A Barrie sports living legend, Doris Laroche is the matriarch of girls softball in the area. Decades ago, the opportunities for girls to play sports in Barrie were very limited. Laroche’s love of the game of softball and her determination led her to realize a dream. In 1977, Doris single-handedly founded the Barrie & District Girls Softball Association and she organized and managed this organization for a number of years. She also established and personally funded the creation of a scholarship fund that would see bursaries awarded to players going to university. The BDGSA continues to flourish with volunteers inspired by Doris Laroche’s passion for the game. In celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the BDGSA, the Association president Marc Reynolds stated “I think that anybody who has got daughters playing sports in Barrie should be proud of this woman. She is a true pioneer.”

Nick Owen has been Mr. Baseball in Barrie for over 40 years. As a player his senior baseball career spanned almost two decades. During that periodhe played with 1 league champions, an OBA Championship team, won four individual batting titles, and was twice chosen as league MVP. He also played on the Canadian National Team in 1970 and 1971. Owen is renowned for his coaching abilities. His Midget, Juvenile and Senior teams have won numerous league titles, were OBA finalists on five occasions, OBA champions three times and in the Canadian Championships twice. His 1985 Marauders Juvenile team were Canada Games gold medalists.In latter years, he concentrated in the development of younger players, coaching for the Barrie Minor Baseball Association at the Mosquito, Peewee and Bantam levels 1994-98.His coaching talents didn’t go unrecognized. In 1985 he was appointed to the coaching staff of the CanadianNational Junior team. He ran OBA coaching clinics for seven years and junior level clinics for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1977 to 1979. He was the obvious choice as the first ever field manager for the Barrie Baycats, who began play in the Inter-County League in May, 2001.Owen was also an active fastball and slow pitch player. In fastball he has played on five championship teams as well as winning two batting titles. Among his Slo-Pitch achievements are a pair of league championships, the 1990 Northern Ontario Championship, an Ontario Masters Intermediate Championship leading to the 1992 National Championships, where the team lost in the final. Owen has also served as President of the Intermediate Fastball League, been on the executives of the South Simcoe Men’s League, Barrie and District Basketball Referees’ Board, Barrie Minor Baseball, York-Simcoe League, and the Barrie Men’s Slo-Pitch League. He was Barrie Director for Slo-Pitch Ontario, and was a Labatt’s Blue Slo-Pitch Advisor.

Jim Hamilton arrived in Barrie in 1968 to take on a teaching position at Eastview Secondary School. An avid rugby player he immediately became involved in high school rugby in 1969. He helped get the sport organized in the Simcoe County School area and lobbied the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association (OFSSA) to sponsor a provincial rugby championship. The first OFSAA rugby championship was hosted by Hamilton’s school.

For almost three decades Hamilton would oversee three teams and about 100 rugby athletes each year in the Senior, Junior, and Midget levels. His teams won more than 30 Georgian Bay titles, one OFSAA gold medal, three OFSAAA sil¬ver medals and several bronze medals. He took teams ona tour of Wales and England in 1981 and 1987. In turn his teams hosted sides from Scotland, England, Wales and other provinces many times. In the early 1990’s Hamilton helped establish girl’s rugby in the Simcoe County School area. 

His involvement with sport included more than just rugby. He spent about 15 years coaching high school basketball, working mainly with the younger age groups. During that time, he also organized an annual high school tournament. Hamilton’s basketball teams went to numerous Georgian Bay championships and won two titles. In addition to coaching he would also referee high school Basketball, Volleyball and Rugby. He would often referee three consecutive Rugby matches in a row.

Hamilton played rugby until the late 1980s. He helped establish the Barrie RFC Rugby Club. As a member and co-coach of the Barrie Rugby Club, he helped the team win a Toronto and District elite division championship in 1985, and went to the finals in two other seasons. He spent 15 years as a player and was team captain twice. He coached on a rotating basis for four years and served in several capacities on the club executive. Hamilton was also on the Recreation Advisory Committee of the Barrie Parks and Recreation Department and served as chairman of the OFSAA rugby board for 14 years.

Jim Hamilton lost his battle with cancer in 2004 but his legacy lives on. An annual Jim Hamilton memorial golf tournament is run by the Barrie RFC each year. A Jim Hamilton memorial rugby game is also organized each year by former students and city rugby players. Funds raised from the game go to the Jim Hamilton Memorial Scholarship fund. This scholarship is awarded each year to two graduating Eastview students (one boy and one girl) that exhibit excellence on the rugby field.

Bill McAleer’s name is synonymous with basketball in Barrie. He has served both the Barrie and Provincial basketball community for over 40 years. He is a co-founder of the Barrie District of Approved Basketball Officials (BDABO), which is the local chapter of the Ontario Association of Basketball Officials (OABO). He Currently serves on the BDABO Executive as Elementary Assigning Officer and rules Interpreter.

At the secondary school level, McAleer has officiated at both the AA and AAA level at a number of Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association (OFSAA) tournaments. He has officiated at the Community College level and the Canadian university level, in both men’s and women’s divisions. He has also worked several national university tournaments. In 1994, he ran the scorer’s table at the World Basketball Championships, which were held in Toronto.

McAleer was honored by the OABO as a recipient of their 40 yearService certificate for his dedication to basketball. The International Association of Approved Basketball Officials has also honored McAleer with a special plaque for his many years of service to basketball.

McAleer’s contribution to basketball alone would certainly qualify him for a local lifetime achievment award but, there’s more to McAleer than basketball. He was also involved in the local slo-pitch scene for more than two decades. He umpired fastball and slo¬pitch games for over 20 years and has served as the Barrie and area representative for the Slo-pitch National organization.

Innisdale Secondary School’s Dale Baker has contributed 33 years of service to athletics and physical education in Simcoe County. Thirty-one of those years have been in Barrie schools. She has been very active in the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) and the Georgian Bay Secondary Schools Association (GBSSA). She has coached numerous high school teams, with many of them capturing GBSSA championships and has helped organize and host five OFSAA provincial Championships. In addition, she has served as an OFSAA convener for four other provincial volleyball championships.

In 2008 Baker held off retiring from her teaching position to help organize the 2008 boys volleyball championships. Three Barrie high schools, including Innisdale, hosted this very successful provincial tournament. In the same year she also acted as OFSAA convener to the (GBSSA) boys volleyball league. She coached the Innisdale Boys AAAA Volleyball team to a GBSSA championship, giving them the right to represent this area in the OFSAA tournament that she helped organizes. In the tournament, her team reached the quarter finals before falling to the silver medalist Mississauga team.In 2009, Baker once again put off retirement to coach the Innisdale Boys AAAA volleyball team. Many of the players had been on her team for 4 or 5 years. They rewarded her retirement decision by winning the Georgian Bay championships sending her and the team to the OFSAA championships one more time.

Bakers work ethics have not gone unnoticed. In June 2008, the OFSAA presented Dale Baker with it’s prestigious Pete Beach Award. The award, presented annually is given to the person that exemplifies the former OFSAA executives’ dedication to sport and helping others. She has received OFSAA’s Leadership in Sport award for girls volleyball. She was the 2002 recipient of the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame Jean McCann Unsung Hero award. She was also nominated for the prestigious Ontario Volunteer Service Award.

Bakers coaching talents have also extended beyond school teams. She coached the Georgian Cubs Volleyball club for four years and was a Barrie Minor Soccer coach a number of years ago.

To many hundreds of hockey and softball players in Barrie, Ralph Webb’s face is as familiar as that of any coach or manager they may have had. Webb has served as a trainer, assistant trainer and equipment manager for hockey and softball/slo-pitch teams for more than 30 years in Barrie. Although at times he’s been given a small honorarium from teams that he has helped out, the vast majority of his work has been as a volunteer:

The Barrie native started out with the Barrie Flyers in 1970. He was with the team when they won the 1974 Allan Cup. Soon after, he took a volunteer spot with the Barrie Colts Junior B hockey team and served as one of the team’s most dedicated volunteers. He watched them graduate from junior B to provincial Junior A to the present day Ontario Hockey League team. One of his fondest memories of the past quarter century was the Colts’ Sutherland Cup Championship in 1992/93.

When the Colts moved into the Major Junior ranks, Webb became an assistant trainer with the club. During the summer months, in the 1970s and ’80s, Webb was trainer with softball and slo-pitch teams. He was also with the Tornado Junior B Lacrosse team that won the 2003 Founders Cup, He was, however, best known for his years on the bench with the Colts. In fact, it’s tough for many old hockey fans to imagine a Colts bench without Webb’s face at the end. He became a regularat hockey games in the Barrie Arena during the hey¬day of Senior and Junior hockey in the 1950s and ’60s. He and wife Fran have seen every hockey notable that has played in this city over the past 50 years. Webb’s dream was to be a part of a Major Junior franchise. His involvement with the Colts OHL team made that dream come true.

In 1995 Webb was named coach/official of the year, by the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame, for his volunteer work with the Barrie Flyers and the Barrie Colts hockey teams. Webb has alarge collection of hockey sticks that are signed by the players he has served. Many of them will be pleased to see him receive this award.

Born in Barrie, Wally Carruthers has been involved in its sporting scene in different capacities for many decades. He was a founding member of the Barrie and District Church Softball League. He was involved with the league for several years including a term as President. Carruthers was also President of the Barrie and District Industrial Hockey League. In 1954-1955, he was Secretary of the OMHA Juvenile B championship team. He coached Midget and Juvenile Hockey teams for the Air Force Association for several years. One of his star players, Dan Maloney, later had a long career in the NHL and was inducted into the BSHOF. Carruthers’ love of sports and community spirit saw him arrange excursions to Chicago Stadium as well as Maple leaf Gardens with the Barrie Boy Scouts. He was a board member of the 1973-1974 Barrie Flyers Allan Cup Championship team. Carruthers spent a number of years as Director of Barrie Parks and Recreation, including two years as Vice-Chairman. He has also been a member of numerous community events. During Barrie’s 150th anniversary, Carruthers was recruited to organize a reunion of the two former Memorial Cup Barrie Flyer teams. Former team members from all over Canada returned for the celebration. In the Ontario Winter Senior games, he was Chairman of hockey events and the musical entertainment for the Closing Ceremonies. In the early 1970’s he chaired the Barrie Winter Carnival, World Broomball tournaments. Residing close to Codrington Elementary School, Carruthers arranged with the City and Rotarians to place a rink on the school grounds. The rink was subsequently renamed by Rotarians as “Wally Carruthers Rink”. Carruthers was a charter member of the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame Society, and has been an active member on the BSHOFS Executive for many years. He was responsible for initiating a joint venture between the BSHOF and the Barrie Colts to recognize the Canadian troops. Carruthers has been a member of the Rotary Club of Barrie for fifty years.

Tom Stockdale is a retired teacher from Portage View Elementary School in Barrie. He coached the Portage View Panthers’ Wrestling team from 1980 to 2006. His teams have enjoyed tremendous success. During his period as coach of the Panthers, the team won seven Simcoe County Wrestling Team Championships. This competition often had more competitors than the Provincial Championships. Tom also organized and co-coordinated the Simcoe County Wrestling Championship five times in his career. His teams have won over 50 medals at various Ontario Championships. In 1997, the girls won the Ontario Bantam Championship and the boys duplicated this feat in 1999. In 1998 and 2001 the girls placed third in Ontario. Over the years many of his students have gone on to compete atthe High School and University level. Some have also gone on to compete at Provincial and National Championships. A former team member, Jonathan Goodman, has won gold medals in both Ontario and the Eastern Canadian championships. Tom coached a variety of sports and was loved by all he taught. Some still came back years later to assist in Stockdale’s program. In 2002, Tom received an award from his fellow coaches in Simcoe County to recognize his “Years of Coaching, Organizing and Promoting the Sport of Amateur Wrestling”.

Tom’s commitment to coaching and to his students is not limited to wrestling. On occasion he coached the Panther’s Cross Country Running team. Tom also organized and co-coordinated Barrie area cross country competitions from 1993 to 2001. Each spring, for 23 years, Tom helped organize and co-coordinate a Panther Track and Field Meet. At the same time he would coach the Portage View’s Track and Field team.

In 2006, Stockdale retired from Portage View Elementary School. However he did not stop coaching. In fact it only increased his passion for sports. In that year he took on a role of Head Coach for Junior Wrestlers with the Kempenfelt Bay Wrestling Club, which he continues to do today. Here he has helped shape and mold some of the best wrestlers in the country. Many of which have gone on to have success at the university level. In addition to this, Stockdale also works as an assistant coach with the Barrie Central Collegiate Wrestling team. The team is regarded as one of the top teams in the Province. The team has won back to back G.B.S.S.A. Championships. Throughout the week, Stockdale can be found at local high school wrestling tournaments where he volunteers his time as a Head Draw Master and official.

He is a truly remarkable person, and agreat ambassador to the city. Each year he will go to the City of Barrie and bring back “goody bags” full of pins and other items. He sends these to any athlete competing at a National Championships or International Events so that they “will remember where they come from”. Tom Stockdale has given of his time, for over 31 years, to Barrie athletes.

Born in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Grace Ough has always enjoyed sports. In high school she played tennis and badminton, skied and skated. Her love of golf began in 1945 when she joined the Aurora Golf Club.

After moving to Barrie with her husband, Grace joined the Barrie Country Club in 1950. She immediately began taking an active role in the Ladies’ Golf Section as a member of the Handicap Committee.

Her presence on the course was noted from the start. In 1950, she won the Bronze Division spoon in Canadian Ladies Golf Union matches and took the prize for Handicap Reduction as well as the Captains Prize. The following year, golfing with Bill Dyment, she won the Rogers Cup.

Through the early 1950’s Ough was never far from the podium. Her breakthrough year came in 1956. On August 27th, she defeated Mrs. J. L. Corby at the 18th hole for her first Barrie Country Club Championship. It was the start of a dominating career, claiming the A. A. Smith Memorial Trophy every year through 1967 with the exception of 1962.

Ough not only bested the best Barrie had to offer, she won the first invitational golf tournament held at the Barrie Country Club in 1960, topping a field of 57 competitors, 44 of which came from out of town. She repeated the feat in 1963 topping 76 players from 16 different clubs. By 1967, Grace Ough was one of the leading women golfers in the county. She claimed the Simcoe County Individual Award in 1956, 1962, 1965, and 1966 with a runner up placing in 1967.

Well known for her putting being a strong point of her game, Grace received the Silver Spoon for the lowest net scores at the Barrie Country Club in 1976.

In addition to her prowess on the golf course, Ough was an accomplished curler, skipping championship teams at the Barrie Curling Club, Barrie Country Club and at the District levels.

At a time when it was often challenging for women to take part in, let alone excel at, organized sports, Grace Ough juggled home and family life to become one of Barrie’s pre-eminent women golfers and curlers.

John McCann has lived in Barrie for over 50 years and has been a valued contributor to the local sports and community service clubs.

John played his minor hockey in Barrie and was an all-star softball player at both the Intermediate League level and the Senior League level.

It was John’s love of the game that led him to be instrumental in starting youth fastball teams in Barrie, with many players going on to successful playing careers at the Intermediate and Senior levels in Barrie and across the province. He both coached and played for winning OASDA teams.

John was also a successful Barrie Minor hockey coach at the AAA level, coaching for 14 years. On two occasions his teams won the Ontario Minor Hockey Association Championship.

His involvement with hockey didn’t stop with coaching. He was on the executive of the BMHA for 10 years. John was also President of the Jr. B. Barrie Colts for seven years. This organization was considered to be one of the premiere organizations in the province at the time, winning four championships.

John McCann was Chairman of the Barrie Labour Day Fastball Tournament for 5 years. This event brought world class fastball players to the city. Large crowds would gather to watch the exciting fastball at this event. John was also Co-Chair of the Fundraising and Building Committee for the Allandale Recreation Centre. He spent countless hours raising money to help this facility become a reality.

Along with his countless number of volunteer hours to the sporting community in Barrie, John was also involved with the Civitan Club of Barrie and helped with the Barrie Santa Claus Parade over the years.

Don Roulston has contributed to the sporting scene of Barrie for over 35 years. He was a Team Manager in the Barrie Minor Hockey Association (B.M.H.A.) between 1978 and 1982. Highlights of his teams involvement included an Ontario Minor Hockey Association (O.M.H.A.) – Minor Bantam Championship in 1978-79 followed by a trip to the Ontario Championship – Loblaw Cup with the 1979-80 Bantam ‘AAA’ O.M.H.A. Champions. (This team was honoured by the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame in 10.) As team manager, he had a part in raising sufficient funds to allow the Major Bantam and Major Midget teams to travel to week long tournaments in Kamloops B.C. and Calgary, Alberta.

In May 1986, Don received the Barrie Minor Hockey Association Award for support and promotion of Minor Hockey in the City of Barrie. His participation in Barrie hockey blossomed when he assumed the position of Manager of the Barrie Colts Junior ‘B’ Hockey Club between 1982 and 1986 and again between 1987 and 1990. During these periods, he played a pivotal role with Colt teams that won four Central Ontario Junior Hockey League (C.O.J.H.L.) Championships. They were also finalists on two other occasions. He was appointed General Manager of the Barrie Colts during the 1990-91 season. The Colts off-ice success was evident, but Roulston’s contribution as the Colts’ representative on the C.O.J.H.L. Board was also significant. He worked hard for the betterment of the league and was considered a voice of reason at the league level Roulston was highly respected by members of the junior hockey governing body, the Ontario Hockey Association. The O.H.A. appointed Roulston as convenor of the East Division of the Ontario Provincial Junior “A” Hockey League.

In 1991, private ownership purchased the Barrie Colts Junior Hockey Club, but Roulston continued his association with the Colts. He became an advisor to a newly-appointed General Manager and Coach and played a key role in the transition. In addition he and his wife, June, teamed up to operate a Hospitality Room for the Barrie Colts Junior ‘B’ team in 1984. They continued this service for the Colts Junior ‘A’ Tier II franchises between 1992 and 1995. In the 1992-93 season, he and June worked overtime in a prolonged season when the regular season undefeated Colts marched on to capture the Ontario Championship -‘Sutherland Cup’, an accomplishment not experienced by the City of Barrie since 1950. The Hospitality Room was the talk of the C.O.J.H.L. It became a place for hockey executives, scouts and the media to gather to renew ties, and exchange stories and notes. The Barrie Colts made the jump to the Ontario Hockey league (O.H.L.) in 1995 and Don and June joined the team. They continued to operate the Hospitality Room for the O.H.L. Barrie Colts until 1998.

In 2004, Roulston became a member of the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors. He has been an active member of the Board for the past ten years. He was chair of the Trophies and & Display committee for four years. He has also been an active and contributing member on several other committees including Selection, induction Ceremony, Website development, Sponsorship and fund raising. Roulston was Co-Chair of the Board of Directors from 2009 to 2011. During this period a number of significant accomplishments were reached. The Hall developed a modern up-to-date Web site. The Society was incorporated as a not for profit Corporation. An agreement was reached with the City to insure the Sports Hall’s portraits/memorabilia from damage. A marketing committee was formed to examine how to make the Hall of Fame more self reliant.

Don Roulston is still an active member of the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame Society.

Malcolm (Mac) MacDonald was born near Sault Ste. Marie in 1935. In 1969 he moved to Barrie to begin a 40 year teaching career at Georgian College.

In 1970, he began a 20 year association with the Barrie Minor Hockey Association (BMHA). He was Barrie’s York-Simcoe League representative for several years and served as an OMHA convener of the York-Simcoe League’s Novice/Atom divisions. In 1982, he was acclaimed to a two year term as BMHA President. During this period the BMHA was actively and financially involved with the “RecreAction” campaign to build the new Allandale Recreational Centre. MacDonald served as Chair of a Users Advisor Committee to the arena’s design team. In 1983, he led a BMHA presentation to the OMHA for reorganization of their AAA leagues. Many of the suggestions were instituted by the OMHA a few years later. MacDonald continued as an active Past President from 1984 to 1987. MacDonald also served as manager or assistant manager of 5 BMHA teams.

He was a member of the 1985 ad-hoc committee for the amalgamation of the BMHA, Barrie Legion and Knights of Columbus leagues. In 1986-87 he served as Vice President in charge of Ice Allotment for the newly combined BMHA.

He was a two time recipient of the Barrie Minor Hockey Award for outstanding commitment to the BMHA. In 1978, he received the Wes Allsopp Award for exceptional contribution to minor hockey in Barrie. In the early years of the Barrie Minor Baseball Association, MacDonald coached 4 baseball teams, taking two of the teams to the league finals.

MacDonald has been a member of the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame Society (BSHoFS) since its inaugural meeting in 1985. He has been a member of the Board for over 25 years. From 2009-2011 he was Co-Chair of the BSHoFS with Don Roulston. Mac MacDonald is still an active member of the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame Society.

Arnold Ziegler has been umpiring local ball games for over 56 years. He participated in over 160 games last year alone. In 1959, at the age of 20, he started umpiring. Ziegler quickly developed into a respected no-nonsense official. Numerous local players, team management and coaches will, sometimes proudly, admit to being on the receiving end of Ziggy’s animated ejections. He is a carded umpire both provincially and nationally. Over the years Ziegler has umpired baseball, fastball, softball and slo-pitch throughout Ontario. He has twice had the honour of umpiring in the Rogers Centre.

One the most rewarding job has been his long relationship with the Barrie Integrated Baseball Association. BIBA is a baseball league for adults with special needs. He is amazed how special it is for these players to experience playing the game. For them it is like the World Series once a week.

Ziegler’s son Mark is also a carded umpire. The father was extremely proud to have the opportunity to umpire with his son at a recent Wasaga Beach tournament. Ziegler was ready to retire this year but may stick around for the Wasaga Beach’s 30th Anniversary tournament.

Ziegler’s 56 years as an umpire, locally, would in itself qualify him for a local lifetime achievement award. However, he is equally well known for his long term commitment to coaching the game. He was coaching Barrie’s 1962 Junior baseball team when he recruited a young talented player named Nick Owen. A few years later both Ziegler and Owen became synonymous with successful baseball teams in Barrie. They teamed up with Owen as manager and Ziegler as Coach. Some of their notable Barrie teams went on to become Ontario and Canadian Baseball Champions. Their midget, juvenile and senior teams won numerous league titles, and were Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) finalists on five occasions, OBA champions three times and competed in the Canadian championships twice. Their 1985 Marauders juvenile team won the Canada Games gold medal.

When the Barrie Baycats, began play in the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL), in 2001, Ziegler stepped in to be their 3rd base coach. He spent the first three years helping the team get established.

Ziegler’s expertise was not limited to just baseball. He was also a valued executive member of the Barrie Flyers Senior Hockey teams. He was on board in 1974 when the Flyers team captured the Allan Cup symbolic of the national senior amateur men’s champions of Canada.

Donald Preston Bowen was born and raised in Barrie. He came up through the Church Hockey Leagues and eventually was recruited and played for the Barrie Colts in the Jr. ‘B’ Hockey League from 1936 – 1939. After many years (and WWII), he volunteered for almost 20 years as a Coach, Manager, and President of Barrie hockey teams.

As a player, Don played for the Barrie Colts when they were runner-up for the 1937 OHA Jr. ‘B’ title. As a Coach, his team won the OMHA Juvenile ‘A’ Championship in 1957-58. He was also President of the Barrie Jr. ‘C’ Team and Manager of the Georgian Bay OHA Jr. ‘C’ Team of 1963-64.

Don was also recruited into the American Hockey League’s Amateur Division by the Syracuse Stars (Syracuse N.Y.). He also played in the Michigan Hockey League for 1 year.

Bowen played, coached, and/or managed many teams in Barrie for more than 25 years. He believed that “sports brought out the best in young people.” He was recognized as a member of the prestigious Barrie Colt Alumni 1995.

Don was considered a smart and skilled hockey player. With the onset of WWII, he served for 3 years overseas. After the war, he played Senior level hockey in Barrie. He wanted to pass on his love and skill of the game to young players and coached many players in Barrie who went on to careers at greater heights (Corby Adams and Dan Maloney to name a couple).

Donald Preston Bowen passed away in 2003.

Jim Thompson was born and raised in Barrie. In his youth, he played Rep soccer and Rep hockey and in 1961-62 was a member of the OMHA Bantam Championship Hockey team. In 1963-64, Jim captained the OMHA Midget Championship Hockey team. In 1964-65, he was the fullback and linebacker on the Barrie North Collegiate GBSSA championship football team. 1966-67 saw Jim playing for the St. Thomas Barons hockey team that won the Western ‘Jr. B’ Championship. He was the League Rookie of the Year, as well as a 2nd team All-Star. Thompson played for the OHA Niagara Falls Flyers in 1967-68. This team went on to win the Memorial Cup that season.

During the mid 60’s until late 70’s, Jim played 3rd base for a number of Barrie Senior Fastball League Championship teams, demonstrating his all round athletic ability and prowess.

It was the sport of hockey, however, that was to punctuate Jim’s athletic career. He was a stalwart member of the OHA Senior ‘A’ Barrie Flyers during the 70’s that won 4 Ontario and Eastern Canadian Championships, culminating with the winning of the Allan Cup (emblematic of the Canadian Men Senior ‘A’ Hockey Championship), in 1972-73. In addition, Jim played on the 1976-77 Brantford Alexander’s Allan Cup Championship Team.

In 1974, Thompson represented Canada at the Swedish Star Cup, and in 1975, as an OHA All-Star, played against the Soviet Red Army team, many of whom had played against Team Canada in 1972 as well as NHL and WHA teams in famous showdowns.

Following his playing days, Jim Thompson successfully coached a number of BMHA teams, imparting his knowledge of the game to young men eager to learn the game. He successfully coached a Midget hockey team that toured Finland and Sweden in 1987-88. In addition, he coached the American Hotel fastball Team that won the storied Toronto Beaches Major Fastball League Championship in 1980. Once his Senior ‘A’ career was over, Jim played for the Barrie Douglas Oldtimers Hockey Club, considered as one of Ontario’s best teams during the 80’s, winning Championships throughout the Province of Ontario as well as in Florida, San Diego and Phoenix.

After his distinguished career in sports, Jim is now retired and lives in Barrie with his wife Kathy.

Terry Paddison was born in Guelph and has served sports and the community in Barrie for the past 50 years. In a span covering 30 years, Terry coached volleyball, basketball, and track and field at various levels.

He has been President, Barrie Y Neptunes swim club; Chairperson, Huronia Region of the Canadian Amateur Swimming Association; on the board of directors for the Canadian Amateur Swimming Association (Ontario); and a founding member of the Barrie Trojan Swim Club. As well, he has Chaired Players Services, Golf, Canadian Tour championships (2007 and 2008) at National Pines; and was scorer for the Canadian PGA Championship at National Pines in 2017.

As a Community Leader, Terry was a founding member of Recreation 82, a group of citizens who initiated the building of the Allandale Recreation Centre) and was acting treasurer of that group when it turned over a cheque in the amount of $800,000.00 to the City of Barrie towards construction of the centre. As well, Mr. Paddison was a founding member of the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame Society and chaired an ad hoc committee that created the original constitution of the BSHoF. He was on the executive of the BSHoF for 20 years, 6 years as Chairperson. Terry was also a member and the Chairperson of the City of Barrie Recreation Advisory Committee; chairperson of the group responsible in obtaining approval from the City of Barrie to create a bike and walking path around the Bay; a member of the organizing committee for the Ontario Senior Winter Games when held in Barrie; was a member of the City of Barrie Sesquicentennial Committee, planning the celebration of the Barrie’s 150th birthday; served on the Community Editorial Board of the Barrie Examiner; and is an ongoing contributor of blogs for the Barrie Historical Archive. Further to this, Terry has been on the executive (including 6 years as treasurer) of the Georgian Bay Secondary School Association.

Mr. Paddison is also involved in charitable activities. For 9 years as a volunteer, he has taught physically challenged children how to ski (Track 3 Program) at Pine Ridge Ski Club; is a member of the Allocation Committee, South Simcoe United Way; has trained as a volunteer for home visitations through Hospice Simcoe; created and initiated the first Hike for Hospice Barrie; was co-chair of the Capital Campaign to build Hospice Simcoe House; and has been a volunteer on the Salvation Army Christmas Campaign for 20 years.

Terry has shown leadership and inspiration to youth, the aged, the disadvantaged, and all others, and has managed this at the highest standard. His selfless efforts always fly below the radar as is not one to make himself obvious as he takes on all tasks at the highest level of competence.

Brad Chestnut has been a mainstay in the coaching fraternity at Barrie Central Collegiate Institute since 1990. When Central closed, Brad moved to Bear Creek S.S. Under his guidance and tutelage, a great number of youngsters have advanced their athletic careers through the sports of rugby and wrestling provincially, nationally, and internationally.

As a rugby coach Chestnut directed the Central Jr. Boys to 5 Georgian Bay Secondary Schools Association (GBSSA) titles in 7 seasons. He then took over the reins of the Barrie Central Girls Rugby Team leading them to 4 GBSSA titles (including 3 Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association (OFSAA) medalist teams). A number of his athletes have gone on to gain university, national and international recognition. Recent graduates Megan Lukan and Emily Belchos have been members of Canada’s National Women’s Rugby Team. (Emily was a Barrie Sports Hall of Fame inductee in 2015 as a member of the silver medalist Canadian Women World Rugby team. Megan won Bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics as a member of the Rugby Canada Olympic Womens Squad and will be an automatic Inductee to the BSHoF this year).

As a wrestling coach, Chestnut has been a guiding light for the sport in Simcoe County. In his early years at Barrie Central he developed the skills of notable athletes such as John Pridham, Nicole Pridham (the first female recipient of a scholarship from the Ontario Amateur Wrestling Association) and John Van Campen (World Cadet and Jr. Silver medalist).  In fact, a number of his former athletes have not only gone on to excel in the sport at the university level but are now giving back to the sport by coaching.

In very recent years notable student/athletes, in wrestling, such as Jessica Belchos (Western University), Mike Robotham and Ben Robotham (Brock University, OUAA medalist) Gillian Peg (Queen’s University, 2015 OUAA Champion), and Jessica Brouillette (Brock University – 3 years OUAA Champion, Multiple National Champion, 5^th Place at 2015 Jr. Worlds, 3rd at World University Games Turkey), have progressed in an outstanding way under his help and guidance.

Over his tenure at Barrie Central, Chestnut helped organize and coordinate numerous Simcoe County Elementary School Wrestling tournaments, GBSSA Wrestling tournaments, rugby playoffs and the recent 2015 OFSSA Rugby tournament held here in Barrie. During the off seasons the “Chestnut Family barn” would often be used as a practice facility for both Wrestling and Rugby.

Chestnut helped start the very successful “Kempenfelt Bay Wrestling Club” in 2003.

Don Coulson was a very active and involved leader in the Barrie and Simcoe County area since he arrived to play on the 1947-48 All Ontario/ Eastern Canada Midget NHL Champion.

Don helped form the Barrie Minor Athletic Club hockey and baseball teams in 1947 through the 50s. Don, with his brother and Mr. Law, was a major force in getting the first lighted baseball diamond at the fairgrounds where he played shortstop for the Barrie ACs. He then went on to become the league representative for 12 years.

Don also was the manager for the Barrie Flyers Jr A team from 1952-1956 then help to form a Intermediate A Falcons hockey club that then jumped to the Senior A league to be Allen Cup Champions.

In 1959-64, Don took the role as president of the Barrie Intermediate Fastball League. And in 1971- 77, he served as a board member and the treasurer of the Barrie Winter Carnaval, which was responsible for sports programming in Barrie

With his wife Joyce, he was co-founder of Barrie Minor Baseball in 1974 and a coach for many years following.

In his later years of hockey, Don was the co-founder of the Barrie Credit Union Oldtimers in 1975. They won the Canadian National Title twice and represented Canada in tournaments in LA, Holland and Switzerland. 

Previously, Don has been awarded the Rotary Unsung Hero in 1990 for his community work.

September 8, 1933 – January 12, 2023

Jo-Anne Eyers (nee Cancilla) was an accomplished figure skater in her youth,  and even skated with Olympian Brian Orser.

Eventually, she transitioned into coaching with the Barrie Figure Skating Club and Mariposa School of Skating, which she continued to do for 43 years.

She was passionate with teaching younger skaters in Barrie Figure Skating Club. Jo-Anne was been a constant member of the organizing team for the yearly skating carnival that saw attendance from all over the region.

Jo-Anne played an instrumental role in developing the foundation for numerous young skaters as well as power skating training for Barrie Colts hockey teams.

September 26, 1961 – May 10, 2022

Joe Rockbrune started playing organized hockey at the age of six where he was playing “up a year” for his first three seasons before rejoining his own age group for the first year of AAA hockey in Minor Atom experienced incredible minor hockey success from a young age including three Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) AAA Championships, and 3 OMHA AAA final losses. 

Upon completion of his minor hockey journey, Joe joined the Jr. B/Tier II, Jr. A Colts for the 1991 through to the 1993 seasons, where the Colts recorded astonishing 84 wins 1 lose and 4 ties culminating in a Sutherland Cup win, as the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League Champions.

In his final year of junior eligibility, Joe headed west to the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (RMJHL) where again, his team won the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (RMJHL) title. Joe scored 50 goals for the first time in his career.  

After his final year in BC, Joe returned home and joined the family moving business.  It was there that Joe, through the business, engaged the Barrie AAA Zone as a sponsor of the Minor Peewee AAA team as they had done so in Oshawa, through the Oshawa branch of the business. This set up a yearly battle of the Movers between Barrie and Oshawa Minor Peewee teams.

Joe eventually took a coaching role with Barrie Minor Hockey 2010 at the U7 level, then Barrie AAA Zone, coaching U9 and U10 before taking on the role of Vice Chair of Hockey Operations of the AAA Zone in the summer of 2017.  Joe immediately changed the culture of the Zone, supporting coaches and players to a greater level than ever before.  Joe encouraged new coaches and specialists to surround the athletes in a way in which fostered hard work, development, winning and character of the young men on and off the ice. Along with a strong executive, strong coaches and dedicated parents, Barrie AAA Zone has captured 9 Ontario Minor Hockey Association AAA titles in 6 years, with 2 championships cancelled by covid in that timeframe.

Joe has recently stepped down from his role from Barrie AAA Zone and was given the Outstanding Commitment Award from the organization for his years of service. Hockey is not only his passion, but the sport that shaped him into the man he is today and we look forward to watching his hockey journey continue.