Monday afternoon the Regina Sports Hall of Fame introduced their induction class of 2024. Four athletes and two builders will be welcomed to the Hall during a gala event on October 10.
President of the Regina Sports Hall of Fame Frank Kovacs unveiled the inductees, “We have a good diverse group of people coming to the hall famous here. And just shows that our selection committee really looks at each person individually offers to see what they offer to the hall. And obviously each one of these people today has been very well deserving of the award. I’m very happy for them. It’s such a rich history of sporting excellence in this community.”
The athletes honoured are; LaDonna Watkins in Track and Field, Paralympian Jessica Frotten, Dirk Graham in hockey, and Aaron Higgins from Special Olympics power lifting. While in the builders category Darrell Davis and Bernadette McIntyre will be recognized.
Kovacs say that hall is way to pay tribute to athlete and builders and inspire the next generation, “I think I’ve always said that our youth is our future. So I think when people come to this at the Cooperators Centre, you can see our Hall of Fame on the wall. And these kids always walk around. They look at people and they think it gives us a sense of encouragement to want to be there too one day. And you know, again, all the people involved in the Regina Sports Hall of Fame have done that through the years. They’ve talked to many people. They’ve done hockey schools or basketball schools or whatever else. And they pour their their passion to other people’s lives as well. That’s why it’s so important to be part of this. It’s just it’s an ongoing thing to give people hope for themselves, and to be maybe that one person, one day they can give back to sport and give back to people.”
Tickets are available to purchase for the Gala induction dinner on line.
Here is a complete look at the Regina Sports Hall of Fame 2024 inductees:
LADONNA WATKINS
Athlete: Track and Field
Specializing in the 400 metres, Antoine-Watkins represented Canada at the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympic Games. She also competed in the 1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games, helping Canada win a bronze medal in the women’s 4x400m relay in 1998.
As well, she represented Canada internationally at three world outdoor and world indoor track and field championships. At her second Summer Universiade, in 1997, she was part of a bronze-medal-winning Canadian 4x100m relay team. Two years later, she was part of the Canadian contingent at the Pan American Games.
Antoine-Watkins was a three-time national champion in the 200m and 400m. A three-time All-American, she entered Utah State University’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
JESSICA FROTTEN
Athlete: Para-Athletics
Frotten was a member of the 2020 Canadian Paralympics team, competing in the 400 metres, 800m, 1,500m and 4x100m relay. Representing Canada internationally, she won two bronze medals at the 2015 Parapan American Games and competed at the world championships in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Frotten has set Canadian records in the 400m and 800m as well as winning 17 medals, six of which were gold, in national competitions. At the 2019 Canadian championships, she won three gold medals and added a silver. She won all four of her events at nationals in 2022.
In addition, Frotten has competed in two international marathons, placing second in Honolulu in 2017. She received Sask Sport’s “Inspire Through Sport Award” in 2023.
DIRK GRAHAM
Athlete: Hockey
Graham played in 772 NHL regular-season games, registering 219 goals and 270 assists. He established career highs of 33 goals (including 10 while short-handed) and 78 points with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1988-89.
He helped the host country win the Canada Cup in 1991, scoring three goals in eight games. Earlier that year, he won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward. Also with the Blackhawks, he became the first Black NHL team captain (in 1989) and head coach (1998).
As a member of the WHL’s Regina Pats, Graham had peak point totals of 110 (1977-78) and 108 (1978-79). Seasons of 40, 49 and 70 goals with the IHL’s Toledo Goaldiggers led to his induction into the Toledo Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017.
AARON HIGGINS
Athlete: Special Olympics — Powerlifting
Higgins’ long list of successes in Special Olympics is highlighted by a four-medal performance at the 2023 World Summer Games. He also won four medals (two gold, two silver) at the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games.
The owner of 12 Special Olympics provincial powerlifting records, he was the Special Olympics Saskatchewan athlete of the year in 2021. He has also competed in Special Olympics basketball, bowling and track.
The community-minded Higgins was the first volunteer to be honoured in 2017 during the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ inaugural regular-season game at new Mosaic Stadium. Each year, the LeBoldus Golden Suns present the Aaron Higgins Award to a football player who best demonstrates spirit and inspiration.
BERNADETTE McINTYRE
Builder: Multi-Sport
McIntyre has been integrally, inexhaustibly involved with high-level world, national and local sporting events that have been held in Regina. As an organizer, administrator and/or member of a bid committee, she has been an enthusiastic and effective booster of curling, in particular.
She served as chair or president of various curling events, including 1995 provincial Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the 1998 and 2008 national Scotties, 2001 Canadian Olympic Trials, 2006 Brier, 2011 men’s world championship, 2014 Canadian university championships, 2016 Canadian wheelchair championships and 2017 Pinty’s Grand Slam Tour Challenge.
McIntyre has also lent her time and talents to events such as the 2018 CPGA Women’s Open and 2022 Grey Cup Festival.
DARRELL DAVIS
Builder: Multi-Sport
Davis has contributed to the sporting community as a participant, baseball coach, administrator, hockey referee, officials’ clinician and media member, serving two decades with the Regina Sports Hall of Fame and on several volunteer boards, including Racquetball Canada.
A sports writer at the Regina Leader-Post from 1983 to 2008, he rejoined the newspaper in 2023. For his coverage of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame’s media wing in 2006 before joining its Selection Committee.
He covered 35-plus Grey Cups, world curling championships, the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and amateur sports for the L-P, while writing or co-authoring six books about football or hockey.
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