Prince Albert, Saskatchewan – Two athletes, three builders, one for meritorious service and one team will be inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame Saturday, April 25th, 2015 during a banquet in the Ches Leach Lounge adjacent to the Sports Hall of Fame in the Art Hauser Centre.
Also, the Board is pleased to announce that the Prince Albert Mintos have been named the Sports Association of the Year. This category was introduced in 2013 to recognize outstanding contributions by associations to sports in our community.
As protocol, to make room for the new slate of inductees, those inducted during the 2003 ceremony will have their citations presented to them and they will join the section of the Hall for the retired citations.
2015 Inductees
Carlton Crusaders Senior Girls Volleyball 1993 & 1994 – Team
Carlton Comprehensive High School’s Senior girls volleyball teams were dominant on the court during 1993 and 1994 winning back to back provincial titles led by Coach Leslie Foss. The Crusaders won the Saskatchewan 5A title in 1993 followed by the 4A crown the following year.
Besides winning the 1993 Provincial Championship 5A tournament, the Crusaders also were victorious in the Mount Royal Invitational, Campbell Invitational and their own event. They won silver at Edmonton’s Harry Ainlay Invitational and were fourth at the Yorkton Invitational.
Lindsay Richardson was named to the All-Star team at the Carlton and Ainlay tournaments and was the MVP at the Mount Royal tournament. Lori Bebenek was named to the All-Star team at the Ainlay and Mount Royal tournaments and the MVP of the Carlton and Campbell events. Shauna Fiest was named to the All Star team at the Carlton Tournament and won the Spike Accuracy Competition at Mount Royal assisted by setter Rachel Simpson who was an All Star at Mount Royal and named league MVP.
In 1994 the Crusaders had half a dozen new faces in the lineup but Coach Foss would mould the team into another Saskatchewan Champion taking the 4A title. The team fashioned a 47-9 won/loss record in their matches winning the Regina Campbell tournament, a bronze from Watson and fourth place finish at Mount Royal.
Jennifer Attig, Lori Bebenek, Staci Hoffman, Christine Wright, Meagan Hawkins and Carlee Thorsen were on both the ’93 and ’94 rosters. Shauna Fiest, Rachel Simpson, Stacey Green, Lindsay Richardson, Dalyce Bannerman and Lindsay Dalziel as well as manager Novalee Chubak were on the roster of the ’93 Champs.
Jennifer Stephen, Kendra McCrae, Kirstie Tycholiz, Kirsten Baird, Amy Edwards and Janna Switzer were also on the ’94 Crusaders.
All tolled players from these teams would go on to compete on Team Sask (20 years), University of Saskatchewan (5 years) and University of South Carolina (5 years).
Denis Pederson – Athlete
One of Prince Albert’s more decorated hockey players, Denis Pederson took up skating at age 3 and was playing hockey by age 5. One of his first championships was as a member of the Carlton Park Mustangs who won the City Atom A title in 1984-85. From there Denis Pederson’s hockey career took off!
He would go on to star for the Midget Raider/Mintos from 1990 to 1992. In his first season he was named the team’s rookie of the year and top forward. In the 1991-92 Pederson was named the Saskatchewan League’s Best Forward, the Mintos top scorer and MVP, as well as being named to the Mac’s Tournament All-Star team and to Sask First’s Zone 8 team.
As a member of his hometown Western Hockey League Raiders from 1991-95, Pederson exploded onto the national and international hockey scene. After playing 10 games as a 15 year-old at the end of the 1991-92 season, he was named the teams rookie of the year, appearing in all 72 games in 92-93 notching 73 points. In his second full year he hit the 50 goal plateau (53) and was named WHL East Division 2nd team All-Star. In 1994-95 Pederson was a member of Team Canada at the World Juniors as well as being named the Raiders Hardest Working Player, Best Defensive Forward and Playoff MVP.
Pederson was a first round NHL Draft pick in 1993 by the New Jersey Devils. He would play 453 games in the NHL from 1995-2003 for New Jersey, Vancouver, Phoenix and Nashville totaling 57 goals and 71 assists.
He then had an outstanding career overseas, mainly in Germany with the Berlin Polar Bears (Eisbaren) where he played from 2003-2013. Berlin won the DEL league championship six times during Pederson’s time there. He played in the DEL league All Star game in 2007 and 2009 and was named the top centre in that league in 2008-09 and 2009-10. He was the Captain of Team Canada at the Deutchland Cup in 2003 and was(take out was) played for Berlin in the Spengler Cup in 2005-06 and 2006-07. He capped his career in 2010 winning the Champions Hockey League European Cup with Berlin.
Herb Goldhawk – Athlete
A lifelong competitor and coach in the sport of judo, Herb Goldhawk learned mostly from his mentor Jim O’Sullivan of Prince Albert. A 1st degree Black Belt in the sport, Goldhawk won his first gold medal at a meet in Prince Albert in 1969 through competing at the Saskatchewan Open at age 50.
Goldhawk competed at the Saskatchewan championships on numerous occasions and also took part in the Canadian Championships in Hamilton, Ontario and is a lifetime member of the World Judo Athletes. Through the 1970’s and 80’s Goldhawk captured numerous gold medals at meets across Western Canada.
He was quick to pass along what made him successful on the mat to others as a coach and at numerous clinics. Goldhawk has been to the home of judo – the Kodokan Institute in Tokyo, Japan where he was awarded the Kodokan badge. He also attended the Mitsu Kamura Judo School in San Francisco, Judo Schools in Havana, Cuba, San Jose, Costa Rica and Veredero, Cuba. Goldhawk also has been a long time instructor at the Prince Albert Judo Club, Aurora Mixed Martial Arts School in Prince Albert, Kenshukan PA Judo School as well as with clubs in Battleford and Lloydminster. He also made a contribution as a referee, score keeper and statistician at many events including the Canadian Championships.
Jim Flynn – Meritorious Service
Originally from Birtle, Manitoba, Jim Flynn has carved a legacy in softball, hockey and curling in Prince Albert. As a resident of the city since 1984, Flynn has transformed his skill in sport into a support system that involves officiating, coaching and mentoring.
In softball Jim Flynn is one of Saskatchewan’s most decorated umpires. Starting in 1990, Flynn has been a mainstay for the PA Umpires Association as a key Executive member. He not only worked calling balls and strikes but was a key assignor for the Fastball and Softball Associations adding Minor Softball to his duties in 2008. He is the Umpire in Chief (UIC) for Zone 8 of Softball Saskatchewan since 2000, teaching at clinics, assigning umpires for Provincial and Western Canadians and assisting other zones. From 1993-2014 Flynn has worked at no less than 10 Western Canadian Championships as an umpire and for some as UIC and DUIC. From 1997-2014 he worked as an umpire at 14 Canadian Championships including 6 in Prince Albert. Internationally he has worked some exhibition games with touring national teams.
Jim Flynn has coached minor hockey since 1995. An active member of the Carlton Park Community Club, he has assisted PA Minor hockey as an evaluator and board member and in 2007 was presented with the “Fred Schmidt Memorial Award” for his dedication to the Association. One of the driving forces behind female hockey in the city, Flynn has coached the Midget AA team since 2008 and is a committee member of PA’s Annual female tournament, one of the largest in the province.
In curling, Flynn made his mark helping to run curling at the Penitentiary in the late 1980’s, receiving an “Award of Appreciation” from the Solicitor General in 1989. In 2008 he was an official at the Senior National Curling Championships in PA.
The “work hard/play hard” mentality has provided Jim Flynn with a very active and rewarding life.
Harvey Lavigne – Builder
The sport of Olympic Air Pistol became popular in Prince Albert and around the province of Saskatchewan through the dedication and hard work of Harvey Lavigne. Lavigne was instrumental in the formation of the Prince Albert Pistol and Air Rifle Club (PAPRC) and has served as a major official at many provincial and national events.
He started with the PAPRC in the early 1970’s and became a keen competitor. He was an active volunteer with the club from the beginning, assisting in building the club facilities and participating in fundraising events. He was a board member, including time as President, for over 30 years. When Olympic Air Pistol was introduced as a Saskatchewan Winter Games sport he was instrumental in the formation of a junior program. Lavigne’s administration and coaching with that group resulted in a number of athletes taking up the sport and competing provincially and nationally.
Lavigne was a member of the board of the Saskatchewan Handgun Association from 1982 to 2013 including 4 years as President and many years as Chief Range Officer. As Chief Range Office he organized and officiated at matches, provided training to officials and coached and mentored less experienced officials. He was the Pistol Sport Technical Liaison for the Saskatchewan Winter Games from its inception through the 2014 games in Prince Albert.
He has been the Chief Range Officer for the Canadian National Pistol Championships for 16 years including in Prince Albert in 2002, 2005 and 2007, events he was instrumental in bringing to the city. As Chair of the National Officials Development Committee for the Shooting Federation of Canada, Lavigne also officiated at the Canada Winter Games in New Brunswick (2003), the Yukon (2007) and Nova Scotia (2011).
Internationally Lavigne officiated at the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, BC in 1994 and the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1997. These two events allowed him to qualify for an International “B” Level Officials License which qualifies him to officiate at World Cup and Olympic events.
Jackie Packet – Builder
A lifelong educator, Jackie Packet has been a staple on the Prince Albert sports scene for 30 years. She has instructed numerous people to become basketball and volleyball instructors and officials in P4A and the North Central District. In addition to officiating thousands of games, she has scheduled as many and often is a last-minute fill in for vacancies. She was an official at the 1992 Saskatchewan Summer Games in basketball and volleyball and at the 1999 Western Canada Summer Games in Volleyball. She has also officiated at Hoopla, Saskatchewan High School’s Provincial Championships.
Packet organizes the Business Girls Golf League at Cooke Municipal Golf Course and is one of the key organizers of the Ladies Northern tournament held annually at Cooke. She was a major contributor to the 100th anniversary celebrations at Cooke in 2009.
She is also active in the sport of curling as a participant and official. She officiated at the 2014 Saskatchewan Winter Games.
In hockey, Jackie Packet has volunteered as a board member of the Prince Albert A & W Bears for 4 years contributing to making that organization one of the strongest female programs in the province.
Zenon Markowsky – Builder
The Prince Albert Mintos Midget AAA Hockey team has flourished since 1999 under the leadership of Zenon Markowsky. His vision of how to build and operate a sports organization resulted in unparalleled success for this organization that operates under the umbrella of the Prince Albert Minor Hockey Association.
One of Markowsky’s trademark accomplishments was convincing the PAMHA to change it’s criteria for the composition of the Midget AAA team in our city. He campaigned so the Mintos could recruit out of town players. While Prince Albert players continue to be a big part of the squad, being able to add players from around the province took the Mintos to the next level and contributed to numerous championships.
Markowsky also spearheaded the Mintos construction of a $170,000 dressing room addition to the Art Hauser Centre exclusively for their hockey club to give the boys “their own space”. The City provided an interest free loan to the team that they were able to pay back in five years.
Assisted by a strong board of directors, that Markowsky calls the “heart and soul of the organization”, the Mintos won the Saskatchewan Midget AAA League, Western Regionals and the National Championship – Telus Cup in 2006 and 2007 marking the first time in the history of the National Midget Championship that the same team had won back-to-back titles. In 2014 Markowsky suffered a health set back but that did not stop him from being part of a Minto organization that hosted a very successful Western Regional Championship, won by the host team. The Mintos went on to win the 2014 Telus Cup in triple overtime.
Markowsky was also a founding member, and served for ten years on the Buckland Board and was instrumental in building a facility, currently known as the Northern Regional Recreational Centre. He served on the board of directors of the Prince Albert Raiders for four years as well as volunteering at many fastball and baseball tournaments in Prince Albert.
Prince Albert Mintos – Sports Organization
The Mintos name has been part of Prince Albert for over a century and in the more recent years has become a Midget AAA midget hockey team that put the city on the map on a national scale.
In 2005-06 the Mintos finished second in the Saskatchewan AAA League standings, but won their first league championship. They followed that up by winning the Western Regional Championships, then the Telus Cup, emblematic of supremacy in Midget AAA Hockey in Canada.
The following year the Mintos made history by doing it again! They won Saskatchewan, Western Regionals and the Telus Cup becoming the first team ever to win the Midget AAA title in back to back years.
In 2014 the Mintos hosted and won the Western Canadian Championships in spectacular fashion. They advanced to the Telus Cup, hosted in Moose Jaw where they would advance to the final against Chateauguay Grenadiers of Quebec, winning in triple overtime. The Mintos went through the 2006, 2007 and 2014 Telus Cups without losing a game and were involved in the longest Telus Cup game in history.
Inducted in 2003, citations to be presented to inductees:
Lloyd Culy
David Dice
Vic Dutka
Jim Leaderhouse
Janice Boucher
1953 Prince Albert Senior Jacks Softball Team
1963/65 Parkland Builders Softball Teams
Tickets for the 2015 Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame Banquet, April 25th are $40 each and available at Community Services in City Hall. Corporate tables of 8 are $500 each which includes sponsorship of the event.
For More Information:
Ellen Grewcock, PASHOF President – 306-980-6242
Derek Smith, PASHOF Vice President – 306-980-6116