With some tears and many cheers, the University of Toronto’s Sports Hall of Fame added eleven more individuals and three teams to its already impressive group of inductees. Hosted by U of T’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, the 30th annual induction ceremony honoured athletes, builders and teams who contributed to the legacy of athletic excellence at U of T.
From field hockey sister act Michelle and Nicole Colaco to cross country runner Alison Evanoff, the inductees took to the stage to reminisce about their days at U of T and thank their teammates, coaches and families for the lifelong memories and skills.
“Commitment, strength and endurance - these were all the things we learned as Varsity Blues athletes,” said Michelle Colaco, a five-time provincial all-star who helped the Blues win the 1993 Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) national championship title. “Our coaches challenged us to be the best we can be.” They must have done a good job, because Colaco’s teammate, medicine alumna Claire Thurgur, was also among the athlete inductees, along with the entire 1993-94 women’s field hockey team.
Evanoff thanked her teammates, who trained with her and pushed her to her limits to claim the CIAU (recently renamed U Sports) championship banner in 1991. Evanoff took the trip to the stage twice during the evening, the second time to share the honour with her teammates from the 1991 women’s cross country team, who were also inducted.
Two-time Olympic medalist and Canadian Walk of Fame inductee Jim Elder became the first equestrian athlete to be inducted into U of T's Sports Hall of Fame. He also inadvertently provided some comic relief as inducted builder Viiu Kanep expressed relief at discovering Elder was older than her. A member of the intercollegiate archery and volleyball team, Kanep helped organize the opening of the Clara Benson Building, the University’s first athletic facility for women. Long-time U of T athletic therapist and equipment manager Norm Calder, as well as current Varsity Blues men's tennis head coach Nabil Tadros were both inducted in the builder category, along with Kanep.
1928 Olympic gold medalist men's hockey player Louis Hudson was inducted posthumously, as were fellow medicine alumni Theo Van Rijn and Arthur Ham.
Van Rijn was remembered by his wife and sister as a man of prodigious appetite and huge feet (size 15).
“He was born in the sign of the pisces and he swam like a fish,” his sister said of the Varsity Blue swimmer. No wonder then that he went undefeated in freestyle sprints across all university meets from 1964 to 1970, and represented Canada at the 1967 FISU Games. Van Rijn’s teammates from the 1965-66 men’s swimming team were also inducted.
Arthur Ham’s grandson accepted the award in his grandfather’s name. Ham, who played a key role in the formation of the Department of Medical Biophysics at U of T, was inducted for his accomplishments in tennis, including playing doubles for Canada’s Davis Cup team with partner Jack Wright in 1928 and 1929.
“He didn’t talk about his tennis career, he played for the love of the game,” said his grandson, who was named after his grandfather. “He would have been very proud and honoured to receive this award.”
Pride was the common theme of the evening, with Professor Ira Jacobs, dean of KPE, saying he felt a combination of wonder and pride at the inductees’ amazing feats and accomplishments, while Executive Director of Athletic and Physical Activity Beth Ali marveled at their dedication and perseverance.
“Our inductees have not only realized their goals, they exceeded them, and that is so wonderfully inspiring, especially to the bright young student-athletes who are following in their footsteps,” said Ali, referring to the Varsity Blues student ambassadors, who escorted the inductees to the stage.