Woodstock sports wall of fame to add 7 plaques Oct. 26

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 4^th 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.”