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< Back Dale McCourt Dale McCourt Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2023 Dale McCourt played major junior in the Ontario Hockey Association (today's OHL). As a 15-year-old, he was already playing Tier II junior hockey when called up by the Sudbury Wolves for part of the 1972–73 OHA season. He joined the Hamilton Red Wings for the full 1973–74 OHA season, and was team captain by the time the renamed Hamilton Fincups won the 1975–76 OMJHL Championship and then the national 1976 Memorial Cup championship. In 1976–77, McCourt led the relocated St. Catharines Fincups as the team won the OMJHL Regular Season Championship. That season, he was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the league's Most Outstanding Player and was voted the nationwide CHL Player of the Year. Dale was also awarded the William Hanley Trophy as the OMJHL's Most Sportsmanlike Player in both 1975–76 and 1976–77. In the 1977 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, McCourt scored 18 points, a Canadian record he shares with Brayden Schenn and one point more than Eric Lindros and Wayne Gretzky. McCourt was drafted 1st overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1977 NHL amateur draft. He successfully scored 33 goals in the first year with the team and was entitled to NHL rookie of the year with the Red Wings. McCourt was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in December 1981 and claimed on waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs in October 1983, finishing his NHL career at the end of the 1983–84 NHL season, with 478 points in 532 games played. McCourt then played for 8 seasons for HC Ambrì-Piotta, in the top Swiss league where his number 15 jersey is retired. His coaching career highlight includes representing Italy as an assistant coach with the Italian National Ice Hockey Team at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games. <Back

Harold Ladouceur Cree Induction Category: Year Inducted Trainer 2024 <Back Harold Ladouceur was raised in between northern Alberta and the Kikino Metis settlement and Saulteux and Moosomin Reserves in Saskatchewan. Horses had been his family's life since he could remember. Whether it be work horses logging or weekend rodeos. Understanding the needs of horses was ingrained in Ladouceur as a boy. Racing thoroughbreds would ultimately be the path that Ladouceur would find himself. His late Grandfather Alec Poitras trained countless thoroughbreds that would race on the B circuit. As a teenager Ladouceur would be exercising and grooming in the morning and race riding in the afternoon. Ladouceur honed his skills as an exercise rider before traveling to Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg where he would meet his future wife. The couple traveled to Florida where he would find his niche in breaking yearlings for prominent pin hookers that would take them across America working the training sales. They found themselves under the tutelage of renowned horseman Luke McKathan who would be instrumental in his career eventually holding two track records with horses McKathan would later send him. 25 years later Ladouceur still does business with the McKathan family. A fateful afternoon at the CTHS auction, where a slight framed bay filly caught his eye at the Hill N Dale consignment. He had to have her. Hip 98 would be named Paladin Bay by Ladouceur’s mother-in-law, meaning defender and champion. That she was. Winning numerous stakes one being the graded Selene. She was nominated for two and three year old champion filly. Paladin Bay would earn almost 700k before being sold to the prestigious Calumet farm. Some of Ladouceur's achievements are winning the Inaugural Turf Endurance Championship for longtime owner Kirk Sutherland with Tesseron, placing in the Grade 1 International with turf star Primo Touch, and winning the Kingarvie with homebred Jurojin. Barn favorites Wake up Maggie, Splendid Glory, and McCulley earned in the 150k range. Ladouceur has a loyal roster of top woodbine trainers that entrust him with their yearling purchases to be started and paved the way for a successful racing career. The ability to communicate with these young horses and allow them to learn how to safely and happily become racehorses undoubtedly comes from his heritage. To the plains Cree a horse is embraced as a brother. This reputation played a role in being hired to train for the iconic Stronach Stables. Ladouceur believes that horses are sacred animals that will speak to you, one only has to listen.

< Back Maurice “Mo” Smith Maurice “Mo” Smith Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Maurice “Mo” Smith is the Executive Director for the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake (UICSL). Mo is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who grew up in an urban Indian community in Denver, CO. He has been a “friend” to Indian Country for many years, better known for his work and accomplishments while serving as the Executive Director for the Native American Sports Council, a member-organization of the United States Olympic Committee. His passion and inspiration for his work today stems from his identity of a friend to Indian Country, better known for his work with the Native American Sports Council in the area of Sports and Wellness; hosting the largest sports and cultural celebration of North America, the 2006 North American Indigenous Games (7,000+ athletes). Maurice “Mo” Smith is the first documented enrolled tribal member to break the sub-four minute mile with a personal best of 3:55. Mo is from the Navajo Nation and grew up in an urban Indian community in Denver, CO. Mo is a five-time NAIA National Champion in Track & Field (800 & 1,500 Meters) while attending Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado. Competed in 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Track & Field Trials. Responsible for hosting and administrating the 2006 North American Indigenous Games in Denver, Colorado. Completed five Marathons including the 2021 Boston Marathon in October during Indigenous Peoples Day. Mr. Smith obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Adams State College and a Masters of Arts with a concentration in Non-Profit Management from Regis University. Originally from Colorado, Mr. Smith has lived and worked in various parts of the country including New Mexico, Montana, Arizona, Washington, no residing in Washington DC. His past employment experiences include serving as the Executive Director of the American Indian Business Leaders, the Director of Programs and Government Contracts for the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, Inc., the Executive Director of the Native American Sports Council, the Program Manager for the United States Olympic Committee and the Development Director of Wings of America. Mountain trail running, play in charity golf tournaments, and spending time with his two children and four grandchildren are a few of his past times. <Back

Teams 1999 Iroquois Nationals 2015 Team Canada Women's Soccer

< Back Carolyn Darbyshire-McRorie Carolyn Darbyshire-McRorie Metis Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Carolyn was a contributing member of four provincial championships in 1985, 2007, 2009, and 2020. Playing with her mother in 1985, the team represented Manitoba at the Canadians. She moved to Calgary and played in many competitive play downs and an Olympic Trials spot in 2001, where she played all positions on mixed and ladies teams in that time period. Curling with Team Bernard in 2006, they played in various spiels and went on to win two provincial championships, the Olympic Trials in Edmonton and the Silver Medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, BC. In 2020, she went on to win the Senior Provincial Championship and went to play at the Canadians in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic. In 2017, Carolyn went on to get her coaching certificate to give back to her curling community which has given her so much. She has coached a women’s team to their first Alberta Championship and an Olympic Trials spot. In 2018-19, she went on to work in China as the National Women’s curling coach, working with five teams at their Centre located in Beijing. Working closely with two teams, taking them throughout the World Curling Tour events, moved one team from a rank of 50th and 104th to a 24th and 26th ranking in the World Curling standings and a 5th place standing at the World Curling Championships. Carolyn is now back in Canada coaching junior teams for the past two years. Her hopes are to continue curling competitively and working with teams to help give them the knowledge of the game that has given her so much joy and happiness in her life. <Back

Dr. Rosalin Miles Lytton First Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2024 <Back Dr. Rosalin Miles is a member of the Lytton First Nation and is known in her native language as Maaj meaning "first light of day". She is a pivotal figure in advancing Indigenous sports on both national and international stages as the Founder and Executive Director of the Indigenous Physical Activity and Cultural Circle (IPACC). Miles organized 10 National Indigenous Physical Activity and Wellness Conferences, and 11 Active Spirit Walk and Runs. These events have fostered a robust network for Indigenous athletes and sports enthusiasts, promoting cultural exchange and athletic excellence. Recognized by the House of Commons and honored with Vancouver Quadra’s Hidden Hero Award, Miles’ dedication to IPACC underscores her commitment to elevating the profile of Indigenous sports. Her role at the University of British Columbia (UBC) as a Research Associate and Indigenous Scholar in the Indigenous Studies in Kinesiology program further amplified this commitment. Miles earned her Master’s degree in Human Kinetics and became the first First Nations kinesiologist. Miles’ Master’s degree expertise, particularly in the physiological and psychological aspects of soccer, benefited teams like the UBC women’s soccer team where she worked as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and at the University of Central Florida (UCF) for their women’s soccer team. She received the UBC Alumni Award for Volunteer Leadership, and the Robert Small Boy Award “Heroes of Our Time” Scholarships from the Assembly of First Nations. As a Director for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) in British Columbia and Florida, Miles played a critical role in supporting CSCS accreditation recognized by the NSCA Bronze Award. Her doctoral studies at UCF in Education, combined with her Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management provided her skills to lead and inspire in the field of sports management and education. Miles’ experience as a strength and conditioning coach at UCF, and later at University High School in Florida, where she broke barriers as one of the first female Indigenous football coaches in Florida, highlighted her pioneering spirit. She also received the NSCA High School Professional of the Year for the United States. At the University of Arizona she worked with the men’s baseball and women’s volleyball teams, and volunteered with Olympic and professional athletes. Miles competed in softball in Japan, as a champion in BC and National powerlifting, and as a fitness competitor at both the USA and World Nova Fitness challenges. Dr. Rosalin Miles work has enhanced the visibility and success of Indigenous coaches, athletes, and researchers, and has also forged lasting connections and opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding in the world of sports.

< Back Evan James Evan James Métis and Dene Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Evan James was born in Edmonton, Alberta and raised in Edmonton and area. Evan is of Métis and Dene heritage. He began life with some health challenges including failure to thrive and stayed with a few different families before becoming a part of his family at 2 and a half years old. Growing up Evan was always physically active but until finding Special Olympics in 2004, unable to find the support and opportunities to participate and compete with others at his level. Evan has participated in a multitude of sports with Special Olympics Alberta Spruce Grove & District. He has competed at eight Special Olympics Provincial Games in four different sports, two Western Canada Summer Games, one Canada Summer Games and five Special Olympics National Games in three different sports earning 60 medals. Evan’s dream of representing Canada at the Special Olympics World Games came true in Austria in 2017 as a speedskater. Evan won gold in the 777m at worlds. Evan has embraced the opportunities he has been given to travel across the province, country, and around the world. Now at 36, Evan is still active in many sports including floor hockey, cross country skiing, softball and soccer. Evan is currently an Athlete Ambassador spreading the message and power of Special Olympics. The opportunities that sport has given Evan have helped him become the determined, multi talented athlete and individual he is today. <Back