The Wood Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame has officially inducted three new members.
Fort McMurray Oil Barons founder Ches Dicks, Fort McMurray Knights rugby player and coach Andy Lloyd, and marathon runner Bill Neilsen, who was inducted posthumously after he died in April.
Dicks officially founded the Oil Barons back in 1981, and says establishing the team came down to a love of the game.
“I did it out of greed for myself – not financially, I love hockey. And I think the Oil Barons have really paid off because they’re a real tribute to the community and the community has really supported them,” he said.
Lloyd came to Fort McMurray in 1978 as a 19-year-old, and starting two years later, spent 32 years with the Knights.
He says the induction is a reflection on the people he’s spent time with.
“It’s just all about the friendships I’ve had and the building and seeing guys go on to play better rugby, and just helping the whole club. Giving back what I’ve received really, from the club,” he said.
Nielsen worked to found the Fort McMurray Running Club and ran 100 marathons himself.
He died from Parkinson’s Disease earlier this year; but his daughter, Karen Nielsen, remembers how the disease didn’t slow him down after 65 marathons.
“It was like ‘ok, now I’ve got Parkinson’s, I still want to run those 100 marathons, I’m going to have to do them a lot faster and a lot harder.’ And so, I think he did 10 marathons in one year – it was a crazy amount,” she said.
The ceremony also featured Jon Montogmery as the special guest speaker.
Montgomery won an Olympic gold medal in Skeleton at the 2010 games in Vancouver, and currently hosts The Amazing Race: Canada.
