Professor Emeritus Gary Ness Named to Racquetball Canada Hall of Fame

Professor Emeritus Gary Ness Named to Racquetball Canada Hall of Fame

Winnipeg, May 3, 2018 - Racquetball Canada welcomes five sport legends into the Racquetball Canada Hall of Fame. The three Athletes and two Builders who are being inducted have had outstanding achievements that deserve the highest recognition from Racquetball Canada. They all have left a lasting legacy on the sport of Racquetball and continue to inspire and impact athletes, coaches and sport leaders.

"We are proud to announce the 2018 Inductees to the Racquetball Canada Hall of Fame. This year's inductees highlight the importance of Canadians in the development of the sport internationally as well as our rich sport history in Canada. I offer my congratulations and thank the inductees for their commitment and dedication," said Gwen Smoluk, President of Racquetball Canada.

2018 Racquetball Canada Hall of Fame Inductees

Mike Ceresia, Burlington, ON - Mike Ceresia holds five World Championship titles, one Pan Am Championship title and ten Canadian Championship titles. He competed for Canada at seventeen international events from 1988 to 2002 including eight World Championships and the 1995 Pan Am Games. During his national team career, Ceresia won twenty-nine medals for Canada and was active on the pro-circuit.

Josée Grand'Maître, Longueuil, QC - Grand'Maître competed for Canada thirty-five times over a span of twenty-six years, including four Pan Am Games and twelve World Championship appearances. She amassed over forty-five international podium finishes throughout the duration of her career. Grand'Maître holds the Canadian record for the most Canadian Women's Open Doubles Championship titles, having won the event fifteen times.

Christie Huczek (Van Hees), Bozeman, MT - Christie Huczek holds three World Championship titles and six Canadian Championship titles. She also holds the distinction of being the only Canadian woman to have won the US Open, which she did on three occasions. She was highly successful on the women's pro-tour and was ranked as the top Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) athlete in 2005.

Gary Ness, Wolfville, NS - Gary Ness contributed to coach and athlete development not only to Racquetball, but to Canadian sport in general. He made significant contributions to coach education through his work with the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP), the National Coaching Institute (NCI) and the Advanced Coaching Diploma. Ness served as the National Teams Coach for Racquetball Canada from 1989 to 1996, coaching some of Canada's most successful international teams.

Calvin Smith, Coquitlam, BC - Calvin Smith was selected to officiate at twenty-one international events from 1986 to 2015. He has been appointed as Chief Referee at over twenty Canadian Championships. Smith contributed to officials development through the development of training programs, policies and rules. He has served in provincial, national and international governance capacities, as well as coach and team manager positions for national teams.

The Class of 2018 will be inducted in the Hall of Fame at the 2018 Canadian Championships Awards Banquet being held May 26, 2018 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

The Racquetball Canada Hall of Fame was incepted in 2017. Racquetball Canada annually honours those who have made significant contributions to the development of Racquetball in Canada through the Builder Category and those who have achieved extraordinary results in the Athlete Category.

Racquetball Canada is the national sport governing body for the sport of Racquetball in Canada. Along with the support of the Government of Canada and many valued partners, Racquetball Canada develops competitive national teams and oversees programs that grow the sport of Racquetball in Canada. For more information visit our website at www.racquetball.ca.

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