Parkes, Purola, & Gerber among those to be recognized
By Mark Schadenberg
Perfect timing or the perfect time.
The Woodstock Sports Wall of Fame began at the opening ceremony for the Woodstock District Community Complex's twin pad facility called Southwood Arena. The year was 1996.
Stub Harper had recently passed away at the time and would be the first inductee.
Since, then many ceremonies have been conducted with many plaques added to the wall to recognize and honour the Woodstock sports community.
I am proud to say, I've been on the induction and selection committee since day one, and now as chair of the Woodstock Recreation Advisory Committee, I have also been the MC for most of these ceremonies.
Since this place is not the location to scoop news, but since the press release material has now appeared in the current What's On Woodstock magazine, The Sentinel-Review and on Heart FM (104.7), I will publish my press release here:
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Use
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WOODSTOCK SPORTS WALL OF FAME – 2013
Induction
Ceremony
Saturday, Oct. 26, 2 p.m. (Doors open at 1 p.m.)
Goff Hall at Woodstock District Community Complex
Team – 2003 Woodstock Wildcats
Lifetime Achievement – Penny Parkes
Individual Male – Dr Scott Seagrist
Individual Female – Jill Purola
Historical – Steve Stewart
Builder of Sport – Mo Cosyn
Honourable Achievement – Russell Gerber
Penny Parkes
Already recognized along with sister Sharon Rice and
dad Bill Parkes as individual athletes, Penny now receives LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
with yet another national masters championship in singles badminton.
Won world singles title in over-50 age bracket in 2009
in Australia. In 2009, also won Ontario masters doubles title with Dec McCoy
and mixed doubles with Saj Malik, proving her dominance at all disciplines of
the badminton.
In 2011, won silver at the senior world championships.
In high school, won 5 OFSAA gold medals in girls’
doubles.
Also inducted in Ontario college (OCAA) hall of fame
for badminton and OCAA all-millennium team
Steve Stewart
Track and Football athlete. Won OFSAA (high school)
gold in 220 yd distance in 1964 for Huron Park Secondary School. Qualified for
OFSAA all 5 years of high school. Member of Team Canada in sprint relay in
1965, setting a national record at the time. Member of Team Canada in distance
medley racing in 1966. Competed in Canadian Olympic trials.
Played high school football at HPSS for 5 years and
then Univ of Guelph as an offensive running back and receiver. Won Ted Wildman Trophy in 1969 for
statistics, sportsmanship and academic achievement. Team captain and a OUA conference
all-star
Became a Vet upon graduation from Guelph.
Dr Scott Seagrist
Won OHA Junior C title with Woodstock Navy Vets in
1968
Played in OHA (Today it’s the OHL) with both the
Oshawa Generals and London Knights.
Won two CIAU championships in university hockey with U
of Toronto Blues. The 71-72 team went 20-1-3 in regular season. Also in 1972,
the Varsity Blues beat the national Russia university team as well. In 2012,
that team inducted in U of T sports hall of fame.
He then turned pro including three seasons in Los
Angeles Kings system with the top-level Springfield Kings (AHL) from 72-74 (With
22+18-40 in 72-73 and 13+28-41 in 73-74)and the Salt Lake Golden Eagles (CHL)
in 74-75.
The forward was in 1972 also drafted by the WHA’s
Chicago Cougars
Like Steve Stewart (see above), Seagrist is today a doctor
-- a medical doctor – in Kitchener.
Jill Purola
Won OFSAA gold in long-distance running (1500 m) in
junior in in 1979. Her Western Ont championship record time in 1978 still stands
today
In 1982, won bronze at the Junior Pan-Am Games in 1500
metres.
In 1985, won gold in the Canada Summer Games in both
1,500 and 3,000 metres
With University of Western Ontario was the CIS
(National) female athlete of the year in 1984.
Also the OUA champion in cross-country running for two
years (‘85 and ‘90) and was OUA first-team all-star all five years. In 2011 was
noted as the UWO Elfrida Berzins Award recipient.
Woodstock Wildcats 2003
Won the provincial midget girls’ (16- 17 year olds) hockey
provincial “B” championships gold in May of 2003 in Brampton.
The 02-03 season also included an International Silver
Stick title won in Sarnia on Feb 16. Lost first two games at weekend tourney,
but then won four in a row, including 2-0 over Mitchell in the final.
At OWHA championship tournament, Wildcats went 2-0 in
round robin and then won three playoff games, beating Nipigon Elks in finale
1-0. Woodstock had won the semis in 2OT over Windsor 3-2.
Moe (Maurice) Cosyn
Member of Woodstock Lawn Bowling Club since 1968.
President of club twice, but has also been
championships chair for 20 years, and club greenskeeper.
Competed in lawn bowling for many years, winning
bronze at the Canadian championships in triples in 2005. Competed at nationals
in men’s pair in 2010.
Nation coach in 1982 and also umpired at Canadian
championships five times, and a member of the Ontario Lawn Bowls Association
executive. In 2010, was named recipient of the Bill Boettger volunteer of the
year award
Russell Gerber
Special Olympics world record holder in many
powerlifting categories, winning gold in 2011 in Athens, Greece and 2007 in
Shanghai, China. On June 29, 2011, with a squat lift of 175 kg, bench press of
110 kg, and deadlift of 205 kg, he not only won all three categories but was
also named the meet’s (Special Olympics world championships) top overall lifter
for a 4th gold medal.
QUOTES – Mark Schadenberg (Woodstock Recreation
Advisory Committee chair; 519 537-1553)
“With Russell Gerber the committee is waiving its own
guidelines as usually an athlete must wait five years beyond their most
significant accomplishment, but Russell deserves to be honoured now and not
later as he has been a true ambassador for Woodstock and Special Olympics, and
a most deserving individual.”
“The truly unique part of recognizing a team every
year at the ceremony is that it represents a reunion of past teammates who work
together for a common goal and can now look back at the feats attained. Many of
these hockey players may have not seen each other in several years as they
would have been away for college or university, and our now starting careers as
adults.”
“It is extremely important to annually recognize many
of our community’s great athletes, whether they be accomplishments of the past
or more current. I think the wall of fame is a terrific cross-section of all
sports as this year honourees include track and field, badminton, weightlifting
and lawn bowling.”
