Eight athletes and coaches are being honoured as the 2017 inductees into the Windsor-Essex County Sports Hall of Fame.
Brittany Hedderson played basketball for St. Anne's High School and led the team to gold at the OFSAA AAAA basketball championships in 2007. She was named first-team All-Canadian and Miss Basketball Ontario in 2008. She signed with the University of Buffalo Bulls in 2008 and in her first year, she played in 32 games leading the team with 106 assists and 43 starts.
"It really is big for my family," she says. "My grandfather was inducted in 1985, he died in 1985 and he coached gymnastics in the Olympics for Canada. To continue the family legacy and honour him, it has been very emotional in a good way for our family."
Alice Bell is a local curling coach after starting to play the game at the Windsor Curling Club in 1962. She was recognized when she won the Honorary Lifetime Achievement award from the Ontario Curling Association. She also coached the St. Clair College Curling Team to a zone and regional win in 1989.
Bell says she is honoured and is excited for the ceremony in October.
Pete Cusumano, or Cooz as he's commonly known, started coaching in 1980 at Brennan before moving over to Catholic Central in 1985. He has coached cross country, track and field, football, baseball but is mostly known for basketball. He won more OFSAA medals for boys basketball than any coach in Windsor-Essex with 7 medals (3 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze) at the AAA level.
"I have been fortunate to coach some of the greatest athletes in the city," he says.
Cusumano says he has always had a competitive edge which helped him as a player and coach.
AM800 file photo
Other inductees include Anne Grover, Jerry Kauric, Todd Nadon, Joanne Rothery, and Bob Weepers.
The ceremony takes place October 20, 2017.