The Regina Sports Hall of Fame announced its inductees for 2021 on Tuesday.
They are:
Bernie Schmidt and Frank McCrystal
(Builders; Football)
Played junior football together for legendary Regina Rams coach Gord Currie before joining the team as volunteer assistant coaches . . . McCrystal was named Rams’ head coach in 1984 and immediately made Schmidt the offensive co-ordinator, a pairing that lasted until 2014 . . . In 15 junior seasons the Rams had a 104-17 record plus they were 29-7 in the postseason and won the Canadian Bowl seven times . . . McCrystal and Schmidt established training programs, helped expand the team’s facilities and advocated supporting their junior players with university scholarships until leading the Rams to join the University of Regina in 1999. In their second university season the Rams advanced to the Vanier Cup before losing 42-39 to the University of Ottawa. The Rams were 60-68 with five appearances in the Canada West championship during 15 university seasons . . . Rams alumni dot CFL and NFL rosters while also contributing to their communities as doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, coaches, firefighters, police officers, contractors and business owners.
Mike O’Donnell
(Builder; Multi-sport)
Stopped playing high school basketball in Grade 11 to coach the girls’ team, beginning a coaching career that ultimately included football, track, volleyball plus community baseball, softball, hockey and basketball . . . After volunteering for executive roles with the Regina High Schools Athletic Association, O’Donnell served as commissioner from 1990-94 and 2000-03, when he moved the championships of various sports into larger venues, got them televised and created opportunities for students to get more involved . . . His work with numerous sports groups, particularly a stint as the first executive director of the Regina Soccer Association, led to his front-line involvement in getting new facilities built in the city, including the Credit Union EventPlex, Leibel Field and Mosaic Stadium . . . Committee work includes the 2005 Canada Summer Games, 2009 USports women’s basketball championship, 2010 Olympic Torch Relay and 2014 North American Indigenous Games . . . Received recognition awards from the Regina Thunder, Wascana Kiwanis, the RHSAA and Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association . . . Elected member of Regina City Council 2006-19.
Elemer Jerkovits
(Builder; Baseball)
Began umpiring in 1976, joined Baseball Canada’s certification program in 1982 and since 1989 has been qualified to work national championships; he has been selected 14 times at the time of his induction . . . Attained Level V (highest) status in 2005 . . . Jerkovits worked the 2009 Canada Summer Games, was twice selected for the Toronto Blue Jays Tournament 12 and, from 2010-17, was one of the country’s top 25 umpires while representing Canada at three international events — World University championships in Tokyo, Pan-Am Games in Toronto and world under-18 championships in Thunder Bay . . . Western Canada Baseball League umpire-of-the-year in 2019 and worked seven of the league’s previous 10 final series . . . SBA Senior umpire-of-the-year in 2010, inducted into Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020, served on executive of Regina Baseball Umpire Association and Saskatchewan Baseball Umpire Association . . . Elite water polo player . . . Extensive volunteer involvement includes development and evaluation committees; credited with helping Regina’s Stu Scheurwater become the third Canadian umpire hired by Major League Baseball.
Crystal (Brunas) Frisk
(Athlete; Curling)
Won a provincial women’s curling championship in 1977 before winning five Saskatchewan senior curling championships between 1997-2006, skipping teams with ever-changing personnel to the nationals . . . Also won intermediate championships in 1988 and 1995 and was a member of mixed teams that competed in the 1977 and 1984 provincial championships . . . Competed in 37 provincial championships between 1977 and 2017 . . . In 1998 was named second team all-star skip at the CIBC senior Canadian championships. Frisk twice won Evelyn Krahn Award for sportsmanship and curling excellence, was a 2005 inductee into the #306 Sport Hall of Fame and in 2008 joined the SCA’s Legends of Curling Honour Roll . . . Began curling in 1956 in her home town of Gray before attending Luther High School, where she was a member of the curling, softball, basketball, track and cheerleading teams. Later played in Maple Creek, Prince Albert, Regina (at the Highland, Tartan and Caledonian clubs), Kronau and Balgonie . . . Volunteering since in 1960 at district, provincial, national and world championship in a variety of roles . . . Frisk taught young curlers as a certified coach.
Jacoby family
(Patrons; Multi-sport)
Parents Franz and Bonnie plus sons George, Paul, Neil, Ray and John have contributed heavily to sports in Regina and their list of accomplishments is outstanding in tennis, basketball and golf . . . In tennis, accumulated more than 250 provincial, prairie, open and tournament victories, highlighted by George winning the 1963 Canadian under-14 boys singles title and the family receiving a distinguished service award from Tennis Canada in 2005 . . . In basketball, the brothers won three provincial and five Regina high school championships, with Paul being selected for three city all-star teams and earning enshrinement to the Saskatoon and University of Saskatchewan halls of fame . . . In golf, John twice made Saskatchewan’s team and had the province’s lowest score at the 1979 Canadian junior boys championship and, in 2000, was named professional-of-the-year by the British Columbia PGA . . . Ray and Paul have coached basketball for more than 50 years and their teams won two provincial high school championships . . . Bonnie’s tennis successes stretch from the 1960s to playing as a senior into the ‘90s . . . Franz was an elite golfer plus he was on the executive of the Lakeshore Tennis Club and Saskatchewan Tennis Association.
John Foord
(Builder; Football)
Became head coach of the LeBoldus Golden Suns in 2006 and in his first 14 seasons won seven city and provincial high school football championships, including a stretch of five straight Regina titles and a 25-game winning streak . . . Began teaching at O’Neill in 2000 and joined the football team as an assistant coach before moving to LeBoldus in 2004 as athletic director and spending three years as a Golden Suns assistant . . . Won his first 4A Saskatchewan championship as a head coach in 2008 by upending the Riffel Royals in city playoffs and beating the host Saskatoon Aden Bowman Bears 66-0 . . . Numerous graduates have advanced to play for college teams, with 10 LeBoldus products on a recent University of Regina roster . . . Played for LeBoldus on 1987 Saskatchewan championship squad, later coached one year as a volunteer in Regina Minor Football and three seasons with LeBoldus while attaining kinesiology and education degrees at the University of Regina . . . A proponent of young athletes playing numerous sports before specializing, among his 150-plus teams Foord has also coached hockey, basketball, wrestling, curling, golf, softball and ringette.
All will be inducted in a ceremony to be held this October at Queensbury Centre.
The Regina Sports Hall of Fame can be found in the main hallway of the Co-operators Centre at Evraz Place.
