager in several sports. "It's like two different lives," he said about the inductions. "I grew up in Sarnia and participated in a lot of athletic games up there. And then when I came here, I switched and started doing a lot of teaching and coaching. It's like two different worlds." Although he's retired, Lewis may not be done sharing his wisdom with young athletes. "I have a grandson that's four and-half years old and we're out on the golf course already," he said with a laugh.

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McGregor won 1985 OFSAA 'AA' girls basketball banner Twenty-five years after rewriting the history books, the McGregor Panthers are adding another chapter. Contributed photo The 1985-86 McGregor Panthers basketball team will be inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday. The Panthers were, front row, left: Juli Elders, Margaret Piggott, Kelli Norris, Daphne Day, Karrie Williams and Carrie Dillon. Middle row: Stephanie Myers, Kim Grey, Jana Elders, Tracy Cruse and Jeannie Jubinville. Back row: head coach Bud Day. The 1985-86 Panthers basketball team becomes the first women's squad inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday. "It's overwhelming and humbling just to be a small part of an august body of athletes and builders," head coach Bud Day said. 

Nine of the 10 players will reunite for the ceremony at the W.I.S.H. Centre. "It's an incredible feeling to be honoured by your community for something you loved," said co-captain Daphne Zondag (nee Day). The Panthers were the first girls team from the Kent County Secondary Schools Athletic Association to win an OFSAA championship. No. 2-seeded McGregor beat Sarnia Collegiate 40-33 in the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations 'AA' final in Lakefield to finish with a 32-2 record. "Every coach, once in a blue moon, is blessed with a team with a combination of discipline and dedication and talent," Day said. He got a glimpse of their potential a few months earlier when the girls beat a team of Windsor Lancers to win a Chatham summer league championship. The Panthers weren't just teammates. They were also good friends off the court. "We had a really good work ethic and a dedicated group of girls that liked to play and liked each other," said all-star forward Carrie Carleton (nee Dillon). "... It doesn't come around very often, a team that's that close-knit." Added Zondag: "We were a team, but we were also a family." They added a missing ingredient in 1985 when all-star forward Karrie Williams transferred from Chatham-Kent Secondary School for her final year of high school. Williams and Carleton were later teammates at Grand Valley State University. Each has been inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame and into Grand Valley State's Athletic Hall of Fame. "I know that Karrie and I got the spotlight, but we were a total team and everybody had a job," Carleton said. "... Everybody made an impact on that team and knew their roles." Guard Kelli Norris was a great ball-handler and forward Margaret Piggott was a strong shooter, she said. Each played basketball at the University of Windsor, while Juli Elders won a Canadian university shot put championship at Manitoba. The Panthers cruised through the Kent regular season and playoffs, winning each game by at least 20 points. Winning so many blowouts let everyone get playing time. "During the season and even in the playoffs in Kent County, I had two units of five and they all played equally," Day said. When they played a big game, they were well-prepared by Day. During the 1983-84 season, he recorded his students screaming and then played the tape at practices to simulate the hostile environment the Panthers would face at Windsor Forster in the SWOSSAA playoffs. " He was pretty creative," Zondag said about her father. "He believed in practising for the conditions you'd be playing in." The Panthers were the first SWOSSAA team to win an OFSAA girls basketball title and the first OFSAA champions at the new 'AA' level. They also had the first two Kent players (Williams and Carleton) to earn full-ride basketball scholarships to the U.S. " We were a team of many firsts," Day said.

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CKSS graduate starred for two-time national university champions Ron Blommers was playing for the Canadian men's basketball team when he got some valuable advice from head coach Jack Donohue. Ron Blommers will be inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday for a basketball career that included two Canadian university championships. Use basketball, Donohue told him. Don't let basketball use you. "What he meant by that was (there were) people who held onto the dream after university thinking they were still going to make it," said Blommers, 52. "... I used basketball to see the world and positioned myself for job opportunities." Blommers has visited South America and Europe playing hoops. He's rubbed elbows with Tom Izzo and Kareem AbdulJabbar. He's tipped off against NCAA powerhouses Duke and Georgetown and Villanova. His career includes two Canadian university championships with St. Mary's and a stint with the national team. 

He set Canadian university records for shooting accuracy in a game (13-for-13) and a career (62.9 per cent). "He might be the best basketball player to ever come out of this municipality," said Ron Coristine, his former coach at Chatham-Kent Secondary School. Blommers will be inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame in the athlete (legend) category during Thursday's annual ceremony at the W.I.S.H. Centre. It's a reward for a player who never stopped trying to be the best. "Coming from Chatham, you had to work on your game a lot of times by yourself to get better because the competition wasn't like you'd get in Detroit or Philly or Washington," said the six-foot-seven forward and post player. "You had to pave your own road." Blommers helped the CKSS Golden Hawks win an OFSAA championship in 1977. One year earlier, he was playing for the Canadian junior team at a pre-Olympic tournament in Montreal. That's where he was spotted by St. Mary's head coach Brian Heaney, an ex-NBA player. "Before I knew it, he was in my kitchen having dinner with my parents," Blommers said. St. Mary's won the Canadian championship during Blommers' first two seasons in 1978 and '79. He was an Atlantic conference all-star in '80 and '81, then made the national tournament all-star team in '82 when St. Mary's won silver medals. "Brian just took him to the next level and Ronnie wanted to go there," Coristine said. "He had the desire to be a collegiate basketball player who was in the realm of outstanding." Blommers also played with the Canadian men's team while in university. His teammates for a 1978 tournament in Argentina included current Toronto Raptors head coach Jay Triano and Leo Rautins, who now coaches the national team. Blommers was a force at both ends of the floor. Offensively, he could post up, drive to the basket or score from outside. Defensively, he was a fierce rebounder who never backed down. " Everybody knew I was a bruiser," he said. "I loved hammering inside and getting hammered." Blommers wasn't just good in the paint. He's also good with paint, as seen by his part-time work as an artist (www.blommersfineart.com). During a basketball trip to Paris years ago, he visited the Louvre. He wouldn't have been there if not for sports, a lesson he's taught to young players. " It's important for kids to realize, ' Basketball can open doors for me,'" said Blommers, who was recently hired as sales manager for Blackburn Radio in Chatham. He never turned pro, but he could have. During a summer tour of Europe with a Windsor-based team, he was offered a contract in Vienna, Austria. He chose to return to St. Mary's. He thought there'd be more chances to play overseas. There weren't. Import rules changed and jobs for Canadians dried up. After graduating, he stayed in Halifax to work in real estate and radio advertising. He moved in 1994 to Hawaii for a job with Clear Channel Radio. He returned to Chatham three years ago with his wife Beth and sons.

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As a result of voting by 78% of the 172 eligible members, the following will become Honoured Members of the Hall of Fame. 

• Athlete - Modern - Elaine Hinnegan - basketball & squash 
• Athlete - Legend - Ron Blommers - basketball 
• Builder - Dan Lewis - basketball 
• Team - 1985-86 John McGregor girls' basketball 

The Board congratulates all four of these new inductees as well as the other individuals and teams who were nominated, especially those whose names appeared on the ballot. All unsuccessful nominations will remain on file and will automatically be considered in succeeding years. New nominations must be submitted by April 15, 2011 to be eligible for next year's voting. Nomination forms are available at the W.I.S.H. Centre or from Bill Robinson (519-436-1095). The Annual Dinner and Induction Ceremony will take place on Thursday, September 16, 2010. Tickets for the dinner will go on sale on August 1st at the W.I.S.H. Centre or from any of the directors, specifically Jay Teetzel (519-354-2333). The cost is $40.00 for adults and $20.00 for children under 10.

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• The nominations from the general public for induction into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame this year have been narrowed down to 4 candidates in each category by the Board of Directors. 
• One candidate from each category will be chosen by a vote of all members of the Hall of Fame which includes the Board of Directors, the voting members, and the Honoured Members. 
• The candidates who will appear on the ballot are: Athlete - Modern - Joelle Batten-Daigneau, Roy Galloway, Elaine Hinnegan, and Gerry Leschyshyn Athlete - Legend - Ron Blommers, Fran Crummer, Shirley Pilson, and Randy Rybansky Builder - Martin Aarts, Dan Lewis, Jim Maynard, and Bob Weedon Team - 1979 Erie & Huron Beverages Midget Baseball, 1983-84 & 84-85 Maple City Junior Ice Crystals Precision Skating, 1985 JMSS Girls' Basketball, and 1986-87 Moose Lodge Pee Wee Hockey 
• On June 1, ballots and candidates' biographical summaries will be sent to each member who is eligible to vote. The deadline to return ballots is June 30, and the names of the inductees will be announced by July 10. 
• The winning candidates will be inducted into The Hall of Fame at the Annual Dinner which is scheduled for Thursday, September 16. Banquet tickets go on sale on July 1 and will be available from all members of the Board of Directors. 
• Anyone wishing to become a voting member of the Hall of Fame may do so for an initial fee of $20.00 and then an annual fee of $10.00 for each succeeding year until a total of $50.00 is reached at which time the member becomes a Lifetime Voting Member with no additional fees charged. Voting members also get a reduced rate on the cost of a banquet ticket. Membership application forms are available from the WISH Centre or from Harold Gillies, Membership Chairman (519-352-6427). The deadline for new or renewed memberships is June 1. 
• Additional information concerning the Hall is available on the website at www.chathamsportshalloffame.com 
• Any questions concerning this news release should be directed to Jay Teetzel, Chairman of the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame (519-354-2333).

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