Former F.P. Walshe Flyers Paula Woynarowsky, Brittany Orr and Nicole Van Eck attended the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet Friday. Their Lethbridge Pronghorns woman's rugby team, which included former Flyers Natalie De Kok, Brittany Zoeteman and Courtney Faulkner, was inducted into the hall.
Former F.P. Walshe Flyers Paula Woynarowsky, Brittany Orr and Nicole Van Eck attended the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet Friday. Their Lethbridge Pronghorns woman’s rugby team, which included former Flyers Natalie De Kok, Brittany Zoeteman and Courtney Faulkner, was inducted into the hall.
Six former F.P. Walshe Flyers rugby players were inducted Friday into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.
Brittany Orr, Nicole Van Eck, Paula Woynarowsky, Natalie De Kok, Courtney Faulkner and Brittany Zoeteman were members of the 2007-’09 Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s rugby team.
“It’s an incredible honour for our team to be inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame,” said Van Eck, who attended the induction ceremony. “It is quite humbling to say the least, and I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to play for the Pronghorns with so many incredible rugby players.”
“It’s difficult to find the words to describe how awesome it feels, but the team from 2007 to 2009 was an exceptional group with each and every player contributing on and off the field,” Van Eck added. “For the five years I played, these girls were my second family, and to share in this induction with them was a powerful experience, only equalled by the many ups and downs we shared on the field during the years we played together.”
Woynarowsky, who also attended the induction ceremony, agreed it was a special honour to join her teammates in the hall of fame.
“Being inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame was incredible,” Woynarowsky said. “Playing rugby was a huge part of my post-secondary experience and the relationships that I formed with my teammates are priceless.”
“Being able to celebrate the success of the 2007 to 2009 team with some of my closest friends will be a memory that I’ll treasure for years to come.”
The Pronghorns, coached by Neil Langevin, won three consecutive CIS championships in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
The Pronghorns won their first-ever CIS championship in 2007 with
a 15-10 win over the host Western Mustangs.
Brittany Orr became the first Pronghorn to be named the CIS championship’s most valuable player, and was also a tournament all-star with teammates Shannon Court and Amanda Richardson.
The following season the Pronghorns won the CIS championship in Lethbridge by defeating
St. Francis Xavier 29-15. Pronghorns captain Ashley Patzer was tournament most valuable player.
The Pronghorns in 2009 outscored their Canada West opponents 333-7 before heading to the CIS championships, where they again met St. Francis Xavier in the final.
The Pronghorns claimed their third straight title with a 20-3 win, and Orr, Patzer and tournament MVP Andrea Letal were named to the all-star team.
The Pronghorns were inducted in 2011 into the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame.
Other 2015 Alberta Sports Hall of Fame inductees were curler Kevin Martin, hockey players Bruce MacGregor and Carla MacLeod, and Flames trainer Jim (Bearcat) Murray.
Bill Warren of Calgary, who co-chaired Calgary’s bid to host the Winter Olympics in 1988, and Hugh McPherson, a long-time Red Deer educator, coach and volunteer, were inducted as multi-sport builders.
Calgary Flames broadcaster Peter Maher received the 2015 Bell Memorial Award.
The 2015 Pioneer Award went to David Folinsbee and Jean Waring Folinsbee, who were active in badminton in Alberta since the late 1940s.
Edmonton Oilers and Edmonton Eskimos training staff assistant Joey Moss received a 2015 achievement award.
Chris Koch of Nanton, a quadruple amputee who played soccer, baseball, golf and snowboarded and skied, also received an achievement award.
