Four Exceptional Student-Athletes Graduates Receive 2026 Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame Bursary

Four graduating and exceptional student-athletes were recipients of the annual Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Bursary Award for 2026 at a presentation ceremony at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Wednesday evening.

(Left to right) Tim Barrie, PDSHOF board Chair; Allie Arnott; Charles Dobbin; Natalie Keys; Noah Mooney; and Linda de Jeu, PDSHOF Second Vice Chair. The award has been given annually to four recipients since 1996 (with 2020 having six) Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Allie Arnott, Charles Dobbin, Natalie Keys and Noah Mooney were this year’s winners, taking home $2,000 apiece from the bursary. Each recipient was a graduating high school student attending University in the fall.

This year’s winners will have their headshots commemorated in the Hall of Fame and their names etched into the history of the awards’ beneficiaries.

Allie Arnott. Photo by David Tuan BUi.

Arnott is an honours student and is a graduate of Crestwood Secondary School.

She will attend Brock University in the Business Management Program in the fall and will play for the Badgers Women’s Lacrosse team.

Arnott is a multi-sport athlete who played basketball, volleyball, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, ran cross country and track and field and competed in alpine skiing and badminton. She was awarded the Dysart athlete award – Crestwood’s highest athletic honour. Arnott also earned the principal's award for student leadership in grade 9 and the Kawartha Pine Ridge School Board Community Contribution award last year.

She was selected to attend the ‘Her Mark’ conference which is a conference where other female sports leaders empower female athletes.

In the community, Arnott has been a member of the Peterborough Power Basketball program, the Thunder Volleyball program and the Kawartha field lacrosse program, not only as a player but also as captain for several of the teams.

Arnott’s high school teacher-coach, Ms. Tracy McKellar, describes her as an enthusiastic, energetic and highly motivated student-athlete.

On top of all the high school and community sport participation, Arnott still found time to volunteer with Relay for Life, Special Olympics, Jump Ball program coaching students with exceptionalities and as a Peterborough youth basketball clinic coach. This year she has also received the Lieutenant Governor’s Community Volunteer Award.

Charles Dobbins, 18. Photo by David Tuan BUi.

Dobbins is an honours student and is a graduate of Crestwood Secondary School.

He will attend the University of Guelph in September.

Dobbins is a multi-sport athlete who played soccer, volleyball, basketball, badminton, tennis, rugby, ultimate frisbee and competed in Alpine Ski racing. He was awarded the Dysart Award – Crestwood’s highest athletic honour 3 times.

He won an OFSAA gold medal in Alpine ski racing this past year. 

In the community, Dobbins has been an active member of the Peterborough City Soccer and the Power Basketball program for many years. On many of these teams, he was not only a player but also chosen captain.

Dobbins’s high school teacher and coach, Ms. Tracy McKeller, describes him as one of the most accomplished and well-rounded student-athletes to walk the halls of Crestwood.

In addition to his school and community sport participation, he has been a coach and official with Cavan FC and has helped with skill development in the U6-U14 program. Dobbins has worked with the Petes U10 hockey team and the Tigers U10 baseball team, aiding with off-season training.

Natalie Keys. Photo by David Tuan BUi.

Keys is an honours student and is a graduate of Adam Scott Collegiate.

She will be attending McMaster University in Hamilton, studying Kinesiology and playing for the Marauders Women’s basketball team.

Keys is a multi-sport athlete who played basketball, volleyball, Ultimate frisbee, badminton, ran track and field and competed in Alpine Ski racing. Over the course of four years at Adam Scott, Keys and her teammates earned 22 COSSA gold medals and three silvers. She has attended 12 OFSAA championships in four years – with five of those being in her final year of high school. She has one OFSAA Gold and one bronze medal.

This year at the Athletic awards ceremony, she received the Marilyn Tudhope OFSAA award of excellence – which recognizes a female athlete's dedication and success over her entire high school career at OFSAA championships. At the Peterborough Civic Awards ceremony, Natalie received the Mayor’s Youth Award.

In the community, Keys has been a member of the Peterborough city soccer program, the Peterborough Power basketball program, as well as the North York and Scarborough basketball elite programs. She has been a member of the Peterborough Thunder Volleyball program and the Peterborough Pacers Track and Field program.

Keys’s high school teacher-coach, Mrs. Kim McBride, describes her as an outstanding student-athlete who is disciplined, motivated and exceptionally organized - consistently balancing the demands of rigorous academics and high-level athletic commitments.

On top of all the high school and community sport participation, Keys still found time to volunteer with the ROAR volleyball camp, Special Olympics and the Jump Ball program, which offers students with exceptionalities the opportunity to play basketball. In addition to her sport–related volunteer work, she has supported the holiday program organized by the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation and Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

Noah Mooney. Photo by David Tuan BUi.

Mooney is an honours student and is a graduate of Adam Scott Collegiate.

He will attend Trent University in the fall and join the Excalibur Men’s Rugby team.

Mooney is a multi-sport athlete who played basketball, volleyball, soccer, rugby, football, tennis, badminton, ultimate frisbee and competed in wrestling and Alpine Ski racing.

He was named Senior male athlete of the year this past spring and has earned multiple athletic awards throughout his high school career. During his four years at Adam Scott, he won six OFSAA medals – three gold, two silver and one bronze. As part of the Lions teams, he won 12 COSSA gold medals and four silver medals.

In the community, Mooney has been a member of the Peterborough City Soccer Association and the Power and Time to Hoop Basketball programs. Mooney can be found on the beach with the Soul Beach volleyball program and you can also see him at Nichols Oval, as he is part of the highly successful Pagans Rugby program.

Mooney’s high school teacher and coach, Mr. Darrell Wright, describes him as a special athlete. He has a mix of natural ability, effort and persistence that sets him apart from his peers.

On top of all the high school and community sport participation, Mooney had time to volunteer with the Lakefield Bridgenorth community clean-up program, with Special Olympics basketball and soccer programs and as a Lakefield community support labourer.

@ptbo_canada Four graduating and exceptional student-athletes were recipients of the annual Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Bursary Award for 2026 at a presentation ceremony. #fyp #news #ptbocanada #journalism #sports ♬ Hockey Theme Song II - The Muster Point Project

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Six Names Have Been Inducted Into Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame For 2026

Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame has inducted six names into its class of 2026 in a ceremony at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Saturday night.

(Back Row From Left to Right): John Grant, Jr., Jeff Twohey and Al Crowe
(Middle Row From Left to Right L-R: Terry Paul and Tim Watts
(Front Row) Kelleigh Traynor-Hartnett

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

The following are the class of 2026 inductees:

Al Crowe (Builder: Fastball)

Al Crowe was a good multisport athlete. He was a member of the 1969 Lakefield High School District School Boy Curling Championship team and served as vice skip for the team at the COSSA Curling Championship and the OFSSA Championship in 1969.

Fastball was his game, starting in the Lakefield Men’s League before joining the Peterborough Men’s City Softball League. Crowe achieved great success when he began coaching in the PMCSL, winning the George Dormer Trophy nine times for first-place league finishes and the Taylor Trophy nine times. He coached teams to OASA Intermediate A titles in 1993 and 2003 and also coached the Curve Lake team to the Ontario Native All Ontario Championship in 1996 and 2003.

Not only did Crowe give his time to the men’s city league, but he also coached minor boys’ fastball teams from 1989 to 1995, winning an OASA Pee-Wee A title in 1993. Crowe has been honoured with numerous awards for his dedication to fastball in Peterborough. Including the Doug McCamus Award for Minor Fastball, the Dave Leether Award from the Umpires Association for Most Gentlemanly Player, City League “Mr. Softball” for dedication to fastball and the Brent McCue Heart Award for dedication to fastball.

Crowe served 31 years with the OPP, receiving the OPP Exemplary Service Medal in 1992 and a 30-year service award in 2002. Al Crowe gave his time and talent to the sport of fastball and now joins his father Bob Crowe as an honoured member of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

John Grant Jr. (Athlete: Lacrosse)

John Grant Jr. had a spectacular career in lacrosse. Born and raised in Peterborough, Grant Jr. has accomplished every honour possible in the game. He excelled at both box and field lacrosse as a junior, college, senior and professional player.

He has won five Mann Cups, achieved three silver and one gold at World Lacrosse Championships, three gold World Indoor Lacrosse championships, one gold and one silver Heritage Cup, one NLL and five MLL championships. The list of individual awards is impressive: 1994 OLA Junior A MVP, 1995 MSL Rookie of the Year, 1999 USILA National Collegiate Player of the Year, 1999 National Collegiate Attackman of the Year, 2007 NLL Rookie of the Year, 2000 MSL MVP, 2001 MLL Offensive Player of the Year, 2004, 2007 Mann Cup MVP, 2007 and 2012 NLL MVP, 2007 NLL Championship MVP, 2007 and 2008 MLL Offensive Player of the Year as well as MVP.

Grant Jr. has gone on to coach both professional and college field lacrosse in the USA. Grant Jr. racked up over 3,000 points over his 25+ years of playing lacrosse at the very highest level.

His slick and shifty ball-handling skills would rank him among the very best, if not the best, in the world. John has gone on to coach both professional and college field lacrosse in the USA. He joins his father, John Grant, as an honoured member of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

Terrance “Terry” Paul (Athlete: Rowing)

Growing up in Peterborough, Paul played many sports and was a member of the junior program at the Kawartha Golf & Country Club. While at PCVS, he was influenced by Carol Love and Graham Wilkinson to join the Peterborough Rowing Club. He joined the club as a coxswain and became hooked on the sport. He attended Brock University, where he honed his rowing skills with the Brock Badgers.

Following graduation, Paul moved to Victoria, B.C., and joined the Canadian National Rowing Team. Terry won a Men’s Eights gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, as the team’s Coxswain. He has participated in every Olympic Games since 1988 and coached until 2022.

Terry has had an extensive coaching career in the US College system at Cornell and then internationally with Canada and Switzerland. He coached the men’s pairs to a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Terry is currently employed by the BC government as Performance Director for Rowing BC.

Kelleigh Traynor-Hartnett (Athlete: All-Round)

Peterborough-born Kelleigh Traynor-Hartnett, a multi-sport athlete, achieved success in every sport she played in.

She was a member of the Canadian team that competed in the Long Ball Golf competition in Las Vegas in 2002, where she finished 10th, and was the Ontario Long Drive champion in 2001 and 2002. She was the low net champion at the Kawartha Golf and Country Club in 2002. Kelleigh has played hockey since the age of five, starting in the PGHA. Over her long career, she has won numerous tournaments and OWHA provincial titles, including a Midget B gold, two golds and one silver in Senior AA and one gold in Senior AA Eastern Canadian championships.

In 2000, the Senior AA team also won its third consecutive National Capital tournament in Ottawa. From 2007 to 2014, Kelleigh won two gold, one silver and one bronze OWHA Senior C Championships with the Keene women’s team. She was a member of the Peterborough Skyway Senior AA Women’s Hockey team from 1993-1996, which played in the Central Women’s Hockey League and won the league championship in their second year. She was a member and team captain of the silver-medal-winning Ontario Select team, which travelled to Switzerland to play in an international tournament in 1986.

Traynor-Hartnett    was instrumental in forming a women’s division in the Police International Hockey Association tournament while a police officer with the Durham Police. During her tenure with the team, the Durham Bullets Women’s team won six championships.

She also played fastball in the city league and with the Cobourg Angels (winning a PWSA Achievement Award). She played slo-pitch, winning the Eastern Ontario Champion, placing second at the 2000 National Championship in Kamloops, B.C. She won a Field Hockey bronze medal at the Ontario Summer Games in 1985, an OCAA Soccer Bronze with Fleming College in 1988 and was the 1986 senior high jump high school champion and placed 2nd at COSSA and 3rd at OFSSA.

She was a member of the 55+ 2023 Ontario Champions and 2024 Canadian 55+ silver medalist team. From 2013, Traynor-Hartnett    has also been an assistant coach, head coach and trainer in the Peterborough Ice Kats system. She retired from the Durham Police Department in 2019, receiving the ‘Excellence in Service’ Award for 30 years of service.

Tim Watts (Athlete: Archery)

Watts comes from the Warsaw community. He fell in love with the sport of archery at a young age. He started competing at age 15 in 1987 and since then, he has competed in over 700 tournaments all over the world.

In Ontario, archery has five disciplines, each with an annual provincial championship. During his archery career, he has hit the podium 80+ times, including 34 provincial championships. He has won provincial championships in all 5 disciplines. The archer who competes in all five disciplines with the highest combined total is crowned Grand Champion. The award was established in 1999 and Tim has been the Grand Champion 18 times.

At the national level, there are four disciplines every year. Watts has achieved podium results 25 times, winning 12 National titles. One of the few archers in Canada to have won the National title in all four disciplines.

After winning the National 3D title as part of team Ontario, Tim qualified for the 2011 Canadian 3D team competing at the World 3D Championships in Austria. He won a silver medal and to date, he is the only Canadian Compound Archer to win a World Championship medal. He has been the Tournament Director for Archery Ontario since 1990.

He worked for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and has been the Peterborough Coordinator for the National Archery School program since 2014. This program introduces archery to thousands of Ontario youth.

Watts is a highly accomplished Canadian archer, a columnist for Ontario Out of Doors. Based in Peterborough and affiliated with the Peterborough Fish and Game Club, he is a decorated competitor in compound, 3D and field archery, holding national records and winning multiple gold medals in the 50-plus category.

He won three gold medals at the 2022 Canadian National Archery Championships (Men’s Hunter, 50-plus Field, 50-plus Target) and has over 35 years of competitive experience. He set a Canadian record in 2023 for 50+ men's compound unlimited in a field round with a score of 392.

Jeff Twohey (Builder: Hockey)

Born in Lindsay, Twohey has made his home in Peterborough for over 40 years. It is not a stretch to say that hockey is his life. Starting out in 1980 as a trainer for the

Peterborough Petes: Twohey rose through the ranks of the Petes organization in many capacities, from marketing to Assistant GM and, finally, General Manager. Over his tenure with the Petes he saw the team win OHL Championships in 1989 and 1993 as an Assistant GM and 1996 and 2006 as General Manager and trips to the Memorial Cup on four occasions. The Petes recorded 600 wins during Jeff’s time as GM. The position of the GM also requires scouting and recruiting and working with team scouts to select young players that will be the right fit for a particular OHL team. Fifty-four of his players were drafted to the NHL, with nine drafted in the first round.

Twohey served on a number of OHL Committees including Priority Selection, Competitions, Officiating, CHL Import Draft, Protected List, NCAA Issues, All-Star Selection, CHL Canada-Russia Selection and OHA Rep evaluating Canada’s World U18 and U20 prospects.

He is the recipient of the Bill Long Award in 2006 for distinguished service, the OHL Milestone Award in 2008 for 25 years of distinguished service to the OHL and he was inducted into the Lindsay and District Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

After leaving the Petes, Twohey spent a couple of years with the Oshawa Generals before serving as an Amateur Scout for the Dallas Stars and the NHL's Arizona Coyotes from 2014 to 2018. The role of a hockey scout is arduous, requiring many hours away from home and miles of travel across North America and Europe. During his time with the Coyotes. Twohey scouted over 250 live games. Jeff is now scouting for the Florida Panther. His love for hockey has translated into a long and successful career.

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Jack’s Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame 39th-Annual Golf Tournament Tees Off On May 21

The Jack’s 39th Annual Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame (PDSHOF) Golf Tournament is set to tee off on May 21 at the Quarry Golf Club, announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Doug Gibson, Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Golf Tournament chairperson, is holding the Bob McGillan Scramble trophy to be presented to the top team of the event. The auction includes items such as an inflatable paddleboard, an autographed jersey of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov and more. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

This year, the tournament is hosting 240 golfers, with spots still available for registration. Entry includes refreshments, lunch, dinner and a live and silent auction.

The proceeds go towards the Hall of Fame’s operating fund and support its bursary for exemplary student-athletes who have just graduated high school and are planning to attend a post-secondary institute the following fall.

“Over the years with the success of the tournament, we've been able to increase our busaries — which we give out to the local high-school athletes — from $500, now we give four at $2,000,” said Doug Gibson, PDSHOF Golf Tournament chairperson.

@ptbo_canada The 39th-annual Jack’s Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Golf Tournament has been launched with the event on May 21 at the Quarry Golf Club. #ptbocanada #journalism #fyp #news #sports ♬ Golf, fresh breeze, positive and strong(1437641) - SK MUSIC

The tournament is in honour of Doug’s father, Hall of Famer Jack Gibson, who was inducted in 1986 to the PDSHOF and had several roles and stints in the lacrosse and hockey world.

He managed the senior lacrosse team to a Mann Cup in 1966 and 1973. Jack helped organize a semi-pro league in 1968-69 and managed the team that won the championship that year.

Jack also managed the Maryland Arrows of the Pro Lacrosse League in 1974-75. The Hall of Famer also managed Canada’s Field Lacrosse team in the 1967 World Championships.

As the tournament enters its 39th year, Doug continues his father's legacy through the golf event.

“That's one of the reasons down here at the Hall, we put so much effort into our tournament each year,” he explained. “It's not only dad's legacy, it's Bob McGillian's who was the other co-founder of the tournament. We have a trophy in his honour now and it just keeps it going and keeps their memories alive.”

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2026 Inductees Announced For Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame

Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors have announced the names of six people as inductees for the class of 2026.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

The 2026 Induction Ceremony is June 6 at 7 p.m. at the Hall of Fame/Peterborough Memorial Centre. Tickets will go on sale mid-April. They can be purchased by calling the Hall of Fame at 705-743-6897, email-info@pdshof.com or in person at the Hall of Fame.

@ptbo_canada Peterborough & District sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors have announced the names of six people as inductees for the class of 2026. #ptbocanada #journalism #news #fyp #sports ♬ original sound - PTBOCanada

The following are this year’s inductees:

Al Crowe (Builder: Fastball)

Al Crowe was a good multisport athlete. He was a member of the 1969 Lakefield High School District School Boy Curling Championship team and served as vice skip for the team at the COSSA Curling Championship and the OFSSA Championship in 1969.

Fastball was his game, starting in the Lakefield Men’s League before joining the Peterborough Men’s City Softball League. Crowe achieved great success when he began coaching in the PMCSL, winning the George Dormer Trophy nine times for first-place league finishes and the Taylor Trophy nine times. He coached teams to OASA Intermediate A titles in 1993 and 2003 and also coached the Curve Lake team to the Ontario Native All Ontario Championship in 1996 and 2003.

Not only did Crowe give his time to the men’s city league, but he also coached minor boys’ fastball teams from 1989 to 1995, winning an OASA Pee-Wee A title in 1993. Crowe has been honoured with numerous awards for his dedication to fastball in Peterborough. Including the Doug McCamus Award for Minor Fastball, the Dave Leether Award from the Umpires Association for Most Gentlemanly Player, City League “Mr. Softball” for dedication to fastball and the Brent McCue Heart Award for dedication to fastball.

Crowe served 31 years with the OPP, receiving the OPP Exemplary Service Medal in 1992 and a 30-year service award in 2002. Al Crowe gave his time and talent to the sport of fastball and now joins his father Bob Crowe as an honoured member of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

John Grant Jr. (Athlete: Lacrosse)

John Grant Jr. had a spectacular career in lacrosse. Born and raised in Peterborough, Grant Jr. has accomplished every honour possible in the game. He excelled at both box and field lacrosse as a junior, college, senior and professional player.

He has won five Mann Cups, achieved three silver and one gold at World Lacrosse Championships, three gold World Indoor Lacrosse championships, one gold and one silver Heritage Cup, one NLL and five MLL championships. The list of individual awards is impressive: 1994 OLA Junior A MVP, 1995 MSL Rookie of the Year, 1999 USILA National Collegiate Player of the Year, 1999 National Collegiate Attackman of the Year, 2007 NLL Rookie of the Year, 2000 MSL MVP, 2001 MLL Offensive Player of the Year, 2004, 2007 Mann Cup MVP, 2007 and 2012 NLL MVP, 2007 NLL Championship MVP, 2007 and 2008 MLL Offensive Player of the Year as well as MVP.

Grant Jr. has gone on to coach both professional and college field lacrosse in the USA. Grant Jr. racked up over 3,000 points over his 25+ years of playing lacrosse at the very highest level.

His slick and shifty ball-handling skills would rank him among the very best, if not the best, in the world. John has gone on to coach both professional and college field lacrosse in the USA. He joins his father, John Grant, as an honoured member of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

Terrance “Terry” Paul (Athlete: Rowing)

Growing up in Peterborough, Paul played many sports and was a member of the junior program at the Kawartha Golf & Country Club. While at PCVS, he was influenced by Carol Love and Graham Wilkinson to join the Peterborough Rowing Club. He joined the club as a coxswain and became hooked on the sport. He attended Brock University, where he honed his rowing skills with the Brock Badgers.

Following graduation, Paul moved to Victoria, B.C., and joined the Canadian National Rowing Team. Terry won a Men’s Eights gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, as the team’s Coxswain. He has participated in every Olympic Games since 1988 and coached until 2022.

Terry has had an extensive coaching career in the US College system at Cornell and then internationally with Canada and Switzerland. He coached the men’s pairs to a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Terry is currently employed by the BC government as Performance Director for Rowing BC.

Kelleigh Traynor-Hartnett (Athlete: All-Round)

Peterborough-born Kelleigh Traynor-Hartnett, a multi-sport athlete, achieved success in every sport she played in.

She was a member of the Canadian team that competed in the Long Ball Golf competition in Las Vegas in 2002, where she finished 10th, and was the Ontario Long Drive champion in 2001 and 2002. She was the low net champion at the Kawartha Golf and Country Club in 2002. Kelleigh has played hockey since the age of five, starting in the PGHA. Over her long career, she has won numerous tournaments and OWHA provincial titles, including a Midget B gold, two golds and one silver in Senior AA and one gold in Senior AA Eastern Canadian championships.

In 2000, the Senior AA team also won its third consecutive National Capital tournament in Ottawa. From 2007 to 2014, Kelleigh won two gold, one silver and one bronze OWHA Senior C Championships with the Keene women’s team. She was a member of the Peterborough Skyway Senior AA Women’s Hockey team from 1993-1996, which played in the Central Women’s Hockey League and won the league championship in their second year. She was a member and team captain of the silver-medal-winning Ontario Select team, which travelled to Switzerland to play in an international tournament in 1986.

Traynor-Hartnett    was instrumental in forming a women’s division in the Police International Hockey Association tournament while a police officer with the Durham Police. During her tenure with the team, the Durham Bullets Women’s team won six championships.

She also played fastball in the city league and with the Cobourg Angels (winning a PWSA Achievement Award). She played slo-pitch, winning the Eastern Ontario Champion, placing second at the 2000 National Championship in Kamloops, B.C. She won a Field Hockey bronze medal at the Ontario Summer Games in 1985, an OCAA Soccer Bronze with Fleming College in 1988 and was the 1986 senior high jump high school champion and placed 2nd at COSSA and 3rd at OFSSA.

She was a member of the 55+ 2023 Ontario Champions and 2024 Canadian 55+ silver medalist team. From 2013, Traynor-Hartnett    has also been an assistant coach, head coach and trainer in the Peterborough Ice Kats system. She retired from the Durham Police Department in 2019, receiving the ‘Excellence in Service’ Award for 30 years of service.

Tim Watts (Athlete: Archery)

Watts comes from the Warsaw community. He fell in love with the sport of archery at a young age. He started competing at age 15 in 1987 and since then, he has competed in over 700 tournaments all over the world.

In Ontario, archery has five disciplines, each with an annual provincial championship. During his archery career, he has hit the podium 80+ times, including 34 provincial championships. He has won provincial championships in all 5 disciplines. The archer who competes in all five disciplines with the highest combined total is crowned Grand Champion. The award was established in 1999 and Tim has been the Grand Champion 18 times.

At the national level, there are four disciplines every year. Watts has achieved podium results 25 times, winning 12 National titles. One of the few archers in Canada to have won the National title in all four disciplines.

After winning the National 3D title as part of team Ontario, Tim qualified for the 2011 Canadian 3D team competing at the World 3D Championships in Austria. He won a silver medal and to date, he is the only Canadian Compound Archer to win a World Championship medal. He has been the Tournament Director for Archery Ontario since 1990.

He worked for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and has been the Peterborough Coordinator for the National Archery School program since 2014. This program introduces archery to thousands of Ontario youth.

Watts is a highly accomplished Canadian archer, a columnist for Ontario Out of Doors. Based in Peterborough and affiliated with the Peterborough Fish and Game Club, he is a decorated competitor in compound, 3D and field archery, holding national records and winning multiple gold medals in the 50-plus category.

He won three gold medals at the 2022 Canadian National Archery Championships (Men’s Hunter, 50-plus Field, 50-plus Target) and has over 35 years of competitive experience. He set a Canadian record in 2023 for 50+ men's compound unlimited in a field round with a score of 392.

Jeff Twohey (Builder: Hockey)

Born in Lindsay, Twohey has made his home in Peterborough for over 40 years. It is not a stretch to say that hockey is his life. Starting out in 1980 as a trainer for the

Peterborough Petes: Twohey rose through the ranks of the Petes organization in many capacities, from marketing to Assistant GM and, finally, General Manager. Over his tenure with the Petes he saw the team win OHL Championships in 1989 and 1993 as an Assistant GM and 1996 and 2006 as General Manager and trips to the Memorial Cup on four occasions. The Petes recorded 600 wins during Jeff’s time as GM. The position of the GM also requires scouting and recruiting and working with team scouts to select young players that will be the right fit for a particular OHL team. Fifty-four of his players were drafted to the NHL, with nine drafted in the first round.

Twohey served on a number of OHL Committees including Priority Selection, Competitions, Officiating, CHL Import Draft, Protected List, NCAA Issues, All-Star Selection, CHL Canada-Russia Selection and OHA Rep evaluating Canada’s World U18 and U20 prospects.

He is the recipient of the Bill Long Award in 2006 for distinguished service, the OHL Milestone Award in 2008 for 25 years of distinguished service to the OHL and he was inducted into the Lindsay and District Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

After leaving the Petes, Twohey spent a couple of years with the Oshawa Generals before serving as an Amateur Scout for the Dallas Stars and the NHL's Arizona Coyotes from 2014 to 2018. The role of a hockey scout is arduous, requiring many hours away from home and miles of travel across North America and Europe. During his time with the Coyotes. Twohey scouted over 250 live games. Jeff is now scouting for the Florida Panther. His love for hockey has translated into a long and successful career.

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Peterborough Community Mourns the Loss of Local Sports Enthusiast and Former City Councillor Paul Wilson

Trent University’s founding athletics director Paul S.B. Wilson has passed away Sunday at the age of 86.

Pete Dalliday and Paul wilson for a hometown ptbo segment in 2023. file photo.

Wilson, who held the position with Trent for 36 years, was also granted honorary alumnus status with the University in 1996.

His local efforts were further recognized in 2001 when he was inducted into the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame.

After his retirement in 2002, Wilson received the Symons Award for Teaching Excellence and the Eminent Service Award, being recognized as the longest serving athletics director at a Canadian university.

"From the earliest days of Trent, he imagined what athletics and recreation could mean for students and spent decades turning that vision into reality,” said Dr. Cathy Bruce, president and vice-chancellor of Trent University in a press release. “He established programs and facilities that shaped the student experience and brought people together through sport, recreation and enjoyment.”

A dedicated community builder, Wilson also served Peterborough as Town Ward councillor from 1985 to 1997.

“Paul had an important and impactful influence on the City of Peterborough. As a multi-sport athlete, Paul reached his personal potential in rugby and squash,” said Mayor Jeff Leal in a press release. “Paul was an independent thinker who inspired great conversations. He profoundly cared about our community as he served as an Alderman and later as an interviewer on Your TV.” 

In an interview with PTBOCanada in 2023, Wilson reflected on his local politics career and passion for squash.

“I was lucky enough that during the war in England, my mother and I were evacuated to a school that had a squash court,” he said. “That’s where it started.”

Wilson is survived by his wife Gillian, whose passion for the performing arts sparked her involvement with the Peterborough Theatre Guild.

“She’s been hugely involved during our time in Peterborough,” Wilson reflected. “In fact, she told me the other day that she’s been involved in 250 productions. I said ‘What, and counting?!’”

Wilson’s legacy lives on through his involvement in local athletics development and time on City council.

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Four Student-Athletes Graduates Receive 2025 Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Bursary

Four graduating student-athletes were recipients of the annual Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Bursary Award for 2025 at a presentation ceremony at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Tuesday afternoon.

(Left to right) Matthew Kathiravelu; Sydney Dobbin; Linda de Jeu, PDSHoF Second Vice Chair; Olivia McBride and Rutger Huntley. The award has been given annually to four recipients since 1996 (with 2020 having six) Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Matthew Kathiravelu, Sydney Dobbin, Olivia McBride and Rutger ‘Ru’ Huntley were this year’s winners, taking home $2,000 apiece from the bursary. Each recipient was a graduating high school student, attending University in the fall.

This year’s winners will have their headshots commemorated in the Hall of Fame and their names etched into the history of the awards’ beneficiaries.

Matthew Kathiravelu, 18. Photo by David Tuan BUi.

Kathiravelu, 18, is an honours student and a graduate of Kenner Collegiate.

He is attending the University of Pennsylvania, where he was accepted to the prestigious Wharton School of Business, studying Economics and working towards a Bachelor of Science degree.

He is a multisport athlete who played basketball, volleyball, badminton and track and field. He was named captain of his basketball, volleyball and track and field teams and named player of the year on all three of these teams.He led the Kenner Rams to an OFSAA silver medal this past year and an antique bronze two years ago. Kathiravelu is a two-time OFSAA triple jump gold medalist and an OFSAA  long jump silver medalist. He was named Kenner's senior male athlete of the year.

Academically, Kathiravelu was awarded the Governor General’s Award, given to the student who has the highest academic average with 97 per cent in his graduating class.

The 18-year-old has expanded his reach into coaching, helping the younger members of the Kenner track and field team. He has also been a representative on the student council and the athletic committee.

He has been a member of the Peterborough Power basketball program for two years and a player/captain with the Time to Hoop basketball program for two years.  He has also been a member of the United Tamil Sports Club for three years.

He has also volunteered as a coach for Peterborough Youth basketball, completed a co-op at Community Futures Peterborough, and coached youth at the Ferndale summer sports camp.

Sydney Dobbins, 18. Photo by David Tuan BUi.

Dobbins, 18, is an honours student and is a graduate of St. Peter Secondary School.

She will be attending the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, studying to become a doctor.

Dobbins played basketball, volleyball, soccer, ran cross country and track and field and competed in alpine ski racing and badminton. She captained her basketball and soccer teams. She was named Senior Female Athlete of the Year this past spring and has earned 10 MVP awards and two Most Dedicated awards throughout her high school career. Through her four-year education at St. Peter’s, she qualified for nine OFSAA championships in cross country running, soccer, basketball and Alpine ski racing.

She developed her leadership skills as a member of the Saints Athletic Council, where she organized sports events for elementary students, hosted athletic banquets, and advocated for the needs of student-athletes. The 18-year-old aspiring doctor has been a social media manager for athletics at St. Peter’s, where she also assisted with scorekeeping for boys and girls basketball games.

Dobbins was a member of the Peterborough Youth Soccer Association for 11 years and the Youth Basketball Association for nine. She was usually selected as captain.

Dobbins volunteered at the Peterborough City Soccer Summer Camp, Time to Hoop Basketball Academy and at the Special Olympics.

Outside of sports, Dobbins was a volunteer at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre with the Hospital Elder Life Program. It supports seniors with companionship and support in their recovery.

Olivia McBride, 18. Photo by David Tuan BUi.

McBride, 18, is an honours student and is a graduate of Adam Scott Collegiate.

She will attend Hamilton’s McMaster University in the fall, studying health sciences as she works towards an Honours Bachelor of Health Science Degree.

The 18-year-old competed in cross country running, basketball, volleyball, badminton, soccer, track and field and tennis. She was also a member of the school’s Special Olympics Unified basketball team this past year.

In her final year, Olivia was captain of the senior basketball and senior soccer teams.

During her four years at Adam Scott, she has earned nine different team awards, received her junior and senior athletic letter, was named Junior athlete of the year in grade 10 and senior athlete of the year in grade 12.

In her final year, she was one of the recipients of the Paul Burke Honour Athlete award, which recognizes commitment and dedication to athletics over a student's entire high school career, as well as receiving the Marilyn Tudhope OFSAA Award of Excellence.

McBride completed her Specialist High Skills Major program which allowed her to run a Grade 9 Olympics day, earn certifications in fair play and coaching and take part in career exploration and leadership positions. She has run volleyball intramurals for fellow students, assisted with junior girls basketball tryouts and officiated elementary basketball tournaments.

In the community, McBride has been a member of the Peterborough City Soccer Club and the Peterborough Power Basketball Club for four years.

She has volunteered at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre as a wayfinder, tutored Adam Scott Intermediate students, served as a basketball scorekeeper, and volunteered at Edmison Heights public school, where she assisted in a grade 6 classroom, organized pizza lunches, and coached dance and gymnastics.

Rutger ‘ru’Huntley, 18. Photo by David Tuan BUi.

Huntley, 18, is an honours student and graduate of Crestwood Secondary School.

He will be attending Queen’s University in Kingston, pursuing a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree.

Huntley played volleyball, badminton, tennis, ultimate frisbee, alpine skiing and a track and field athlete. He was captain of the volleyball team for each year of his career as a Mustang. He was named MVP of the volleyball team four times, the badminton team three times and earned two sportsmanship awards. He is a nine-time COSSA medalist and a five-time OFSAA participant.  

He received two of Crestwood’s most prestigious Dysart Awards of Athletic Excellence.

The 18-year-old has been a coach for the senior girls and junior boys volleyball teams at Crestwood, an official for four years for intermediate volleyball tournaments, a Soul beach volleyball coach for four years, a Durham attack U15 assistant coach and a private beach volleyball player coach.

Huntley has been captain and played volleyball for Durham Attack for three years, Peterborough Thunder for one year, Team Ontario Beach for one year, Soul Beach for four years, OVA beach tour for four years and has recently played badminton with the Peterborough Badminton Club for a year. He has received a Durham Attack leadership award three times, the Achievement of Excellence Award and the Lisa Ford Memorial Award.

Huntley has been a volunteer with the Millbrook BIA festival for 4 years, acting as an organizer and assisting with setup and he has volunteered with Mitchel’s Cakes and Desserts.

@ptbo_canada Matthew Kathiravelu, Sydney Dobbin, Olivia McBride and Rutger Huntley are this year’s recipients of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame and Museum Bursary Award winners for 2025. It is given annually to exemplary student-athletes who have graduated high school and headed to post-secondary education this fall. #ptbocanada #ptbo #peterborough #journalism #journalist #news #fyp ♬ bounce i just wanna dance - фрози & joyful

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Celebration of Life Being Held For Longtime Arena Worker Roy Bateman On Wednesday Night

Longtime arena worker and community member Roy Bateman is being honoured with a celebration of life at the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame and Museum on Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. 

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Lakers.

He passed away on April 10, a few months shy of his 74th birthday.

During his youth, Bateman was a Special Olympics athlete and won several medals for swimming. He also had a passion for hockey, as he played it on Leighton Road as a goalie with neighbourhood kids. He was also a passionate fan of the Peterborough Petes and Peterborough Lakers.

Bateman worked as a recycler at the Evinrude Centre for several years before retiring in 2021. He was treated like family by arena staff and people he met through his work. Several Petes that went on to the NHL often sent him pictures or Christmas cards.

Roy is survived by his sister-in-law, Maureen Rea. He was predeceased by his mother and father, Allan and Alma Bateman and his big brother, Wayne.

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Jack’s 38th Annual Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Golf Tournament Tees Off On May 22

There will be 240 linksmen teeing off at the Jack’s 38th Annual Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame (PDSHOF) Golf Tournament set for May 22 at the Quarry Golf Club, announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Doug Gibson, Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Golf Tournament chairperson, holding the Bob McGillan Scramble trophy to be presented to the top team of the event. There are signed jerseys to be auctioned off at the event with athletes such as Colin Fitzgerald, Peterborough Petes forward (pictured); Porter Martone, Brampton Steelheads forward and Barrett Hayton, Utah Hockey Club Forward. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The sold-out tournament fundraiser's proceeds will go towards the Hall of Fame’s operating fund and to support its bursary for exemplary high school student-athletes.

“Years ago, Steve Doyle, Bob McGillian and my dad came up with this idea for a bursary program for local high-school athletes as they were embarking on post-secondary academic and athletic careers.” Doug Gibson, PDSHOF Golf Tournament chairperson. “We're pleased that over the years, we've been able to go from initially two $500 bursaries, now we're up to four $2,000 bursaries. We're thankful that Steve, Bob and Jack had the foresight to start that program and now we're able to keep it going.

The tournament is in honour of Hall of Famer Jack Gibson, who was inducted in 1986 — Doug’s father — and had several roles and stints in the lacrosse and hockey world.

He managed the senior lacrosse team to a Mann Cup in 1966 and 1973. Jack helped organize a semi-pro league in 1968-69 and managed the team that won the championship in 1969.

He also managed Maryland Arrows of the Pro Lacrosse League in 1974-75. The Hall of Famer also managed Canada’s Field Lacrosse team in the 1967 World Championships.

As the tournament enters its 38th year, Doug continues the tradition of continuing his father's legacy through the golf event.

“Dad was one of the original founders to try to get things going when we first had the Hall of Fame,” he explained. “He and Bob McGillian decided to have a golf tournament and we're just continuing on hopefully the way they would have continued on had they still been with us but it's really nice for me personally to be able to do something which remembers my dad.

While the tournament is full, prospective golfers can join a waitlist to be accepted, pending any cancellations.

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2025 Inductees Announced For Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame

Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors have announced the names of six people as inductees for the class of 2025.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

The following are this year’s inductees:

Paul Day (Builder: Lacrosse)

The Peterborough-born coach is well-known in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) and Major Series Lacrosse (MSL) communities. As the general manager of the Peterborough Lakers, Day assembled four consecutive Mann Cup championship teams. He won two NLL Championships with the Buffalo Bandits and four with the Rochester Knighthawks. Day played for the Minto Cup Champion Peterborough Jr. Maulers. He is currently the general manager of the NLL’s Philadelphia Wings. He has also been inducted into the Ontario and Canadian Lacosse Halls of Fame.

David Lean (Athlete: Water Skiing)

Peterborough-born and Apsley-raised, Lean competed in two World Water Ski Championships, was a North American Water Ski Champion, a three-time Canadian Champion, the 1960 Ontario Water Ski Champion – closed and open, the 1964 and 1965 Ontario Open champion and was the 1966 Canadian Invitational overall and tricks champion. He was the first Canadian to complete the ‘wake toe hold’ trick in competition. He was a regular performer at the annual Canadian National Exhibition Water Ski Show.

Frank Mazza (Athlete: Wheelchair Paralympian)

Born with cerebral palsy, Mazza started racing in 1982 and represented Canada internationally from 1983 to 1986. Known as "‘Fast Frank Mazza,’ he was a gold medal Paralympian and a gold, silver and bronze World Games Paralympic medalist among his many accomplishments. Frank raced using only his left arm to propel his wheelchair while competing against two-arm wheelers. He held national and provincial records in many events.

Bill Plager (Athlete: Hockey)

Plager came to Peterborough in 1962 to play for the TPT Petes. He spent the 1963-64 season with the Lachine Maroons before returning to play for the Petes from 1964 to 1966. With stints in the CHL and AHL, he would go on to play for the NHL's Minnesota North Stars, Atlanta Flames and St. Louis Blues. He got the rare opportunity to play for four years and teamed up with his brothers Barclay and Bob while playing for the St. Louis Blues. The 68-69 Blues were Western Division Champions and Stanley Cup finalists. Following his 294-game NHL career, Plaguer returned to Peterborough. He contributed to the community by coaching PHA boys and PGHA girl’s teams.

Andrea (Cranley) Prieur (Builder: Lacrosse)

Peterborough native and St. Peter High School graduate Prieur has travelled the world as a member of the Canadian Medical team at Olympic, Commonwealth, Pan Am and World University games over her 20+ years as an athletic therapist. She has been a head therapist for several championships in Canada, including IIHF World Women’s Hockey, Canadian Figure Skating, CPGA Golf and Varsity and Club sports. Through ongoing education and experience, Andrea has prepared to become a world-class therapist, providing medical service to high-prestige events.

Darl Sutherland (Athlete: Long-Distance Running)

Sutherland’s career started when he came to Peterborough from Bancroft to attend Sir Sandford Fleming College. He is an OCAA gold medalist and a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association cross-country silver and bronze medalist. He captained the Fleming Knights to the 2001-02 OCAA Championship. As a marathon runner, he has won numerous events and competed in the Boston, Philadelphia and New York Marathons. He is one of Peterborough’s most prolific distant runners. Running has been Darl’s life, translating into coaching high school track and field and Special Olympics. He continues to coach at Sir Sandford Fleming College and Team Ontario.

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Four Exceptional Student-Athletes Graduates Receive Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Bursary

Four graduating student-athletes were recipients of the annual Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Bursary Award at a presentation ceremony at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Wednesday night.

(Left to right) Linda de Jeu, PDSHoF Second Vice Chair; Ireland Payne, TASS graduate; Ava Johnston, Adam Scott Graduate, Brynn Jenkins, Crestwood Graduate; Finn Hughes, Holy Cross Graduate and Tim Barrie, first vice chair. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Finn Hughes, Brynn Jenkins, Ava Johnston, and Ireland Payne were this year’s winners, taking home $2,000 apiece from the bursary. Each recipient was a graduating high school student that attending University in the fall.

This year’s winners will have their headshots commemorated in the Hall of Fame and their names etched into the history of the awards’ beneficiaries. The award has been given annually to four recipients since 1996 (with 2020 having six).

Hughes graduated from Holy Cross Secondary School, will attend Laurier University, study Business Administration and play rugby for the Golden Hawks.

He is an honours student with a 90 per cent average.

The Hurricane alumnus captained football, basketball, and rugby for Holy Cross. He was named senior athlete of the year and earned several MVP awards. He also served on the school’s student council.

In the community, he was a member of the U18 Team Canada rugby program, U19 Team Ontario rugby, Peterborough Pagans, Petes minor hockey and Otters football.

As a volunteer, Hugues was a link leader at Holy Cross, volunteered with special needs students, was an OFSAA lacrosse volunteer and gave back to minor hockey as a referee and scorer and timer.

“It's an honour,” explained Hughes. “I'd just like to thank the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame for thinking of us and getting us in here. It feels great.”

Jenkins graduated from Crestwood Secondary School this past summer with a 94 per cent average as an honours student. She is attending Queens University, studying Health Sciences and will play varsity rugby.

At Crestwood, she played rugby, basketball, volleyball, track and field and wrestling. She was captain of the rugby team and earned an OFSAA gold medal in wrestling. She competed at OFSAA in track and field for four years. She earned MVP honours in rugby and was given the Dysart award, one of the highest athletic honours at Crestwood.

Outside of school, Jenkins was a member of the Peterborough Pagans Rugby Club, played Kawartha lacrosse, soccer and has attended the Rugby Canada development academy.

Jenkins was an active volunteer. She worked with Kawartha Food Share, was a referee for junior rugby, coached mini rugby and advocated for black athletes on social media.

“It feels wonderful to be recognized for all of the hard work that I've put in and all of us,” said Jenkins.

Johnston is a graduate of Adam Scott Collegiate and is attending the University of Guelph. She will study Health Sciences and play rugby for the Gryphons.

The 96 per cent average honours student played high school rugby, volleyball, wrestling and ultimate frisbee. She was captain of several teams, leading them to OFSAA gold medals in Ultimate and Kawartha and COSSA championships in Rugby and volleyball. She was Adam Scott’s senior female athlete of the year and earned many MVP awards.

Johnston was a member of the Ice Kats for hockey, part of the Peterborough Pagans Rugby Club and has been a member of the Ontario Rugby program.

Off the field, the Adam Scott Lion alumnus was a Sunday school volunteer and assisted with the Million Meals program. She was also an active volunteer and referee at the KPR elementary rugby and ultimate tournaments.

“It's just really awarding putting in a ton of hours into both sports and off the field,” explained Jenkins. “It's satisfying knowing that you're getting recognition for all of it and it's awesome for all of us.”

Payne graduated from Thomas A. Stewart and will attend the University of New Brunswick in the fall to study environmental management and play volleyball.

She played high school basketball, volleyball, badminton, tennis, soccer and track and field. Ireland earned multiple MVP awards in her sports while maintaining a 94 per cent average.

She was a member of Peterborough Thunder Volleyball, Soul Beach Volleyball and Peterborough Badminton Club.

Her volunteer work involves helping at Kawartha Food Share, Peterborough Humane Society and several KPR elementary sporting events.

“I'm very grateful that I got to be recognized and just very happy,” said Payne. “It makes me feel proud of myself and affects my self-esteem. It helps me feel more confident when you're recognized for high school accomplishments.”

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