Local NHL hockey coach Mike Yeo highlights a prestigious group of local athletes/coaches that will be entering the North Bay Sports Hall of Fame.
The Hall named four new inductees along with its list of sports award winners.
Yeo, who left the St. Louis Blues this season, won a Stanley Cup as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins back in 2009 and guided Team Canada to a World Hockey Championship back in 2016.
He is joined by two-time Northern Ontario men's curling champion John McClelland, who was part of the popular Scott Patterson rink that represented Northern Ontario at the Brier in both 1994 and 1999.
Long distance runner Taylor Milne was also named. Milne represented Canada at the 2008 Olympic Summer Games when he ran in the 1500 m, and in 2016 Summer Olympics, when he represented the country in the 3000 m steeplechase.
The lone female inductee is gymnast Erin Grigg. The local gymnast who trained at Gymtrix in North Bay, received a gymnastic scholarship at Easter Michigan University. Erin represented Ontario at numerous international competitions and is considered a great role model for young local gymnasts.
North Bay Sports Hall of Fame Inductees for 2018:
Erin Grigg
John McClelland
Taylor Milne
Mike Yeo
Honoured Team for 2018:
Warriors of Hope
2018 North Bay Sports Award Winners:
Jack Burrows Memorial Award for Sports Achievement – Dave Innes
Dedication to Soccer (North Bay Youth Soccer) – Vito Castiglione
James Kelly Memorial Award for Team of the Year – Carlie Pappano/ Joelle Horner
Dominico Family Award for Contribution to Softball/Baseball – Bret Foisy
George Martyn Memorial Trophy for Basketball – Joey Puddister
Judge Harry J Reynolds Memorial Trophy for Hockey – John Weber
Al Brennan Memorial Trophy for Coach of the Year – John Whittet
Jim Aspin Memorial Award for Executive of the Year – Sean Mullan
Mort Fellman Memorial Award for Female Athlete of the Year – Dominique Baldasaro
Britt Jessup Memorial Award for Male Athlete of the Year – Zach Martel
Pete Palangio Award for Contribution to Sport – Rick Taylor
Peter Handley Friend of Sport – Dalton Hazzard
Mike Mitchell-Larry Avery Memorial Award for Football – Zach Wilkinson & Matt Jemmett
John Toswell Memorial Award for Curling – Moe Laporte
Special Olympics Award of Excellence – 2018 National Summer Games Team
The Inductees and Award winners will be honoured at the 39th Annual North Bay Sports Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner on Saturday, May 4th at the Davedi Club on Airport Road. Tickets are available from the following Executive Members: Karen Cobb (705-493-7578), Mary McTavish (705-497-8111) or Tom Nodwell (705-474-7108).
