Hall of Fame
Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame
Rugby Ontario is pleased to announce the return of the Hall of Fame & Awards. The 2022 Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame inductees and Annual Award winners will be honoured at the awards ceremony in Mississauga, ON, on the evening of Saturday, November 12, 2022. The awards ceremony will be held at the Maple Banquet Hall (Map: 1325 Eglinton Ave E, Mississauga, ON). The Ceremony, as in 2019, will be held in conjunction with the Rugby Ontario Awards recognition event.
2022 Hall of Fame Class
Aaron Carpenter (Player)
Aaron Carpenter is one of the more decorated rugby players in Canadian history. He holds the Canadian record for most caps on the Canadian Senior Men’s National Team with 80. He represented Canada at three Rugby World Cups (2007, 2011 and 2015) and captained Canada 15 times. Aaron has recorded 17 international tries, most by a Canadian forward. He played professionally in England for Coventry, Plymouth Albion, Cornish Pirates, London Welsh and Doncaster. Aaron learned the game at Brantford Collegiate Institute and the Brantford Harlequins RFC and represented Ontario at all age grade levels. During his professional career and while playing for Canada, Aaron always dedicated time to return to his local community to support programs. Since his retirement as a player, he has turned to coaching, both at club and provincial levels, and formerly with the Toronto Arrows RFC – Canada's first professional rugby union team.
Dan & Mike Pletch (Players)
Dan & Mike Pletch were staples at the provincial and national level throughout their playing careers. Both began their playing careers at London St. George’s RFC and Medway High School before going on to have successful careers at McMaster University winning four OUA titles. The Pletch brothers went on to represent Ontario at the Junior level and were members of the Ontario Blues Senior Men’s Program. Both Dan & Mike were members of the Canadian Senior Men’s National Team for over seven years and represented Canada at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and earned 31 and 26 caps respectively. Identical twins and front row partners on the field, the Pletch brothers are widely regarded for their work ethic as players and continue supporting the rugby community at various levels in coaching and refereeing.
Lee Powell (Builder)
Lee Powell has a tremendous record of service to the sport of rugby in Ontario as a player, administrator, coach, referee, instructor and volunteer for nearly 50 years. He began playing at the University of Manitoba before returning to Ontario and playing for the Ottawa Irish RFC, winning five McCormick Cups and representing the EORU Senior Men’s side. He has been instrumental in the high school and club rugby systems, coaching and administrating in the Ottawa region for many decades, including stints with four Ottawa clubs over 17 years. Lee also coached at university level for both Carleton uOttawa over a 14-year period, as well as numerous EORU representative teams for 13 years. His devotion as a volunteer earned him many leadership roles, including President of the Ottawa Irish (1988), the EORU (2010-11), Twin Elm Rugby Park (2017-22) and the Rugby Ontario Board of Directors (2010, 2013). He has also chaired organizing committees for numerous well-attended and successful national and international rugby events in Ottawa. More recently, Lee has led numerous efforts to raise funds in support of rugby in Ottawa and Twin Elm Rugby Park. Lee continues to play into his 70s, most recently with the Barrhaven Scottish Old Boys, but has also played with Ottawa Scottish (1992), Barrhaven Scottish (2002) and Bytown Blues (2005).
Steve Scott (Official)
Steve Scott is one of the most storied rugby rugby referees in Ontario. His officiating career began in 1986 and he continues to officiate to this day. Since his officiating career began, Steve has been a member of the Niagara Rugby Referee Society. He earned a spot on the Ontario Referee Panel in 1989 and the Rugby Canada A Panel from 1993-2001. Over his career, Steve has served as the Head Referee for major domestic competitions such as the McCormick Cup final in 2001 and 2002, Rugby Canada Super League finals and numerous national championships. Steve has also refereed in multiple International Test matches, three as a Head Referee and eight more as an Assistant Referee. Steve has refereed domestic competitions in Scotland, Australia and New Zealand as part of the Rugby Canada Referee Exchange Program and in 1998 was the only Canadian or American referee invited to the World Classic Tournament in Bermuda. Off the field, Steve has been committed to developing Match Officials in Canada. He has served on the Referees and Laws Committee, a group responsible for national workshops and official development. He also was the Referee Manager at the Churchill Cup and the Director of Referee Development and Ontario Rugby Referees Society Board member for over five years.
Tony Godziek (Player)
Tony Godziek has been a prominent player and coach in Ontario since 1970. Tony’s playing days began at Oakville Trafalgar High School and the Oakville Crusaders Rugby Club where he quickly earned a reputation as a tough and smart opponent. Tony had a lengthy run in representative programs, earning 32 appearances (12 as captain) with the Niagara Rugby Union and 54 for Ontario (15 as captain) in the late ‘70s and through the ‘80s. He excelled onto the Canadian Senior Men’s National Team in 1982 earning eight caps and an appearance at the Hong Kong 7s in 1984 and 1985. He served as both a player and a coach at Crusaders and went on to lead other clubs such as the Brampton Beavers and Yeomen Lions. Tony is still involved with the game serving as a coach with the Burlington Centaurs, a club he has been involved with since 1996 playing a key role in the club's promotion into the Marshall League.
Nomination Details
At this stage, the Hall of Fame & Awards Committee (chaired by Domenic Scuglia) is seeking nominations for the Hall of Fame.
Who Can Nominate?
Nominations may originate from a member of a club, association, or Rugby Ontario’s Board of Directors, that are in good standing with Rugby Ontario.
What are the classes for nomination?
There are 5 classes of Hall of Fame Inductees (Players, Teams, Coaches, Officials and Builders).
Where do I submit a nomination?
Please complete and submit nominations on the Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame Nomination Form and send to awards@rugbyontario.com. Please note there are two nomination forms, one for builders and one for players/coaches/match officials/teams. Please see the Supplementary Documents section below for the nomination forms
When is the deadline for nominations?
The deadline for nominations is Friday, August 19th, 2022
How is a nomination assessed?
All nominations received are assessed against the Hall of Fame Evaluation Rubric. This rubric contains five criteria (see table below) which are each scored on a 1 to 6 basis, providing for a possible maximum of 30 points. Each Hall of Fame Committee member votes on each nomination. A nominee requires a minimum of 20 points on 2/3 of the ballots submitted to be inducted, with a maximum of six candidates (plus ties) to be inducted in any one year.
To assist the Committee to give full and proper consideration to all nominations received, only nominations submitted on the official nomination form providing information on each of the evaluation criteria, will be accepted.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
| Players/Coaches/Officials/Teams | Builders |
|---|---|
Overall career | Length of service to rugby |
National, Provincial, Regional Representation | Programs developed |
Awards or Recognitions | Leadership within rugby and the community |
Community Involvement, development of the sport in the community | Widely recognized contributions |
Winning championships/officiating championships, win loss records | Awards or Recognitions |
Should I provide letters of endorsement?
It is strongly recommended that a minimum of three letters of endorsement are provided with a nomination.
Further Information
If there are any questions with regards to the Hall of Fame selection process please do not hesitate to contact awards@rugbyontario.com
Supplementary Documents:
Hall of Fame Nomination Form 2022 Builders
Hall of Fame Nomination Form 2022 Players/Coaches/Officials/Teams
HALL OF FAME - CLASS OF 2022
Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame Class of 2022 - From left to right: Mike Pletch, Tony Godziek, Steve Scott, Aaron Carpenter, Lee Powell, Dan Pletch
Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame Inductees (ALL TIME):
| INDUCTEE | AFFILIATION | INDUCTION YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| Scott, Steve | Crusaders Rugby Club | 2022 |
| Powell, Lee | Ottawa Irish & Barrhaven Scottish | 2022 |
| Pletch, Dan & Mike | London St. Georges | 2022 |
| Godziek, Tony | Burlington Centaurs & Crusaders RFC | 2022 |
| Carpenter, Aaron | Brantford Harlequins | 2022 |
| Toronto Scottish Women 1996-2005 | Toronto Scottish | 2019 |
| Steen, Glen | Brantford Harlequins | 2019 |
| Pither, Ron | Oshawa Vikings | 2019 |
| O'Mahony, William | Sarnia Saints | 2019 |
| Myers, Paul | Balmy Beach | 2019 |
| Boos, Bob & Ferras, Mick | Brantford Harlequins | 2019 |
| McAuley, Colette | University of Guelph Gryphons | 2018 |
| Hodgson, Wayn | Niagara Wasps | 2018 |
| Gallo, Maria | University of Guelph Gryphons | 2018 |
| Gadjovich, George | Ontario & Toronto Rugby Referees Societies | 2018 |
| Carr, Norman | Ottawa Irish | 2018 |
| Billingsley, John | Ottawa Irish | 2018 |
| Barrow, Bob | Brock RFC | 2017 |
| Di Nardo, Barb | Toronto Saracens | 2017 |
| Gray, Steve | Ottawa Beavers / Ottawa Irish | 2017 |
| Higgins, Pearse | Ontario & Toronto Rugby Referees Societies | 2017 |
| Nichols, Kyle | Balmy Beach RFC | 2017 |
| Stuart, Bill | Niagara Rugby Union / Hamilton Hornets / Grimsby Gentlemen | 2017 |
| Balmy Beach 1st XV, 1980-81 | 2017 | |
| Courser, Ken | Brantford Harlequins | 2016 |
| Gage, Bruce | Balmy Beach RFC | 2016 |
| Gage, Tubs & Gee | Balmy Beach RFC | 2016 |
| McGann, Julie | Brampton Beavers | 2016 |
| Moody, Cec | Toronto Scottish | 2016 |
| Harris, David | Markham Irish Canadian RFC | 2015 |
| Lipsett, Bob “Red” | Balmy Beach RFC | 2015 |
| Lougheed, Dave | Balmy Beach RFC | 2015 |
| McGann, Tony | Balmy Beach RFC | 2015 |
| Markham Irish 1st XV 1962-73 | 2015 | |
| Ottawa Irish 1st XV, 1986-92 | 2015 | |
| Jenkins, Robert | 2014 | |
| McMillan, Ian | Toronto/Aurora Barbarians RFC | 2014 |
| Svoboda, Karl | Ajax Wanderers RUFC | 2014 |
| White, Phil | McMaster University | 2014 |
| Williams, Mike | Toronto Scottish | 2014 |
| Burnett, David | Burlington Centaurs RFC | 2013 |
| Jones, Trevor | Markham Irish RFC | 2013 |
| Piggott, Allen | Ontario & Toronto Rugby Referees Societies | 2013 |
| Reich, John | Aurora Barbarians RFC | 2013 |
| Blackwell, Simon | Ottawa Irish & Eastern Ontario Rugby Union | 2008 |
| Chatland, Brian | Toronto & District Referee Society | 2008 |
| Greig, Iain | Toronto Scottish Rugby Club | 2008 |
| Jones, Ken | Brampton Rugby Club | 2008 |
| McGeein, Bob | Brantford Harlequins Rugby Club/Rugby Ontario | 2008 |
| Tarver, Glenn | Balmy Beach Rugby Club/Rugby Ontario | 2008 |
| Ambrose, Paul | Balmy Beach Rugby Club | 2007 |
| Illman, Bob | Southwest Rugby | 2007 |
| Jones, Kevin | Toronto Saracens RFC | 2007 |
| Wesch, Natascha | Rugby Ontario/University of Western Ontario | 2007 |
| Wilson, Paul | Peterborough Pagans Rugby Club | 2007 |
| Charron, Al | Ottawa Irish Rugby Club | 2006 |
| Kaira (Nee Russell), Helen | Ajax Wanderers Rugby Club | 2006 |
| Mitchell, Malcolm ‘Mac’ | Ajax Wanderers Rugby Club | 2006 |
| Moss, Ron | Ajax Wanderers Rugby Club | 2006 |
| Postlethwaite, Tony | Bytown Blues Rugby Club | 2006 |
| Ambrose, Heather | Balmy Beach Rugby Club | 2005 |
| Benyon, Hedley | Brampton Rugby Club | 2005 |
| McCann, Jim | Niagara Rugby Referees’ Society | 2005 |
| Nicoll, Ian | Toronto Scottish Rugby Club | 2005 |
| Curtis, Bill | Hamilton Hornets Rugby Club | 2004 |
| Elder, Bob | Ottawa Irish Rugby Club | 2004 |
| Heald, Monty | Burlington Centaurs Rugby Club | 2004 |
| Young, Murray | London St. Georges Rugby Club | 2004 |
| Guilfoyle, John | Burlington Centaurs Rugby Club | 2003 |
| Minutillo, Gina | Toronto Saracens Rugby Club | 2003 |
| Mitchell, Ed | Eastern Ontario Rugby Union | 2003 |
| Swift, David | Niagara Rugby Referees’ Society | 2003 |
| Fletcher, Denis | Toronto Nomads Rugby Club | 2002 |
| Nancekivell, Larry | Yeomen Rugby Club | 2002 |
| Platts, John | Ottawa BeaversâBanshees Rugby Club | 2002 |
| Smith, Ken | Irish Canadian Rugby Club | 2002 |
| Young, Millar | Toronto Scottish Rugby Club | 2002 |
| Browner, Eamonn | Irish Canadian Rugby Club | 2001 |
| Hamilton, James Hugh | Ajax Wanderers Rugby Club / ORU President | 2001 |
| Jones, Ron | Stoney Creek Camels Rugby Club | 2001 |
| McCormick, Vic | Toronto Nomads Rugby Club | 2001 |
| Russell, John | By-town Blues Rugby Club | 2001 |
| Woodburn, Stan | Toronto Nomads Rugby Club | 2001 |
| Carson, George | Toronto Irish Canadians Rugby Club | 2000 |
| Earl, Anthony | Toronto Barbarians Rugby Club | 2000 |
| Fowler, Arthur | Ajax Wanderers Rugby Club | 2000 |
| Jones, Dai Rhys | Hamilton Hornets Rugby Club / Niagara Rugby Union | 2000 |
| Krause, Chris | Oshawa Rugby Club | 2000 |
| Pay, George | Referees and ORU President | 2000 |
| Boswell, David | Toronto Welsh Rugby Club | 1999 |
| Brown, John | York County Rugby Club | 1999 |
| Donaldson, Norm | Toronto Scottish Rugby Club | 1999 |
| Jones, George | Brantford Harlequins Rugby Club | 1999 |
| Jones, Vince | Lindsay Rugby Club | 1999 |
| Marshall, Bishop Guy | Ontario Rugby Union | 1999 |
| Miller, Rev Fred | Toronto Nomads Rugby Club | 1999 |
| Rowan, Hal | Toronto Scottish Rugby Club | 1999 |
| Williams, Brian | Toronto Nomads Rugby Club | 1999 |
About the Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame:
Formed in 1999, the purpose of the Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame is to honour and perpetuate the names and accomplishments of players, coaches, officials, and members of the provincial rugby community whose dedication and competitive achievements have brought lasting fame to the sport of rugby in Ontario.
To date, 91 individuals and four teams have been inducted into the Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame.
For more information on the Hall of Fame, please contact:
Myles Spencer
CEO, Rugby Ontatio
Rugby Ontario
mspencer@rugbyontario.com
