After being postponed twice due to COVID-19 the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame will finally induct its Class of 2020 on Saturday. Nine individuals will enter the hall, along with the Prince Albert Lacrosse Association as the sports organization of the year.
The three classes of hall of fame recognition are the athlete, builder and meritorious service categories.
Athletes
Four individuals will be inducted into the athletes category: Dalyce Emmerson, Dwayne Gareau, Scott Byrne, and Martin Ring, who will also be inducted into the builder category.
Emmerson is one of the most prolific basketball players Prince Albert has ever produced. She was a multi sport athlete, as she also played volleyball and soccer. She was a member of the Prince Albert Celtic Provincial champion winning team in 2005 and 2006, and competed in soccer nationals both years. She also represented Saskatchewan on their provincial volleyball team from 2007-2010, and competed on the national and international stage for each of those years.
She was recruited for volleyball by universities across North America, but chose to play basketball at the University of Saskatchewan. She finished her tenure with the Huskies, where she had 43 games with double digits in points and rebounds, the third most in Canada West history.
Gareau, who is a vice principal at Ecole St. Mary High School, was a very successful soccer player. He joined the Prince Albert Youth Soccer Association when he was six years old, and started playing with the Celtics when he was 12. He played on the 1992 Zone 8 Summer Game gold medal team, and also played on the provincial team from 1994-98. He was also a part of the Western Elite All Star team program.
Gareau also played soccer with the U of S Huskies, where he was the captain and a Canada West All-Star in his final two years with the club. He was a member of the HUSA soccer team that dominated soccer in Saskatchewan, winning provincial titles from 2004-18.
Byrne was one of the best bull fighters in the history of rodeo from 1995-2016. As a bull fighter, his job was to assist bull riders dismount bulls after their ride so they avoid injury. Byrne saved many cowboys with his skill, athletic ability, and knowledge of the sport.
Byrne was selected to be a bull fighter at the Calgary Stampede 16 years in a row, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) 10 years in a row, the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) 14 years in a row, the Canadian Cowboys Association for eight years in a row, and the Manitoba Cowboys Association for three years in a row. He received the Glen Keely Memorial Award in 2015 and was chosen as the Canadian Cowboy of the Year in 2016.
For Ring, it’s hard to tell if he spends more time at home or on the golf course in the summer. A scratch handicap golfer, Ring spends most of his time on the course, but also volunteers at many programs and events on the course as well.
Ring has won the Cooke Municipal Golf Course Men’s Championship eight times between 2001-18, as well as the Waskesiu Lobstick title on four occasions. He has also won the May Day Masters in 1998, the Prince Albert Northern in 2000, the City Open in 2013, and the Northern Senior Championship in 2018.
Meritorious Service
Andy and Merle Kozun
The Kozun brothers have been the behind the scene guys for sports events in Prince Albert for decades. They are both well known around the city for their volunteer work and fundraising abilities for many organizations. They have been heavily involved with the Prince Albert Raiders, and were also a part of the volunteer grounds crew at the 2018 Junior Men’s World Softball Championship.
The Kozun brothers are most well known for their involvement with the Prince Albert Mintos U18AAA hockey team. They have both been on the Board of Directors and have helped establish the Mintos as one of the premier organizations in Canada.
Barry Schrader
Officiating hockey has been a passion for Schrader since 1970 at the age of 14. Through his officiating career, he has worked over 3,500 games on the ice, as well as another 4,000 as a supervisor. In 2013, he became the Female Development Coordinator for the Saskatchewan Hockey Association (SHA), making him responsible for the development and recruitment of female officials in the province.
Schrader has been the Referee in Chief for Prince Albert Minor Hockey for three terms (1988-95, 2000-13, and 2019-present). He has officiated at all levels of the game, from Minor Hockey to U18AAA, Junior B, and the SJHL. He has also served as the video goal judge for the Raiders. In 2012, he received the Most Deserving Officials Award from the SHA. In 2000, he became an umpire for softball, baseball, and slo-pitch, and has worked numerous provincial championships.
Builders
Wendell Whitter
Growing up in Prince Albert, Whitter was a passionate football player. He was an offensive lineman in high school for the Carlton Crusaders, and would go on to become an assistant coach for the Crusaders when his son started playing. His coaching tenure with Carlton lasted from 2002-07, until he shifted his focus on to the Prince Albert Minor Football Association.
He became the new head coach of the River Riders 10-12-year-old team, which was basically starting from scratch with all new staff and players. He was either the head coach or assistant coach of the River Riders from 2008-18, and was the vice president of the organization from 2014-18. He was a large part of the reason that the football program was inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2018. Whitter passed away on July 13, 2018.
Bill Watson
Also heavily involved in the football scene, Watson brought success to his own Prince Albert football teams. He started a 22 year coaching career in 1965 with the Riverside Rams. From 1967-73, Watson coached the Rams to seven city championships.
With the opening of Carlton Comprehensive High School, Watson was transferred there, where he would continue to lead his team to success. The Crusaders were led to the provincial final from 1980-84. He retired from coaching in 1986 and was the recipient of the Prince Albert Sportsman of the Year in 1987. Watson passed away on March 19, 2017.
Organization of the Year
Now known as the Prince Albert Lacrosse Association, the organization was formed in 2001 as the Prince Albert Box Lacrosse Association. They started in the Steuart Arena with 40 athletes and a board led by Shawn Williams, who is now the president of the Canadian Lacrosse Association. Their current president is Javan Bexson.
Prince Albert lacrosse grew their game, introducing field lacrosse in the city. They have hosted multiple field lacrosse events, including provincials in 2021. The Prince Albert Predators box lacrosse team won their first box lacrosse title in 2007. In 2017, Prince Albert hosted box provincials, and the team was able to win the tournament at Kinsmen Arena.
@kyle_kosowan•sports@paherald.sk.ca
