A pretty awesome night!

I made the trip down the concessions to Barrie on Wednesday October 7th for the 2026 version of the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, partially to celebrate a chum Roger Gillespie, the John Crawley Lifetime Achievement Award, but also to celebrate the newest inductees. As a member of the Hall myself, I feel honour bound to celebrate the incoming members in a show of support and welcoming. The BSHOF has changed their venue from Allandale Rec Centre to the Gen John Hayter Southshore Community Centre along with modifying it's ceremony format, all in an effort to improve the attendee experience. I was thrilled to find that my fellow Hall inductees Ron Andrews and Paul Hopper were of the same mind, and a catch up was accomplished. 

Congratulations to the 2026 BSHOF celebrants:

Roger Gillespie

John Crawley Lifetime Achievement Award for decades as a referee/umpire and coach

Bert Logan

Jean McCann Unsung Hero Award for his role in the Barrie Christian Pond Hockey

Jeff Pratt

Officiant of the Year for his decades as a hockey referee

Wayne Kennedy

Coach of the Year for his efforts in Girls Fastball

Jadyn Keeler

Amateur Athlete of the Year for her international achievements on the world stage

Alyssa Kucherawy + Maddie Martnyshyn

Honoured team for their OFSAA gold in tennis

Bruce Macnicol

Inductee in the Builder Category for his role in the Barrie Colts organization

Ariel Amaral

Inductee in the Athlete Category for her achievements in Stand Up Paddleboard

Chanelle Corbeil

Inductee in the Athlete Category for her achievements in Special Olympic skiing

The 2026 BSHOF line up: Gillie is the taller gentleman in blue; Bert isn't pictured

Roger Gillespie, aka "Gillie" to hundreds of ex-students, former colleagues, and friends, has a resume that not very many can offer, his decades of service as an umpire in Slo-Pitch Baseball, a referee in both Volleyball and Flag Football, and coaching accolades that include the Barrie Baycats and OFSAA Coach of the Year as testament to his passions for doing things for others.

Whew! Good on ya Gillie!

I have had the pleasure of calling Gillie a friend for dozens of years, and a nicer person you'll never meet. Any encounters with him are punctuated with his beaming smile, his razor sharp wit, and his genuine affection. If his 30+ year iconic career in education was not enough, his tireless efforts in the community ensuring that generations could enjoy activities like baseball, flag football, and volleyball are the thick icing atop the cake. If you've never met Gillie, find a way to arrange it ... you won't be disappointed!

In a neat twist, I also took the opportunity to shake the hand of Bert Logan, the Jean McCann Unsung Hero Award winner for 2026. Bert and his wife Betty Ann have been friends of ours for around 25 years thanks to the friendship of their youngest lad Bobby and our son Keaton, former classmates at Steele St PS. Bobby and Keaton were bestest chums, and along with Nick Thomson and Ryan Lewis, were inseparable in elementary school. 

During his off-the-ice life as a Police Officer, Bert gifted countless hours to growing the sport of hockey, and has been the President of the Barrie Christian Hockey League (BCHL) since he founded it in 1998. The league is composed of 36 teams playing non-contact hockey for kids of all ages, from 6 to 21 years,  allowing players to play at a skill level that best suits their ability. Teams are made up of boys and girls, and the focus of this league is all about the fun of the game. The BCHL also welcomes underprivileged kids who may not be able to participate otherwise. If that weren't enough, Bert has also spent time behind the bench, coaching the Penetang Kings of the Junior C Hockey League from 2010-12, as well as Barrie AA & AAA teams from 2003-10, winning 3 OMHA championships and 1 OHF championship during that span.

Here's a personal standing ovation Bert!

Of course, the personal highlight of the night was spending some time with my chum Ron, a privilege not afforded as often as we would like these days thanks to retirement activities and busy schedules. Our conversation was centered around the award winners and inductees, but it eventually came round to a looming accolade that has us both Uber excited. In mid November, Ron will be inducted into the Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame for his unrivalled impact of the sport at the high school, provincial, and national levels. 

I've written about Ron in the past, but in the event you don't know ...

As head coach of Barrie Central's Sr Boys, a program that won 19 OFSAA medals (9 Gold, 5 Silver, and 5 Bronze), Ron's passion helped create an unmatched exemplar of excellence, and made Barrie Central an internationally known program. As a coach at the provincial and national level, he steered the development dozens of young lads toward lengthy careers that included World Cup appearances and professional contracts. His credibility is rarely questioned, but an entertaining story emerged recently when he was in Portugal as a consultant with a rugby-focused travel company, and offered assistance to an Ontario high school coach who was touring with his charges. Unsure of who this friendly, grey-haired face was, this coach's query was humbly greeted with Ron's recounting of his eye-raising resume, the "door" swinging wide open in acceptance of some input and help, 

"Yeah, you can run a few drills for me then." was the reply. Holy understatement Batman!

An old friend, Gene Pereira, called me recently, inquiring about the Rugby Ontario announcement, and we shared a wonderful trip down Memory Lane, recalling events, accomplishments, and of course, appreciation of Ron. Gene wrote the following article and I thank him for deftly capturing the feelings and emotions surrounding Ron's induction.

Barrie360 article 

I won't belabour the point, but admitting all bias, Ron's a guy that I would choose to form a friendship with 1000% of the time, and we have grown a bond with fond appreciation, gratitude, and bromance. I couldn't be prouder for him to be recognized formally for all the incredibleness so selflessly gifted to so many youngsters that realized their dreams and honed their characters thanks to their shared time with Ron.

Here's to you my friend!

There aren't many like you!