Category: 2006 Inductees

The 2006 inductees to the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame

  • Tom Lavallee – Builder

    Tom Lavallee – Builder

    Tom LaVaIIee’s love of hockey and ambition to help youngsters were a perfect match for joining the coaching ranks

    Tom became a hockey coach in 1967. With his coaching partner Jim Leaderhouse, Tom guided teams to City Championships in 1967 and 1975.

    Tom coached developmental teams at the bantam level, the east-side developmental Flamingo Wings, Venice House and west-side Imperial 400. As coach, he guided the bantams to a silver medal at the 1982 Saskatchewan Winter Games and was runners-up at the provincials in 1982 and 1984 He also won Centre Four Hockey League bantam division champions on three occasions.

    Tom moved up to the junior B ranks guiding the Prince Albert North Stars to two North Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League titles with general manager Reg
    Martsinkiw. Joining former coaching partner Jim Leaderhouse, Tom and the North Stars posted an 18-game undefeated record in 1988. The North Stars were the 1986-87 North Sask. Junior Hockey League East Division pennant winners.

    Hockey was not the only sport Tom coached in. He coached squirt boys’ softball East End team that won the City Championship in 1974. That winning tradition followed Tom to the pee wee and bantam softball level. He guided teams to provincial championships in 1975 and 1977.

    When not coaching during the spring and summer months, Tom could be found behind the plate. He umpired in Prince Albert more than 16 years- He was an umpire at the Canadian Junior Ladies Championship in Scarborough, Ont. Tom worked five Western Canadian men’s and women’s championship tournaments as well. He could be found on the diamond officiating at many provincial championships, too, for many age divisions.

    Tom also played fastball with the Davis Aces and Corrigal Seals winning City
    Championships in 1967 and 1968. He sponsored the Old Dutch Twins for more
    than 20 years also coaching and playing with the team.

    Tom found success in sports as an athlete as well. He played with the Jacks
    Senior B softball team and won provincials in 1955. He then joined the Navy in 1956 and returned to Prince Albeit in 1961. Tom then played four years of hockey in the Big V League with Debden and Big River. He won a league championship with Big River.

    Tom also curls. His team won the Anavet’s curling league in 1988.

    Tom is joined this year in the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame by brothers
    Floyd (Athlete) and Felix (Athlete).

    The Prince Albeit Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes Tom LaVallee in the
    Builder category.

  • Ron Wilson – Athlete

    Ron Wilson – Athlete

    Ron Wilson began playing organized hockey as soon as he was of age. Nearly 50 years later, Ron ended his hockey career in Prince Albert having gone full circle. The kindergarten-aged player started with the West Hill Black Hawks in the mid-1950s. He played in the Western Canada Junior League, Western Hockey League, International Hockey League, American Hockey League, and then retired to Prince Albert to play oldtimers’ hockey.

    Ron displayed leadership skills at a young age. He won his first major trophy in 1963 when he was the top peewee league scorer in the Kinsmen Minor Hockey League. In 1966-67 and 1967-68, Ron was captain of the Kinsmen All-Stars. In the latter season, Ron and the All-Stars were provincial midget champions.

    In August 1968, Ron left Prince Albert to play with the Flin Flon Bombers of the Western Canada Junior League (WCHL). He was named rookie of the year in 1968-69, a year in which the Bombers were WCHL champions and winners of the Father Athol Murray Trophy.

    Ron was named assistant captain of the Bombers in 1969-70. During that season, Bombers coach Pat Ginnell heaped praise on Ron. “He carries the puck well, seldom makes a mistake, has a good shot and can hit,” Pat told the Flin Flon Daily Reminder. “Best of all, he’s a leader who controls play.”

    In his third season with the Bombers, Ron played only 26 games before breaking his ankle.

    Ron was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in 1971 in the third round, 35th overall. He signed his first professional contract with the North Stars. He played eight games with the Fort Wayne Komets before joining the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League to finish the 1971-72 season.

    In 1972-73, Ron played with Cleveland and the Jacksonville Barons of the American Hockey League. He followed that up with all-star honours with the Portland Buckaroos of the WHL.

    During the 1974-75 season, Ron played with the New Haven Nighthawks of the AHL, the farm club ofthe North Stars. Highlights of that season included playing against the Soviet All-Stars in December.

    Ron joined the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL in 1975-76 and was named captain of the team. For the next three seasons, Ron earned not only the Wings’ outstanding defenceman trophy but was a league all-star as well.

    The 1978-79 season with Kalamazoo was Ron’s last year of professional hockey and he went out with a bang. Ron hoisted the Turner Cup when the Wings won the IHL championship. He was also an IHL all-star team member for a fourth time.

    Through his professional career, Ron scored 48 goals and had 215 assists for 263 points while accumulating 754 penalty minutes in regular season games. Ron had 55 post-season games collecting 10 goals, 28 assists and 107 penalty minutes.

    After returning home to Prince Albert in 1980, Ron played on a number of oldtimers’ hockey teams. He retired from the game in 2001.

    The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes Ron Wilson in the Athlete category.

    Ron Wilson – Athlete
  • Perry Hulowski – Meritorious Service

    Perry Hulowski – Meritorious Service

    Perry Hulowski walked onto the diamond as an umpire for the first time in 1981. From that first step,

    Perry would dedicate thousands of hours to umpiring. He umpired minor baseball games at Dent’s ball park, Prince Albert Minor Softball league games and the Prince Albert Sportsman and senior men’s leagues.

    He would spend weekends traveling in his umpire blue shirt to many local tournaments such as the Prince Albert Super Tourney, Canwood Summerfest, Shellbrook Sports Day and Macdowall Tourney.

    Those trips crafting his skills as an umpire earned Perry a higher profile and more challenging assignments.

    He officiated six national championships including the 1989 Canada Games, 1991 Canadian Senior women’s, and 1993, 1997, 1998 and 2000 Canadian senior men’s.

    In 1993 and 1998 Perry was named Saskatchewan’s Umpire of the Year.

    Perry’s greatest achievement as an umpire was achieving international status in 1998. At that time, Perry was one of only five internationally ranked umpires in Saskatchewan. He already had international experience having umpired the 1992 North American Indigenous Games in Prince Albert.

    Perry went on to umpire international tournaments including the 2000 Three Nations Challenge, as well as the 2003 and 2004 Ducks Unlimited Shootout.

    Perry’s greatest assignment was to represent Canada at the 2002 Pan American qualifier in Guatemala.

    Perry also had a role to play off the diamond. He served on the local umpire association in all areas, was an instructor for provincial umpire schools as well as at the 2003 national umpire Blue Convention held in Fredericton, New Brunswick and 2005 in Calgary, Alberta.

    He lent his expertise to the national exam committee in 2000 and 2005, and has contributed articles to the national umpire magazine.

    Perry was the chairman of umpires at the 1992 Western Canada Games and liaison for the 1996 and 2001 Canadian midget boys’ championship as well as the 1998 Canadian Slopitch championship. All of these events were hosted in Prince Albert.

    Also, Perry was the deputy umpire-in-chief for the 1995 Western Canadian bantam boys’ tournament held in Prince Albert, and the 2004 Canadian junior women’s championship in Saskatoon. He was umpire in chief for the 1999 Western Canadian junior B boys’ and girls’ championships.

    The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes Perry Hulowski in the Meritorious Service to Sport category.

    Perry Hulowski – Meritorious Service
  • Mark Odnokon – Athlete/Builder

    Mark Odnokon – Athlete/Builder

    Mark Odnokon’s sports’ career went full circle. He started as a young, successful athlete in Prince Albert and returned to his hometown to become instrumental in developing the next generation of athletes.

    Mark played his minor hockey in the Prince Albert Minor Hockey Association and several years of youth soccer. Over the years, Mark’s name was noticeable on many a roster of city champions.

    His success did not stop with minor sports. He joined the home-town Prince Albert Raiders as a forward and was a champion each season. Mark and the Raiders claimed the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League title in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982. The squad went on to greater achievements winning the national champion Centennial Cup in 1979, 1981 and 1982.

    In three full seasons with the Raiders, Mark scored 76 goals and added 73 assists for 149 points. He also picked up 619 minutes in penalties during that span. Mark graduated from junior hockey to the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Over four seasons, from 1982-86, Mark played in 164 games with the Bulldogs and won two NCAA championships. He scored 39 goals and added 80 assists while earning a teaching degree in the classroom.

    Mark spent the 1986-87 season playing professionally with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the International Hockey League and won the Turner Cup as league champions.

    Mark returned to Saskatchewan and to the coaching ranks in 1987. He became the first ever coach of the Melfort Mustangs of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in 1988.

    After two seasons with the Mustangs, Mark came home to Prince Albert and was an assistant coach with the Prince Albert Raiders from 1990-92, and again from 2003 to the time of his induction.

    Mark put his hockey knowledge to work as a professional scout for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He was a scout for the team from 1993-2000. Mark also found time in the early 2000s to coach minor hockey and be an instructor at the NorSask summer hockey school.

    The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes Mark Odnokon in the Builder/Athlete category.

    Mark Odnokon – Athlete/Builder
  • Lori-Jane Powell – Athlete

    Lori-Jane Powell – Athlete

    Lori-Jane Powell’s talent on the racquetball court has taken her to the pinnacle of that sport’s world.

    Lori-Jane played all school sports as a youngster as well as soccer, ringette and racquetball. She excelled in soccer on the local and provincial levels, but really made her mark on the racquetball court winning national and international titles.

    Lori-Jane started playing racquetball at age 11 and very quickly developed into one of Prince Albert and Saskatchewan’s top junior players. She first made the junior provincial team in 1985 in the 14 and under category. As a junior, Lori-Jane won nine medals at the national level as a singles and doubles player. In no time at all Lori-Jane was on the world stage where she captured one gold and four silver medals.

    In 1994 Lori-Jane qualified for the women’s national team and has maintained that status up to her induction. During that 12 year period, Lori-Jane has won the Canadian women’s championship three times, doubles championship twice and mixed title once. From 2003-05, Lori-Jane was ranked Canada’s No. 1 women’s player.

    Lori-Jane has been a continual threat on the international racquetball court. She has won a silver and bronze Pan-Am Games medals and a total of 16 gold and silver medals in international competition in the team, singles and doubles categories. She played professionally for several years and maintained top 10 status during that time, with a career high ranking of No. 7 on the Ladies Professional Tour.

    Aside from competing on the court, Lori-Jane has served as a player representative for junior development and senior Canadian teams on the national executive for four years. Lori-Jane has always worked hard towards balancing her life as an athlete. While competing on the Canadian National Team, she finished a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Kinesiology. She also completed two diplomas as a certified mental trainer and as a certified fitness consultant. It was from there that she started her own consulting company, Powell Performance Services, to give back in the areas of health and wellness that she had learned over the years.

    Lori-Jane has received many awards over her athletic career. She was the St. Mary High School top female athlete in Grade 12 and nominated for the Saskatoon Kinsmen Athlete of the Year award while studying at the University of Saskatchewan. In 1999, she was honoured as one of the torchbearers for the Western Canada Summer Games in Prince Abert. And, in 2000 Lori-Jane was Prince Albert’s Female Athlete of the Year.

    In 2003, she was honoured as the Racquetball Canada Women’s Award winner. At the time of her induction, Lori-Jane is the technical director for Racquetball Canada.

    The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes Lori-Jane Powell in the Athlete category.

    Lori-Jane Powell – Athlete
  • Larry Hammet – Meritorious Service

    Larry Hammet – Meritorious Service

    Those who have volunteered at, worked at, or booked an event at any of the City of Prince Albert’s recreation facilities over the past 30 plus years, have likely met Larry Hammett.

    To Larry, his role as Recreation Co-ordinator or Manager with the City of Prince Albert’s Recreation Department was more than a job, it was a passion. He co-ordinated or managed many recreation facilities in the city including Kinsmen Arena, Dave G. Steuart Arena, the Comuniplex, Recreation Centre, Memorial Pool, Bryant Pool, Frank J. Dunn Pool, Mary Nisbet Campground and the Kinsmen Community

    Heritage Centre. One of his proudest achievements over his career with the City was the installation of an elevator in the Comuniplex, now known as the Art Hauser Centre.

    Larry’s love for sport in Prince Albert meant he worked with many different organizations and organizing committees as a liaison for the City of Prince Albert’s Parks and Recreation Department.

    He acted as liaison for the City with the Kinsmen Minor Hockey Association, Prince Albert Raiders, Optimist High Noon Youth Soccer Association, Prince Albert Celtic Soccer Club, North Central Regional Recreation Association, Prince Albert Ringette Association, minor softball and recreational hockey league, as well as the city’s swim, judo, cross-country and boxing clubs. Larry played an active role in Prince Albert’s hosting duties for the 1982 Saskatchewan Winter Games, 1992 Saskatchewan Summer Games and 1999 Western Canada Games.

    Aside from his position, Larry found time to volunteer with more organizations. He was an executive member of the Prince Albert Men’s Golf Club from 1974-77, an executive member of the Prince Albert Minor Hockey Association from 1972-74, and a team representative for the Prince Albert Recreational Hockey League.

    Larry coached ringette in Prince Albert from 1985-94 and soccer with the Prince Albert High Noon Optimist Youth Soccer Association from 1986-90. He joined the executive of the Prince Albert Celtic Soccer Club in 1991 and was there for six years.

    Larry also played an instrumental role in the revival of the girls’ soccer program at Carlton Comprehensive High School. The teams went on to win the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association title in 1994 and 1995.

    As a founding member of the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame he has continued to be a valuable contributor to the board over the past eighteen years.

    Larry joins his daughter Erin Hammett (2005, athlete) and wife Pam (2002, Prince Albert Celtic Girls Soccer Team 1993-1996) in the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame.

    The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame is honoured to recognize Larry Hammett as an inductee in the Meritorious Service to Sport category.

    Larry Hammet – Meritorious Service
  • Floyd Lavalee – Athlete

    Floyd Lavalee – Athlete

    Floyd LaVallee has been playing on Prince Albert ball diamonds five decades.

    He started playing baseball in 1954 at 13 years old. He played in the Prince Albert Pony League for the Rotary ball team. He pitched, caught, played field and hit many home runs out of Dent’s Ball Park.

    In 1956 at age 15, Floyd started his fastball career with the Davis Aces. He started out as the team’s catcher and evolved into an all-star second baseman and short stop. He played with the Aces for seven years and during that time won a couple city championships and played in provincial playoff finals. Floyd and teammate Johnny Batuik made many colourful doubleplays for the Aces.

    From 1963-66 Floyd played with the Parkland Builders. With Floyd manning second base or short stop, the team won the provincial championships in 1963 and 1965.

    In 1967 the Parkland Builders became the Corrigal Seals and Floyd was named Most Valuable Player by the coaches. Floyd and the Seals won the Prince Albert Senior Fastball League in 1967 and 1968.

    Floyd left the diamond as a player in 1970 and took on umpire duties for two years. But Floyd’s passion for the game drew him back in 1975 when he joined the Reil Rebels team.

    In 1979 Floyd joined the Old Dutch Twins and took on assistant coaching duties in addition to his role on the field. The additional job did not distract from his play. Floyd was an all-star third baseman in 1981.

    In 1982 Floyd took over coaching of the Twins while continuing to play third base. A year later in 1983 he was named coach of the year. The Twins won the Prince Albert Sportsman League in 1984 and 1985 under Floyd’s guidance.

    From 1981-88 Floyd put together a team of players more than 40 years old to go to Regina for an invitational Twilighter tournament. They won the B event in 1983 and the A event in 1988.

    From 1986-89 Floyd played for Gene’s Recycles. This team claimed a Sportsman League title.

    In 1989 Floyd was asked to join a group of Prince Albert and area peace officers to compete in fastball at the World Police and Fire Games in Vancouver, B.C. Manning third base, the Prince Albert Kings won a bronze medal in the series. In 1991 the team headed to Memphis, Tennessee and won a silver medal. Then in 1993 and 1997, Floyd and the Kings won gold medals in Colorado Springs and Calgary, respectively. The Kings are also 2006 Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame inductees.

    Floyd is also an active bowler having played in the Avanet League more than 25 years. His Anavet bowling team won provincial championships from 1997-2004. Floyd also received trophies for high single game, high triple score and highest average in his league. In 2004 he bowled a near perfect game with nine straight strikes.

    Floyd is also a keen golfer and in 2004 achieved his first hole in one at Kachur’s Country Club. He is also active in pool.

    In 2004-05, Floyd put together a team from the Prince Albert Anavet club to play floor hockey against local Special Olympians. The games were not about winning on the scoreboard but winning with community involvement and activity.

    Floyd is joined this year in the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame by brothers Felix (Athlete) and Tom (Builder). He is already a team member with the 1963 and 1965 Parkland Builders fastball team inducted in 2004.

    The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes Floyd LaVallee in the Athlete category.

    Floyd Lavalee – Athlete
  • Felix Lavalee – Athlete

    Felix Lavalee – Athlete

    Felix LaVallee found success on the ball diamonds of Prince Albert and the hockey rinks of his hometown and Western Canada.

    On the diamond, Felix got his first sniff of championship glory while playing with the Legion team in the

    Prince Albert Little League in 1957. The Legion team made it to the provincial playoffs before ending their season.

    It was not until 1960 that Felix won his first of many provincial titles. Playing with the Lions juvenile baseball team, Felix was part of a Saskatchewan champion.

    He played with the Parkland Builders fastball team from 1963-66 and won two Saskatchewan Senior B titles. The first came in 1963 and the next in 1965. The Parkland Builders teams of those years were previously inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame.

    In 1966 Felix earned an individual honour being named an all-star first baseman in the Prince Albert Senior B fastball league. Then it was team glory again in 1967 when the Corrigal Seals won the city championship.

    On the ice, Felix played junior hockey with the Prince Albert Mintos in 1961-62. But, he also played with the Prince Albert midget Mercury team that won the provincial championship.

    From 1963-65 Felix played junior A hockey with the Brandon Wheat Kings. He was named the Wheat Kings’ rookie of the year in 1963-64 as well as a league all star on a Manitoba league championship team. In 1964-65 Felix was again a league all-star.

    His hockey career then took him to Spokane. Felix played with the Jets in the Western International League from 1965-68. Felix was named the team’s rookie of the year in 1965-66. In his final season in Spokane, the Jets won the Savage Cup, emblematic of the league champions.

    From 1968-77, Felix played with the Cranbrook Royals of the WIHL. He was named a league all star in 1970-71 and the team competed in the Ahearne International tournament in Europe. In 1973-74 the Royals were runners-up for the Allan Cup.

    In 1981-82 Felix competed at the oldtimers hockey World Cup in Toronto for the East Kootenay oldtimers’ hockey team.

    Felix is joined this year in the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame by brothers Floyd (Athlete) and Tom (Builder).

    The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes Felix LaVallee in the Athlete category.

    Felix Lavalee – Athlete
  • Dean Schmeichel – Athlete

    Dean Schmeichel – Athlete

    Dean Schmeichel mined his talent on the wrestling mat in Prince Albert gyms and emerged an international champion.

    Dean wrestled in Prince Albert from 1986 until his graduation from Carlton Comprehensive High School in 1991. He earned his first city and Saskatchewan Amateur Wrestling Association championships the next year as a bantam. In 1988 he again won the city championship and stepped onto the international stage with an eighth-place finish at the World Cadet Championship.

    The year 1989 saw Dean earn his first national title. He was the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association cadet champion after winning the Saskatchewan title.

    In 1990, Dean won silver at the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association finale.

    In 1991, Dean was a force on the mats across Saskatchewan, Canada and the world. He won the World Junior Festival champion, won bronze at the CAWA tournament finals, and was junior SAWA and SHSAA champion.

    He moved to Regina where he continued his wrestling career and graduated with a degree in education. During his Canadian Interuniversity Sport career, Dean won an individual and a team gold medal representing the University of Regina.

    In 1999 Dean moved to Calgary to meet his national team obligations. Five times in the next six years Dean was the national senior champion in his weight class. He won the title in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005.

    Dean represented Canada proudly while on the national team. He was on the Canadian Olympic Team sent to Sydney, Australia in 2000, and won gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England.

    In 1999, Dean earned a bronze medal at the Pan American Games on Canadian soil in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He also had several successful international competitions earning silver and bronze at the 2000 and 2002 Pan American Championships.

    In 2002, Dean was ninth at the world championships and 11th a year later. He was also a World Cup bronze medalist in 2002 and won the Canada Cup that same year.

    Dean retired from the Canadian team in April 2006.

    The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes Dean Schmeichel in the Athlete category.

    Dean Schmeichel – Athlete
  • 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997 Prince Albert Kings Fastball – Team

    1989, 1991, 1993, 1997 Prince Albert Kings Fastball – Team

    The Prince Albert Kings peace officers fastball team stepped onto the global stage and captured two gold

    medals, a silver and a bronze at the World Police and Fire Games.

    The Games were not an event to bring peace officers closer to community, but an event that brought peace officers from around the world together to promote their profession.

    In early 1989 Prince Albert Police Service officer Ian Reiman initiated the formation of the Kings with goal of playing fastball at the World Police and Fire Games in Vancouver. The team needed to be a special group of players. Not only would they have to become a team quickly, every member had to be a fireman, police officer or peace officer to qualify.

    In late July a group of 16 Prince Albert peace officers headed to the West Coast. The team included seven guards from the Saskatchewan Penitentiary, six jail provincial jail guards and three Prince Albert police officers. Wearing borrowed uniforms, the Kings took to the diamond taking on teams from across Canada and the United States. The Kings were able to gel as a team and won bronze defeating the San Jose, California police department.

    In 1991, the Kings headed to Memphis, Tennessee and captured a silver medal. The Kings dropped a 4-2 decision to the defending champions from Toronto in the second game of the all-Canadian A-B final, they forced the second game with a 4-0 win in Game 1.

    It was off to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1993 for a golden experience. Eleven Prince Albert peace officers survived the tournament undefeated despite not being able to wear steel cleats. A Colorado Springs sporting goods store owner took the Kings a variety of rubber cleats in different sizes and brands for the players to buy before they could play their first game. The Kings, having adjusted to playing in rubber cleats and after a few innings with bloody blisters developing, dug in to capture gold.

    In July 1997, the Kings headed to Calgary as the tournament favourites and won their second gold medal in four years. The Prince Albert team beat Hayward, California 6-4 in the final to earn top honours in the five-team tournament.

    This pick-up team of ball players not only represented Prince Albert and Saskatchewan but were proud ambassadors of Canada as teams from all around the globe played at the Games.

    Kings’ players, their wives and families fundraised for each of the trips to the World Police and Fire Games. Gateway Mall made a donation of $3,500 to the team to help with players expenses in 1991.

    Members of the Kings team were Blayne Nelson (player/coach), Ian Reiman, Barry Schrader, Floyd LaVallee, Darcy Kaglea, Charlie Mathiason, Darren Harrison, Curtis Juravinski, Larry Henry, Garry Pischke, Jody Pochipinski, Ronnie Boyer, Chris Hudon, Dale McFee, Brian Bonkowski, Gordie Epp, Tim Woods, Larry Neudorf, Larry Smytaniuk, Pat Robin, Eddie Buck, Jason Hope, James Brezinski, Sandy Ervin, Vince Pilon, Terry Read, Tim Pocha, Wayne Rocheleau (coach).

    The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes the 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1997 Prince Albert Kings to the Team category.

    1989, 1991, 1993, 1997 Prince Albert Kings Fastball – Team