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News

Community Sports News is a resource for those in Orillia and surrounding area that would like to keep up to date with local sport, and Sport Orillia news. Please contact us for more information if you would like your sports news listed here.
May
29

Local Legends Join Orillia Sports Hall of Fame

  • May 29, 2022
  • 12:32 pm
  • Sport Orillia

‘Nobody ever becomes a champion on their own,’ said Mark Shivers who was inducted alongside Nelson Dunlop, Bill Smith, Joanne Stanga, Wayne Dowswell, Bill Watters, and Dave Town.

Iconic builders, legendary pioneers, and exceptional athletes were inducted into the Orillia Sports Hall of Fame Saturday night.

Former Orillia Athlete of the Year Mark Shivers headlined the class of 2021. He was inducted alongside builders Nelson Dunlop, Bill Smith, and Joanne Stanga who were instrumental, respectively, in growing baseball, lacrosse, and hockey in Orillia over many decades.

Shivers, who got his swimming start with the Orillia Channel Cats, went on to become an elite swimmer throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2002, Shivers became a national champion in the 50 butterfly.

Shivers credited support from his family, saying his older brother, Todd, was his first swim teacher at the family home along the shores of the Narrows in Atherley.

“You then became my biggest supporter and biggest fan during the prime of my sport,” Shivers, fighting back emotions, said to his brother. “You ignited the competitive fire in me at a young age, and you still know to this day as to when that fire needs a little stoking.”

Shivers attributed his success to growing up in Orillia where he had plenty of great coaches and supporters.

“Nobody ever becomes a champion on their own,” he said. “I was so lucky to have great coaches throughout my athletic career.”

Nels Dunlop dedicated his life to baseball in Orillia as a coach, umpire, and manager. Dunlop was a pioneer in building the foundation for Orillia Legion Minor Baseball and created the house league program in the mid-1950s. Speaking on behalf of his late father was Dunlop’s son, Mick.

“He had simple philosophies,” he said. “He taught people to learn to believe in themselves.”

Dunlop says his father coached a lot of average players throughout the years but got the best out of each one of them.

“The sport maybe would have survived without him, but he went for decades,” he said. “He just loved the game of baseball.”

Bill Smith purchased the Orillia Travelways in 1979 and elevated the team to Tier 2 junior hockey. The team won the Centennial Cup in 1985 and was a perennial contender during his tenure as owner. Smith was also a part of the ownership group of the Toronto Rock that won five NLL championships from 1999 to 2005.

Smith said it was a “true honour” to be inducted into the Orillia Sports Hall of Fame. He credits volunteers for helping him field successful sports teams during his career.

“In all sports, it’s not the owner that makes the difference in a team or your paid help,” he said. “It’s the volunteers that come out and support the team. Without them, no sports organization would be successful.”

Reflecting on the Travelways days, Smith says they were some of the best times of his life. He says none of it would have been possible without the support of his family.

“We had some great teams,” he said. “My family supported me through all this bulls**t and I’m surprised they did,” he quipped.

Joanne Stanga, a member of the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame, is one of the pioneers behind women’s lacrosse in Ontario. She worked tirelessly to develop the sport for girls in Orillia and other Ontario communities before becoming a provincial and national champion as a coach.

To see that the Orillia Lady Kings has grown into an organization that produces world-class talent makes Stanga incredibly proud.

“Here is hoping that someday the little Lady Kings, those cute little five-, six-, and seven-year-olds are going to grow up and play in the Olympics,” she said. “You’ve got to start somewhere.”

Stanga says hard work pays off, but she wouldn’t have had success without the support of her family and the Orillia community.

“They are always there to guide, support, and inspire us,” she said. “You are responsible for me being involved in sport. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

The ‘Class of 2020′ — Wayne Dowswell, Bill Watters, and Dave Town — was also inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday night as last year’s ceremony was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dowswell, a former Park Street Collegiate Institute gym teacher, led the school to 19 consecutive city wrestling championships. He also started the ‘Muscle Barn’ which is still going strong today.

Dowswell’s wife, Alice, spoke on his behalf during Saturday night’s ceremony and shared a story of when the coach would innovate new wrestling moves at home.

“I was Wayne’s grappling partner any time he had a new wrestling move to teach,” she said while the sold-out crowd at Hawk Ridge Golf Club erupted in laughter. “One time we were practising the hip throw onto a bed and my foot went through the wall. Our son had a playmate over who went home and told his parents that Mr. Dowswell threw Mrs. Dowswell through the wall.”

Watters was a star athlete at Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute and the University of Toronto before becoming an NHL player agent, a broadcaster, and the assistant general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Watters was also part owner of the Toronto Rock and helped start the Ottawa Renegades of the CFL.

“I’ve had some good fortune,” he said. “I’ve always prepared myself for when opportunities arrived, and I was strong enough to accept them and do the best I could with them.”

Watters attributed his career success to his early life in Orillia where he built relationships and worked hard.

“Orillia was a big part of my life,” he said. “When I think of the good fortune that I’ve had, I attribute it a lot to the city of Orillia. I’ve never forgotten it, and I thank all of you for what you have done for me in that regard.”

Town joined Shivers as a fellow swimmer and the only other inductee going into the hall of fame under the athlete category on Saturday night.

Town was an elite swimmer who won seven gold medals at Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union championship events for the University of Toronto. Town holds more than 60 Canadian and four world records in masters swimming.

“I got to represent Canada internationally four times,” he said. “I was really fortunate that at one meet I actually got to get up on the podium and see the Canadian flag raised.”

Town says being inducted into the Orillia Sports Hall of Fame is a great honour. As a researcher and local historian, he knows just how many great athletes are still waiting in line to share the honour.

“Eventually I’m going to start nominating these guys from 100 years ago who are pretty awesome,” he said.

Article by:  Tyler Evans
Date: May 29, 2022
Publication: Orillia Matters
Link to Original Article: Click Here

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May
26

Breakfast of Champions 2022

  • May 26, 2022
  • 4:14 pm
  • Sport Orillia

Top local high school athletes feted at Breakfast of Champions

Some of Orillia’s top high school athletes and student leaders were recognized this morning at Sport Orillia’s Breakfast of Champions.

Athletes from all three Orillia high schools were honoured for their dedication to sport and achievements in various sports.

World-class swimmer Mark Shivers, who will be inducted into Orillia’s Sports Hall of Fame as part of a sold-out gala Saturday night at Hawk Ridge Golf Club, was the guest speaker at the event.

He encouraged the young athletes to be persistent on their sports journeys.

“Embrace your failures,” he said. “You cannot understand how to succeed without accepting and then understanding your failures.”

Shivers reminded athletes to stop along the way to “smell the roses” and to revel in their youth and enjoy each experience.

“Your athletic journey goes by quickly,” he said. “Enjoy the bonds you will make and the places you will visit, and remember to keep a life balance.”

Each Orillia high school selected four students to be recognized at the breakfast event at the Best Western Plus Mariposa Inn and Conference Centre.

Orillia Secondary School (OSS) student athletes Jessie Buck, Emily Moore, Anna Glass and Ben Sweet were among those honoured.

Buck has participated in figure skating, basketball, badminton, track and field, and volleyball. She earned a silver medal at an Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) tournament in discus and has been a national champion in both discus and javelin.

Moore has played a variety of sports throughout her high school career including flag football, volleyball, and ultimate Frisbee. Outside of school, she earned the Ontario Volleyball Association’s Award of Excellence as a U15 and U17 athlete.

Glass is a multi-sport athlete who has participated in volleyball, basketball, badminton, lacrosse, and ultimate Frisbee. She has been awarded several MVP honours during her athletic journey at OSS and has helped teams to several championships. Most notably, she was on the OSS senior girls’ basketball team that won a silver medal at OFSAA when she was in Grade 10.

Sweet is a high-performance cycling athlete who travels internationally to competitions. He has finished in the top 10 in national championships and Canada Cups. He hopes to make Team Canada and compete in the world championships.

Kayleigh Noble, Spencer Corston, Zach Courtney and Elle Waite were the Twin Lakes Secondary School (TLSS) students honoured today.

Noble is a multi-sport athlete at TLSS. She is the captain of the varsity flag football Simcoe County Athletic Assocition (SCAA) championship team. Her main sports include volleyball, where she is the centre and captain for the school squad that captured a junior SCAA championship, and slo-pitch, in which she was named rookie of the year in Grade 9.

Corston is the captain of the TLSS senior volleyball and basketball teams that won the SCAA championship this year. He also plays ultimate Frisbee and co-ed volleyball.

For Courtney, success didn’t come right away in Grade 9, but due to his work ethic and drive, the Grade 12B student has carved out an impressive high school career, noted TLSS teacher Andrew Corry.

He said Courtney was an important part of the SCAA championship volleyball and basketball teams this past season. Courtney also competed in track and field this year, qualifying for OFSAA regionals in high jump and long jump.

Waite was a key part of the SCAA and Georgian Bay Secondary School Association (GBSSA) championship basketball team. She finished top three in SCAA cross-country league races, was the winner of junior girls’ races in Nordic skiing, and was on the SCAA championship volleyball squad. Waite is also an accomplished mountain biker, discus thrower, and shot-put athlete, Corry explained.

From Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School (PF), Whyatt Winkel, Jhett Winkel, Peyton Landon and Kennedy Clarke were recognized.

The Winkel twins are known around school for being personable, welcoming and easy to get along with, said teacher Curtis Columbus. The duo co-captained the boys’ hockey team and were instrumental in helping the team capture a GBSSA championship. They are also co-captains of the school volleyball team.

Landon is an invaluable asset to PF on and off the basketball court, said Columbus. She is a peer helper in the basketball course taught at the school and is always willing to help with game-day operations for school sporting events.

Clarke is another basketball star at PF and is one of the leaders of the volleyball team, Columbus explained, adding Clarke is a “lead-by-example” kind of player who is always the last one at practice.

The Breakfast of Champions, sponsored by Lake Country Animal Hospital, is annually held on the Thursday before the Orillia’s Sports Hall of Fame inductions in an effort to recognize the accomplishments of local student athletes.

Article by:  Tyler Evans
Date: May 26, 2022
Publication: Orillia Matters
Link to Original Article: Click Here

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October
21

2022 Hall of Fame Gala

  • October 21, 2021
  • 12:00 pm
  • John Hammill

The upcoming Sport Orillia Hall of Fame Dinner is scheduled for Saturday May 28th, 2022. Nominations are now open for the class of 2021.

Our class of 2020 –  Dave Town, Bill Watters and Wayne Dowswell will be formally honoured this spring as well.

BILL WATTERS
Bill Watters is also entering the shrine as a builder, though he was a star athlete first at ODCVI and then at the University of Toronto. Upon graduation, he became an NHL player agent and broadcaster. He also ran the Orr Walton Sports Camp and was instrumental in it being located in Orillia.

From 1991 to 2003, he was the assistant general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and was also a founder and part-owner of the Toronto Rock National Lacrosse League team. He went on to help start the Ottawa Renegades CFL team and was instrumental in creating that team’s ownership group.

WAYNE DOWSWELL
Wayne Dowswell, who is being inducted as a builder, helped build strong, winning traditions in both wrestling and weight lifting in Orillia.

While a phys-ed teacher, he led Park Street Collegiate Institute to 19 consecutive city wrestling championships.

He started a weight-lifting club at the school before the board shut it down. He moved the club to the YMCA and then built the ‘Muscle Barn’ on his farm which is still going strong at another venue.

His wrestlers and weight-lifters shone on local, provincial and national stages and his influence continues to be felt as many of his former athletes have taken up the mantle and now coach young wrestlers.

DAVE TOWN
Dave Town is being inducted as an athlete and he was – and remains – one of Orillia’s finest. Town was an elite swimmer who dominated the sport locally and provincially. He won seven gold medals at the CIAU championships for the University of Toronto (1979-84), struck gold at the Canada Games (1981) and nearly made Canada’s Olympic team in 1984. Town continues to be a top-ranked swimmer; he has more than 60 Canadian and four world records in masters swimming and is a long-time coach of Orillia’s masters swimmers.

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October
5

2021 Makins Cup Winner – LumberJacks

  • October 5, 2021
  • 7:23 pm
  • John Hammill

This new event is sponsored by the the Orillia Sports Council, it is contested annually in the memory of Steve Makins.

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April
29

Orillia Sports Hall of Fame Welcomes New Inductees

  • April 29, 2019
  • 12:09 pm
  • Martino DiSabatino

One of Orillia’s finest hockey players and two men who helped build a national champion hockey team were inducted into the Orillia Sports Hall of Fame Saturday night.

Don Stoutt and the late Bill McGill were inducted into the builder’s category of Orillia’s sports shrine, while Stu Burnie joins a star-studded roster of athletes in the hallowed hall.

“Orillia is an incredible community to be a part of as a young athlete,” said Burnie in his acceptance speech at the gala event at Casino Rama. “I’m incredibly grateful to have been lucky enough to have grown up here.”

Burnie attributes his success to growing up in Orillia – to the dedication and support of his parents, to the countless local coaches who invested their time and energy into him and to a life-long group of friends that would often show up at arenas around North America to watch him play.

There was one “defining moment” that altered his course and put him on the path to success.

In 1981, the Orillia Travelways were purchased by Gerry Smith, Barney Clarke and Bill Smith and they moved the team from Jr. B to Jr. A.

That was a turning point; it meant scouts were often in Orillia and it elevated the team into the upper echelon of junior hockey at that time.

Burnie had a breakout offensive year that season. But as a new team, the Travelways were struggling and weren’t going to make the playoffs.

“Bill Smith called me into his office and offered to trade me to a playoff team,” recalled Burnie. “I said no. I felt like it was jumping ship.”

The next day, Smith called Burnie back to his office. He told the high-scoring right winger he had traded him to the Brampton Warriors.

“You will thank me later,” Smith told him.

On Saturday night, Burnie did just that, publicly thanking Smith for forcing him outside his comfort zone.

That trade opened doors and opened the eyes of scouts. He earned a full scholarship to play NCAA Division 1 hockey in Western Michigan University.

There, he took a mediocre team to a CCHA championship. To this day, the team’s 32-win season in Burnie’s final year remains the best season in the school’s history. Burnie still holds four individual scoring records and is still among the top five all-time scorers for the Broncos.

One of his teammates during that time was future NHL goalie Glenn Healy. He sent an audio message that was played Saturday night in which he recalled fond memories of a Broncos’ team trip to Orillia in 1983.

“You are a great athlete, a great teammate at Western Michigan and certainly you’ve made a big impact in the community of Orillia,” said Healy of the “well-deserved” honour.

He called Burnie “one of the stars of Orillia” and thanked him “for being a great person.”

Another former Broncos’ teammate, Chris MacDonald, in a video tribute, recalled Burnie’s love for his hometown.

He said Burnie had “a giant Canadian map on his wall with Orillia marked on it. He made it very clear he was very proud guy from Orillia,” said MacDonald, now an amateur scout for the Vancouver Canucks.

“He listened to a lot of Gordon Lightfoot music, told us all about Lake Couchiching, Lake Simcoe, Big Chute and Big Chief and all the cool things about Orillia,” said MacDonald with a chuckle.

He said the team’s trip to Orillia was memorable and added he “couldn’t be prouder” of Burnie for this recognition and for the respected teacher he has become.

While their “dream” season in Michigan didn’t end the way they had hoped when they were upset by Harvard in the playoffs, that didn’t seem to matter to Team Canada.

Burnie was asked to play for his country in the final three games of an eight-game series against Russia. He jumped at the opportunity.

After losses in North Bay and Ottawa, Canada was to play Russia in the finale at Copp’s Coliseum in Hamilton. It was a magical night.

With the stands packed – including a large contingent from Orillia – Burnie netted a hat trick, was named the game’s MVP and Canada finally bested their rivals.

“That was one of my most memorable hockey moments,” said Burnie.

After his collegiate career, Burnie signed with the New York Islanders and has fond memories of scoring an exhibition season goal against Rangers netminder John Vanbiesbrouck.

“I still have (that puck) today,” said Burnie, who noted while it was an exhibition game “for a 170- pound kid from Orillia, it felt like a Stanley Cup goal. It’s still very special to me.”

He went on to play four seasons of professional hockey and a year in Europe playing in the Finnish Elite League.

He played with and lived with Bruce Boudreau, current coach of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, for three years during his AHL and IHL career.

“You are a great athlete, a great winger for me and I loved every minute living with you,” Boudreau said in a video message played Saturday night. He said the honour for his “great friend (was) well deserved.”

McGill and Stoutt are also “well deserved” new inductees.

Dave Collins, his wife Sheila Collins, and Bill Watters nominated Stoutt.

Collins explained how Stoutt, at the age of 27, became president of the fledgling Orillia Terriers and how he worked tirelessly, investing time, effort and cash to turn the team into a champion.

The crowning glory came with the 1973 Allan Cup championship, won on home ice at the Orillia Community Centre.

Collins, who was the hockey team’s doctor, noted Stoutt also bankrolled and organized a team trip to Sweden, talked about how Stoutt founded the Kinsmen Hockey School and continues to sponsor local sports teams and has helped raise $300,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network through golf tournaments.

Collins called Stoutt “a perfect candidate” for the hall of fame. That was a sentiment echoed by Darryl Sittler, the Toronto Maple Leafs legend who has called Orillia home for decades.

“This is well deserved,” Sittler said in a video message in which he said he was “proud to be part” of the Kinsmen Hockey School.

“It doesn’t get any better than (winning the Allan Cup),” said Sittler. “You’re a good man and I’m happy for you.”

Stoutt said he was “humbled” by the recognition and praised “all the people that helped me” along the way.

“I’m very pleased to be part of the Hall of Fame and the Orillia sports community,” he said to a standing ovation.

McGill, who died in 2001, was nominated by John Falcon, who talked about the well-known Orillian’s athletic feats as a lacrosse and rugby player.

But it was his role as a founder of the Orillia Terriers and booster of all things Orillia that landed him in the Hall of Fame as a builder.

Falcon talked about the lengths McGill went to in his quest to put the Terriers on the map and recalled how the fun-loving McGill would regale people at the Legion with stories and jokes.

“He was a very funny man. He loved people and was just a great person,” said Falcon.

His son, Thom McGill, accepted the award on behalf of his father.

“I often thought people might forget my dad and Don (Stoutt) … it was a whole different era a long time ago,” said Thom. “This is quite an honour for our family.”

At Saturday night’s event, 2018 Orillia Athlete of the Year Annie Lloyd was recognized. She was joined in the audience by previous inductees Walter Henry, Cam Devine, Terry Bullen, Jayme Davis, Brittney Fess and, on behalf of the late Jerry Udell, Brenda Udell.

There are now 20 inductees in the Orillia Sports Hall of Fame.

Original Article By: Dave Dawson
Link to Article: 2019 Sport Orillia Gala
Date: April 28th, 2019
Publication: OrilliaMatters.com

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April
26

Student Athletes Recognized at Breakfast of Champions

  • April 26, 2019
  • 1:17 pm
  • Sport Orillia
Hall of Fame inductee Stu Burnie encourages local students to ‘have fun, work hard and do it for as long as you can’

A dozen talented, hard-working student athletes were recognized by Sport Orillia at its fifth annual Breakfast of Champions Thursday morning.

“You are the future of sports,” Sport Orillia board member Adele LeMaire told the aspiring students assembled at the Best Western Mariposa Inn and Conference Centre. “It’s exciting for us to honour our young athletes and to acknowledge what you are doing.”

The event is always held just prior to the Orillia Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which is slated for Saturday night at Casino Rama.

One of this year’s inductees, Stu Burnie, was the guest speaker at Thursday morning’s event and he encouraged the students to play sports for as long as possible.

“Have fun, work hard and do it for as long as you can,” said Burnie, who was an outstanding lacrosse and hockey player who grew up in Orillia and pursued both sports locally.

Burnie told the high-school students how he didn’t concentrate on becoming a professional hockey player, but focused on enjoying the sport and improving himself.

“You all have skill,” he told the athletes, stressing that skill is but one element in the equation for success.

He said hard work is critical — as is a little luck, but he reminded them that “luck comes to those who work hard.”

He said as a youth, he was never the best player on his team.

“That gave me motivation to be the best; it gave me drive,” recalled Burnie, who earned a full scholarship to play Division 1 NCAA hockey at Western Michigan University.

“My goal wasn’t to be a pro athlete. It was to have fun and excel and do my best.”

For him, it worked. He played for Team Canada twice and also had a five-year professional hockey career, playing in the AHL, the IHL and Finland.

He said education is key and encouraged the students to pursue their sports at college and university.

“Play as long as you can and have fun with it,” urged the long-time educator at Harriett Todd Public School.

The following students were recognized Thursday.

Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School

Liam Warboys, a “hard-working student athlete,” has been wrestling at Fogarty for four years. This year, the Grade 12 student returned to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) championships and brought home a bronze medal.

Tyler Huxtable plays both soccer and basketball at Fogarty. He was the captain and top point-getter for this year’s Georgian Bay championship basketball team.

Outstanding field lacrosse players Jerica Obee and Kassidy Morris were also selected to be recognized by their coaches but were unable to attend.

Orillia Secondary School

Jeremy Langner was recognized as a leader on the school’s senior boys’ volleyball team and also excelled in Nordic skiing, despite being a newcomer to the sport; he finished 10th at the GBSSA championship. He also played badminton and managed a 94 per cent average.

Hennessy Chodzinski is a multi-sport athlete. She is a versatile flag football player and was a starter on the school’s rugby team for four years. She was described as a “heart and soul” player.

Caleb Near is an accomplished swimmer who won two golds at the Georgian Bay championship and won silver at OFSAA. He is currently ranked fourth in Canada in the 100-metre backstroke and has qualified for the Olympic Trials and dreams of representing Canada at the Olympics.

Audrey Rieckenberg is a multi-sport athlete who helped the school’s cross-country team earn a GBSSA title and also competed at OFSAA. She also shone in the pool for the school’s swim team, won OFSAA gold in Nordic skiing and competed at OFSAA in the 3,000-metre race. She also has an impressive 95 per cent average.

Twin Lakes Secondary School

Jack Ormsby takes multi-sport athlete to another level. He participated in cross-country running, soccer, basketball, hockey, golf, and track and field this year.

Vadim Boshnyak is a “very skilled” player who captained Twin’s basketball team, while becoming one of the squad’s most-liked players. His coach called him a “bulldog” who helped lead the team to a league title.

Hailey Ellis has been a strong basketball player throughout her time at Twin Lakes. Her coach said she has “that X-factor” and is a gamer. She also played volleyball and was part of the school’s track and field team.

Sarrina Foy was a force on Twin’s flag football team and also played volleyball, soccer and made the track team. Her club soccer team just returned from a trip to Italy, where the local club played against top international teams.

The Breakfast of Champions was sponsored by Lake Country Animal Hospital.

Original Article By: Dave Dawson
Link to Article: 2019 Breakfast of Champions
Date: April 26th, 2019
Publication: OrilliaMatters.com

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February
25

Orillia Lawn Bowling Club – Free Bowling Weekends

  • February 25, 2019
  • 6:54 pm
  • Sport Orillia
This season we are offering 2 free learn to bowl programs.
One program is on 3 consecutive Wednesday evenings beginning on May 22nd at 6:30 p.m.
The second program is on 3 consecutive Sunday afternoons beginning on May 26th at 2 p.m.
Each session will last about 2 hours and all you need to supply is flat shoes.
You need to register by sending an email with your name and which program you wish to attend to orilliabc@gmail.com
or by enrolling with the Orillia Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture.
Check out our website for more information about our gentle and healthy game at orillialawnbowls.ca.
See you on the green

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January
23

Look who is being inducted into Orillia’s Sports Hall of Fame!

  • January 23, 2019
  • 9:26 am
  • Sport Orillia
Hockey star Stuart Burnie along with Orillia Terriers architects Bill McGill and Don Stoutt to be inducted.

Orillia’s Sports Hall of Fame will welcome three new inductees at the annual Sport Orillia Gala in April.

At an afternoon press conference Tuesday at the Orillia Waterfront Centre, Sport Orillia officials unveiled the three inductees.

The trio includes hockey star Stuart Burnie and a pair of builders who were co-founders, architects and supporters of the Orillia Terriers senior hockey team that won the Allan Cup in 1973: Don Stoutt and Bill McGill.

“I’m humbled,” Burnie said at Tuesday’s media conference. “It’s a great honour. I didn’t expect this.”

Last year, as part of the city’s sesquicentennial celebration, Burnie was named as one of the top 10 players to ever come out of Orillia. He is also a charter member of the Orillia Hockey Wall of Fame.

He said he traces the roots of his success to the foundation that was built in Orillia where he was helped by many local coaches and families that supported him on his path.

“I do appreciate all the support I’ve been given and all the great coaches I had along the way,” said Burnie, a long-time teacher at Harriett Todd Public School. “It was a community of support. I think of families like the Wilkies, the Grubes, Knoxes, Shropshires, my parents … they were all part of the team.”

Stoutt also said he was “honoured and humbled” to be chosen as a Hall of Famer. But he deflected the praise, saying it’s the Canadian championship Terriers that should be in the local shrine.

The long-time local real estate broker said he remains “very proud” of what that team accomplished. They were a David in a fight with Goliath all the time.

“We were a small community and couldn’t play with the big dogs,” said Stoutt. “We had to raise a lot of money to keep the team going.”

He said it was a marathon of beer fests, advertising selling, program hawking and other initiatives. “It was a community effort. We stuck together and were quite successful.”

It was Stout and Bill McGill that co-founded the Terriers, one of the country’s top senior hockey teams of its era. And that was an era when senior hockey was excellent; many former NHLers played in the league and took it as seriously as if it was pro hockey.

Thom McGill said Orillia’s Terriers were only successful because of the efforts of people like his dad, who died in 2001, Stoutt and a giving community.

“The easy part is the players who show up and play,” said Thom McGill. “I don’t think a lot of people appreciate what goes into running a hockey team. The hours they put in … it was incredible.”

McGill admits he wondered if this day of recognition might come for his late father. After all, it’s been decades since his dad’s fingerprints covered most of the things that happened in Orillia.

In fact, if his dad were still alive, Thom thinks he might have said: “Where the Hell were you 25 years ago?” he joked. “He would have just taken it all in stride.”

For Burnie, the accolade is recognition of an incredible athletic legacy.

Burnie was one of the best lacrosse players of his era, starring for the former Orillia Colonels. In 1983, he led the Ontario Jr. B League in scoring – one of just four Orillia players to do so in the league’s 46-year history.

He once scored 12 goals in a game, adding one assist, prompting a teammate to nickname him ‘Reggie’ after NHL sniper Reggie Leach.

In his final year of junior hockey and first year at the Tier II level, Burnie excelled, scoring 55 goals in 46 games for the Orillia Travelways. That year, he won the Doc McKinnon trophy as the most valuable player in Orillia at the junior level.

His offensive prowess catapulted him on to the radar of many NCAA teams. He chose Western Michigan, where he shone.

In 159 games, he scored 102 goals and had 72 assists. During his four years, the team went from a non-playoff team to the final eight in his last year, playing in front of sell-out crowds at Joe Louis Arena.

Moments after losing in the NCAA Final 8, Burnie received a call he will never forget.

“Over long periods of time, you forget things, but the day I was asked to play for Team Canada I remember well,” Burnie recalled at Tuesday’s press conference.

Burnie was in a hotel room in Boston with his parents when Wayne Fleming, who was on the Team Canada executive, asked Burnie to fly to North Bay to suit up for the national team for the final three games of their eight-game series against Russia.

After losing the first seven games against their bitter rivals, the final game of the series was played at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton. That night, with upwards of 30 friends and family members in the crowd, Burnie netted three goals and led his team to a thrilling victory.

To this day, one of his most prized possessions is a silver stein emblazoned with the Hockey Canada logo, declaring Burnie the player of the game that night.

“That is a special memory,” said Burnie. “Wearing that flag on your chest … it’s an incredible experience that is hard to duplicate.”

Burnie also went on to play in the AHL, signed a two-year deal with the New York Islanders and scored during exhibition play with the NHL club.

Thom McGill (on his father’s behalf), Stoutt and Burnie will officially be inducted into the Orillia Sports Hall of Fame at a gala dinner and ceremony April 27 at Casino Rama.

“We encourage people to come out to the gala and learn about these great Orillians, to hear about their successes and to get a sense of the heritage of this great sports city,” said Martino DiSabatino, president of Sport Orillia.

 

Original Article By: Dave Dawson
Publication: Orillia Matters
Date: January 19th, 2019
Link to Article: https://www.orilliamatters.com/local-sports/look-who-is-being-inducted-into-orillias-sports-hall-of-fame-1197581

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November
27

2019 Hall of Fame Nominations

  • November 27, 2018
  • 7:50 am
  • Martino DiSabatino

Know an outstanding athlete, coach or individual that contributes to sporting excellence in the Orillia area? We are now accepting nominations for inductees to the 2019 Orillia Sport Council – Hall of Fame. Download the 2019 Orillia Sport Council Hall of Fame Nomination Form below or from the 2019 Nominations Form link under the Hall of Fame tab in the navigation bar.

The deadline is fast approaching so get your nominations in.

All forms must be returned no later than November 30th, 2018. Please mail completed forms to:

Download: Orillia Sport Council – Hall of Fame Nomination Form 2019

Please mail completed forms to:

Orillia Sport Council
P.O.Box 2525 – 22 Peter Street S., Orillia L3V 5A0

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June
25

Subaru Triathlon Series – Orillia

  • June 25, 2018
  • 8:10 am
  • Martino DiSabatino
One of the nicest venues around, Couchiching Beach Park is located on Lake Couchiching in Orillia. Featured is a sprint distance (750m Swim, 33km Bike, 7km Run) with a challenging bike and a mostly shaded lake side run and a Try-A-Tri distance (375m Swim, 10km, 2.5km Run). Of course Duathlon, Relay and Swim/Bike events are also available. Don’t miss this one!

Date: Sunday, August 19th, 2018

  • Race Kit Pick-Up (all races): 6:30am – 8:00am
  • Sprint Triathlon: 8:00am
  • Duathlon: 8:15am
  • Second Race Kit Pick-Up: 10:00am – 10:45am
  • Try-A-Tri: 11:00am
  • Post Race Party: 10:00am – 12:30pm
  • Awards: 12:30pm

Register Here: Subaru Triathlon Series

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