Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame Announces 2019 Inductees

The Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame (LSHOF) is proud to announce the 2019 inductees as we celebrate our 34th year of recognizing sporting excellence in the Lethbridge region. The 2019 Induction Banquet and Ceremony will take place Friday May 3 at the Canadian Western Bank Lounge at the ENMAX Center. Below are this year’s inductees.

TEAMS
Team Foster – 2008 Senior Ladies World Curling Championship Team
Skip Diane Foster’s Lethbridge Senior Ladies rink consisting of Shirley McPherson (third), Shirley Kohuch (second) and Chris Wilson (lead) captured the 2006 Alberta Senior ladies curling tile. The rink struggled at the Canadian championships that year but the experience proved invaluable. In 2007, the Lethbridge Curling Club rink repeated as Provincial Senior Ladies champions and went on to win the Canadian Senior Ladies title, highlighted by a last end, double take out on the deciding shot of the championship game. That win propelled them onto the 2008 World Senior Curling Championships in Vierumaki, Finland. After posting a 7-2 won-loss record in round robin play, the Lethbridge rink avenged an earlier loss to Switzerland in the semifinals and followed that up with a decisive 10-2 victory over Scotland to claim the world title. The team received the 2008 Kinsmen Sports Team of the Year award and were later inducted into the Southern Alberta Curling Association Hall of Fame.

Lethbridge Little League All-Stars – 1981 Canadian Champions (13-year-old division)
Lethbridge Little League baseball success in the 1970’s and 1980’s was highlighted by multiple appearances and championships at the national level. One such team, the 1981 Little League All Stars, completed a memorable summer by capturing the Joe Shea Canadian Little League Championship (13-year-old division) title in Calgary. After losing their first game of the tournament, the Lethbridge squad had to work their way back from the “B” side of the double elimination event. After reeling off 4 victories to reach the finals against the undefeated Calgary Continentals, the team was looking forward to the chance to avenge last year’s loss to the same Calgary squad at the 1980 Prairie Little League Tournament. They posted two dramatic one run victories, the last seeing the locals come back from a five run deficit for a 6-5 win and the Canadian title. The next year, four players from this team were members of the 1982 Canadian Senior Little League Team that was inducted into the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

ATHLETES
Trevor McAlpine (Judo)
Trevor McAlpine carried on the tradition of national and international success by local judokas in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Called a natural by his coach, Yosh Senda, Trevor was a heavyweight who fought much bigger opponents with obvious success. He was known for his quickness and flawless technique. In 2002, Trevor was named the Kinsmen Male Sportsperson of the year following a season that saw him win gold at the 2001 Pan American U-20 Junior Judo Championships in Mexico and the United States Open in Las Vegas. Over the course of a decade, Trevor’s national and international resume included wins at the 2000, 2001 and 2004 Canadian Senior Championships, the 2003 Canada Cup in Quebec as well as podium finishes at the 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 Pan American Championships, the 2003 Swedish Open and the 2005 Finnish Open. In total, Trevor amassed 21 International Tournament medals and 6 National Senior Championship medals over his impressive judo career.

Dawn Berry-Furtado (Golf)
Dawn Berry excelled in many sports including soccer and basketball during her younger years. It was in golf, however that Dawn made her mark on the provincial and national stage. Playing out of Henderson Lake Golf Club, Dawn captured numerous local and high school titles, starting with the 1993 Lethbridge City Junior title and three straight Alberta Schools Athletics Association (ASAA) High School team titles and the 1995 ASAA Individual Gold medal for Lethbridge Collegiate Institute. She followed that up with two provincial crowns, winning the 1996 and 1997 Alberta Junior titles. Dawn competed on many provincial teams as a junior golfer and her success led to a Division I NCAA scholarship offer to play for the University of Oregon Ducks of the PAC 10 Conference. As a member of the team, she was a three-time Academic All American during her career and a 2000 PAC 10 Conference all-star selection. After her college playing career, Dawn was an assistant golf coach at James Madison University and Vanderbilt University before returning to Southern Alberta to teach. She went on to win eight Henderson Lake Ladies Classic titles and three City Ladies Amateur crowns, cementing her legacy as one of the area’s most successful female golfers.

BUILDERS
Ard Biesheuvel (Volleyball)
Ard Biesheuvel devoted over 25 years to the development of volleyball players in Southern Alberta. From grassroots elementary school programs to local club, high school and college teams to provincial squads, Ard has had a hand in the success of many local players in his coaching career. Upon the completion of his own CIS playing career, Ard coached the Lethbridge College women’s team from 1990-93. His teaching career took him to both Lethbridge Collegiate Institute and Chinook High School where his teams captured 10 straight zone titles between the two schools, including an undefeated 59-0 season at LCI in 2007 that culminated in Provincial Gold. An eight time Southern Alberta high School Volleyball League coach of year, Ard also had an impact on community volleyball in Lethbridge. In 1992, Ard was one of the founders of the Lethbridge Volleyball club (LVC) and in 2003, he founded the STARS Volleyball program that introduced many young Lethbridge area players to the game. Ard was also a Provincial Team program assistant and head coach on multiple occasions and in 2015 was the first ever high school coach to be named as a coach with the male Canadian Youth National Team Program. Ard co-wrote a book called “Coaching Volleyball Champions” that featured coaching insights gathered from top university and national team coaches from around North America.

Bernhard Pohl (Mixed Martial Arts)
Bernhard Pohl has been instrumental in the development of mixed martial arts (MMA) in Lethbridge since the late 1990’s. His dedication to the organization and promotion of the sport is evident by the respect he has garnered locally and beyond. Bernhard initially trained as a fighter and has served in every capacity from corner man, referee, and judge to chief fight inspector on over 250 fight cards over the last 18 years. He served on the Lethbridge Combative Commission from 2004-2017, including several terms as the vice chair. His tireless, behind-the-scenes work in organizing events and recruiting other to volunteer in various capacities has led to a thriving local MMA scene. Bernhard was responsible for a referee seminar that brought unified rules and regulations to the sport locally under the direction of well-known UFC referee, John McCarthy and he was instrumental in bringing the Canadian Mixed Martial Arts Amateur Tournament to Lethbridge, where it has been held since 2015. He has represented the Lethbridge Combative Sports Commission multiple times at annual international conventions at his own expense. Bernhard Pohl is recognized by the local MMA community as a driving force in his sport who prefers to be behind the scenes.

SPECIAL AWARD
Carol Thibert (Multi Sport)
Carole Thibert’s contribution to the development and promotion of sport in Lethbridge as an athlete, coach, administrator and supporter has been immense. Her work with the City of Lethbridge Recreation and Culture Department from 1990-2015 set the foundation for her community service. As an athlete, she has competed in hundreds of local events in swimming, cycling, triathlon and running. She is one of only five athletes to have competed in all 30 Moonlight Runs. She has served as an advocate and organizer in multiple capacities for many youth, senior and plus 55 Southern Alberta and Alberta Winter and Summer Games committees. She was a founding member of the Lethbridge Sports Council and the Alberta Sports Development Center Southwest and has served on the board of many organizations including the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame, the Southern Alberta Recreation Association, Healthy Lethbridge and KidSport. Through endless hours of volunteering and coaching for a long list of local sports organizations, Carol has embodied a model of healthy living. As one of her many nominators stated, “There is no one who has provided more enthusiasm, encouragement, and support to athletes of all ages than Carole Thibert. I feel she is truly worthy of recognition by the LSHOF for her inspiration and contribution to sport in our community, creating a better and healthier place to live”.

Media Contact: Darryl Christiansen, LSHOF Chair, 403-360-0983