Peter Reid to be inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Names Class of 2011

—Ray Bourque, Lui Passaglia, Richard Pound, Lauren Woolstencroft, Peter Reid and Andrea Neil to enter Hall in November—

CALGARY—Hockey great Ray Bourque, CFL star Lui Passaglia, 10-time Paralympic medallist Lauren Woolstencroft, triathlon great Peter Reid, distinguished soccer player Andrea Neil, and International Olympic Committee member Richard Pound will be the five athletes and one builder inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame on November 8, 2011, the Hall announced Friday.

“Our Selection Committee, which is comprised of media and sports experts, was tasked with reviewing a very competitive roster of nominations in the athlete and builder categories. This year, we received nominations for 54 athletes and 28 builders and had to make very difficult decisions based on so many remarkable individuals,” said Claire Buffone-Blair, president and CEO. “The Class of 2011 who will be honoured by Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame will make for formidable additions to the Hall’s distinguished list of Honoured Members which now totals 520 athletes and builders representing 60 sports.”

Born in Saint-Laurent, Que., Raymond Bourque is arguably one of the best defenceman to have ever played in the National Hockey League. Drafted eighth overall by the Bruins in 1979, Bourque made an immediate impact and has become near-synonymous with the Boston Bruins franchise, for which he played 21 seasons and became its longest-serving captain. After winning the Stanley Cup in his final NHL Game with the Avalanche in 2001, the five-time Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman retired with the most goals, assists and points for a defenseman. A 13-time NHL First Team All-Star, Bourque was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004 and his #77 jersey was retired by both the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche franchises. With awards and achievements as lengthy as his career, Bourque played for Team Canada on three Canada Cup teams and at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

Vancouver's Andrea Neil was one of Canada's best female footballers for close to two decades. She represented her country on the international stage from 1991 to 2007, becoming the first Canadian to participate in four FIFA Women's World Cups. She made 132 appearances, a national record upon her retirement in 2007. She is a four-time CONCACAF silver medallist, a Canada Games champion, a CIAU Glady Bean champion, a two-time W-League champion, and a Pan American Games bronze medallist.

Lui Passaglia is one of the greatest placekicker/punters in the history of the Canadian Football League. Passaglia wore the B.C. Lions uniform for 25 years (1976-2000) where he scored more points than any other professional football player in history. His #5 jersey is one of eight numbers retired by the Lions. Passaglia is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame and the B.C. Lions Wall of Fame. In 2003, Passaglia was voted a member of the B.C. Lions All-Time Dream Team and in 2006 was voted #30 of the CFL's top 50 players of the leagues modern era by CanadianSports network TSN .

A three-time Ironman World Champion, Montreal’s Peter Reid is one of the nation’s greatest elite level triathletes. Reid’s incredible work ethic, intensity, and ability to perform consistently lead him to gain fame by winning 10 Ironman triathlons, including his three victories at the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. He added three silver medals and a bronze medal at the Ironman World Championships before retiring in 2006.

Bornmissing her left arm below the elbow as well as both legs below the knees, Lauren Woolstencroft began alpine skiing at the age of four and went on to win 10 Paralympic medals in three Games (2002, 2006 and 2010). Her dedication and fearlessness lead her to win two golds and a bronze medal at the 2002 Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, along with one gold and one silver in 2006 in Torino. Woolstencroft made history when she became Canada’s first Winter Paralympic athlete to win five gold medals in a single Games in Vancouver. She tied the record for gold medal wins of any Canadian Paralympian at a singleGames with Chantal Petitclerc and Stephanie Dixon.

A Canadian lawyer, Richard Pound was elected to the International Olympic Committee in 1978 where he was soon put in charge of negotiating television and sponsorship deals. Pound, who went on to become vice-president of the IOC, revolutionized the Olympic Movement, transforming the IOC into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. A doubleOlympic finalist and Commonwealth Games champion swimmer, Pound served two terms as president of the Canadian Olympic Committee. Pound, a leader in representing excellence and fairplay, became head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) where he oversaw an unprecedented toughening of the fight against doping in sport. He worked diligently to expand the impact of WADA beyond the Olympic Games and into the professional sport arena. Pound was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1992. He served as Chancellor of McGill University from 1999 - 2009.

“Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame seeks to recognize and share the stories of the nation’s greatest athletes and builders who have made a significant contribution to sport in this country,” said Buffone-Blair. “These five athletes and one builder have ammased incredible acheivement in sport, not only in Canada but around the world. We are thrilled to welcome them into the Hall where their unique stories will continue to serve as an inspiration for Canadian youth to live healthy, active lives and to dream big.”

The class of 2011 will be officially inducted into Canada’s Sport’s Hall of Fame during a gala dinner and celebration in Calgary, November 8 at the Telus Convention Centre. To purchase tickets for the dinner and for more information on the induction ceremony, please visit us at www.sportshall.ca.

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame is committed to preserve and showcase Canada’s rich sporting history in innovative and meaningful ways; celebrate sport’scontribution to what it means to be Canadian, connect communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast; and inspire new generations of Canadian youth to get involved in sport and dream big. With its roots dating back to 1955, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame is relocating to Calgary from Toronto and will be opening the doors to its new home on July 1, 2011. For more information, please visit us at www.sportshall.ca.

Class of 2011 Testimonials:

“It was great news to hear that I was going to be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. It’s an incredible honour for me to be a part of such a great group of Canadian athletes. To be part of the Hall is something you never think about when you are playing and when you hear thatyou’ve been inducted you realize what a privilege it is to be a part of it.”

…Raymond Bourque

“It was with a great deal of respect, honour, and amazement that I received this news. To be joining Canada’s Sport Hall of Fame alongside so many great athletes and builders is anincredibly humbling and awe-inspiring experience for me."

…Andrea Neil

“When I received the call that I was to be inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, I was surprised and excited, and I felt very honoured to be selected. I've always been an avid sports fan, and have enjoyed watching and hearing about our Canadian athletes in various sports over the years. To be included with these 514 great Canadian athletes and builders is truly humbling and gratifying at the same time. “

…Lui Passaglia

"It is an enormous honour to be included among the builders of Canadian sport. I believe that sport is a fundamental contributor to any great society and we in Canada are second tonone."

…Richard Pound

“Being inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a huge surprise. I retired five years ago and I am now focused on my career as a pilot with Harbour Air Seaplanes so to get this nomination is a reminder that I had a very special career racing triathlon and Ironman. I have always been very proud to represent Canada and have used so many members of the Hall as inspiration to get me out the door to train on the days where the weather and motivation were not at their best. People like Steve Podborski, Steve Bauer, Gaetan Boucher, Victor Davis, Terry Fox and so manymore showed that we can win on the world stage if we believe it can be done. This is also a very big day for my sport of triathlon.”

…Peter Reid

I'm extremely honoured to be inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. it's humbling to be joining the ranks of so many amazing Athletes such as Nancy Greene and Rick Hansen! I'm really looking forward to the induction ceremony"

…Lauren Woolstencroft