For biographical information and details on the sporting
achievements of the inductees please click a picture below
or the link to the "Full Story".
ATHLETE
Jimmy Rattlesnake Jimmy
Rattlesnake, the ‘Smilin’ Rattler’ is a legend. He was one
of Canada’s greatest aboriginal athletes and baseball was
his game. He was the first
Aboriginal baseball player from
Canada to play professionally in the US. He was an
outstanding pitcher who was scouted by a New York team in
the 1930’s and invited to Spring Training. The
team was high on him. A “southpaw”, he was great at picking
off players trying to steal bases, it was like he had eyes
all over and he was fast... but he didn’t like the big city of
New York.
Dallas Dorchester His
first racing year set the stage for what was to become
one of the most celebrated “Hall of Fame” careers in the
sport of chuckwagon. Dallas was the 1984 World
Champion Chuckwagon Driver and won more than 40 show
championships in his illustrious career. His record of
five North American Chuckwagon Championships stand to this
day. Dallas was a founding member of the World Professional
Chuckwagon Association. Dallas Dorchester won all the big
races. His last major win came in 1996 when he
captured the Richard Cosgrave
Memorial Award symbolic of the Calgary Stampede Aggregate
Champion.
Rod Buskas Rod
was an WHL All-Star and received the Best Defenseman Award
for the Tigers. He also set a record of seven points
in one game with the Tigers scoring two goals and adding
five assists. After his solid junior career, Rod was
drafted in 1981 in the sixth round by the Pittsburg
Penguins. Rod was a “hard nosed physical defender” and
in 1990-91 he was Pittsburgh’s all- time leader in penalty
minutes, a record at that time. He
played with Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Chicago.
This past year he was invited by Mario Lemieux and
the Pittsburgh Penguin organization to play in the Winter
Classic Alumni game, an elite group, he scored a goal in
a 5-5 tie.
At
age seven Sheila began private lessons when it became
apparent that she had the ability, focus and determination
to excel in her chosen sport and that she did. She
qualified for Provincials at the age of nine and competed at
the Juvenile Ladies level. Sheila’s dedication and
countless hours of practice enabled her to reach figure
skatings’ elite level where she represented her city,
province and country by competing at national and
international level
competitions. In 1997 Sheila was chosen
to represent Canada at the World Winter Universiade Games in
South Korea where she placed fifth. She had the honour of
being chosen by the Canadian Team to carry the Canadian flag
in the Closing Ceremonies.
Vlad Brecka Vlad
Brecka was not just a one sport official. When
Vlad Brecka moved to Wetaskiwin in 1966, he began anofficiating career that impacted the
sports of basketball, fastball, slow pitch, football,
hockey. From 1969 to 1974 he coached High School
basketball. In 1967, he was introduced by Jack Abram to the
joys ofumpiring fastball. He went from umpiring
house league fastball to umpiring major men’s fastball (Car
Capitals) and eventually to umpiring slow pitch. He also
refereed basketball from 1974 to 1990 for the North Central
High School League. This included zone playoffs and
championship games. He also had the opportunity to referee
basketball games for Camrose Concordia College.
in
1994-1995 that Woody and a few local parents whose children
were playing hockey rejuvenated the Winfield Hockey Program.
They drafted a new set of bylaws and established more formal
protocols and procedures. The “Mighty Ducks” were born
and many great things were about to happen to the small town
of Winfield. Besides coaching, Woody contributes by
volunteering in the administration of the sport and is a
driving force in major
fundraising
ventures for local hockey programs and facilities.
During his time as principal at the Winfield Elementary
School, he always hosted a Track and Field Day.
Wetaskiwin High School Senior Girls Volleyball Team-1990
For the Wetaskiwin High School Senior Girls Volleyball team,
1990 was a magical year. Nine of the eleven team
members had been Provincial Champions the preceding year at
the ‘3A’ level. After their success in 1989, the girls
and their coach felt it would be more challenging to compete
at the ‘4A’ higher level.....and just maybe, achieve their
dream of being the very
best high school volleyball players
in Alberta.
