The proud history of sports in the province was celebrated this past weekend with the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (SSHOF) honouring its latest inductees.
Ryan Getzlaf (Hockey), Hayley Wickenheiser (Hockey, Softball), Jaime (Cruikshank) Boyer (multi-sport), and Joan McEachern (Soccer) were inducted as athletes.
Entering the builders section were Lorne Lasuita, Bernadette McIntyre and Noreen Murphy.
The induction ceremony took place on Saturday night at Conexus Arts Centre.
Getzlaf spent most of his minor hockey career in Regina before moving to the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League and eventually the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League.
Internationally, he won gold medals at the World Juniors (2005) and the Olympics (2010,2014). Getzlaf also helped the Ducks win the Stanley Cup (2007).
Joining the SSHOF is another incredible accolade for Getzlaf.
“This (SSHOF) is something that has a long history here in Saskatchewan, and just being apart of it is very humbling, and a real honour.”
Wickenheiser’s storied career on the ice saw her emerge as Canada’s all-time leader in goals, assists, points and games played in women’s Hockey. She is the country’s Olympic and World Championships scoring leader. She won four Olympic Gold medals.
Besides her hockey achievements, the Shaunovan product played Softball for Team Canada in the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Jaime (Cruikshank) Boyer enters the Hall of Fame for efforts in multiple sports. Before she was 20, the Shellbrook native participated in three sports for Team Canada. (Gymnastics, Track & Field, Bobsleigh).
She noted the benefits of her unique career.
“Not such a straight forward path as to dig into something and go all the way to the Olympics, it was a little bit of gymnastics, a little bit of track, and then all the way to the Olympics in bobsleigh and finding excellence in those areas, it’s part of who I am.”
McEachern was one of Canada’s top female soccer players during its national program’s infancy stages. She was a member of the first Canadian squad to appear at the Women’s World Cup. She represented Canada at four national club championships. The Leroy product was inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame (2009).
She appreciated the sacrifices her family made to help her dreams come true.
“I always think about my parents.” McEachern said. “They were both big Saskatchewan boosters.”
Wickenheiser couldn’t attend Saturday’s festivities due to her duties with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.
Earlier the day before the induction ceremony, the SSHOF held an autograph session with the 2023 inductees.