Championship-winning firefighters getting Brampton Sports Hall of Fame honours

Bramptonians are invited to celebrate the accomplishments of more than a dozen local athletes including a team championship-winning firefighters at the City’s 2023 Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony next week.

Each year, the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame recognizes local athletes for their achievements and contributions to sports in the community.

The City will officially induct this year’s honorees with a ceremony at The Rose Brampton on Tuesday (May 9) and all Brampton residents are invited to attend.

Now in its 44th year, this year’s inductees include a two-time Olympian, an MLP Cup winner, and even a team of Brampton firefighters that won the Firefighter Combat Challenge in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

We’re welcoming six new members to the Sports Hall of Fame 🏆.

The 1996-2000 Brampton Firefighter Combat Challenge Team stunned the sporting community by winning the World Championships in 1996, 1998 and 1999. They'll be recognized for their achievements in the Challenge. pic.twitter.com/xFkaMVW6BX

— City of Brampton (@CityBrampton) May 5, 2023

Tickets for the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame 2023 Induction Ceremony are on sale now. For more information visit the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame website.

Here is a full list of this year’s inductees:

Troy Amos Ross – Athlete category for their commitment to boxing

Ross is a two-time Olympian, winning bronze at the 1999 Pan Am Games and silver in the 1998 Commonwealth Games. In 2005, he won the Canadian Boxing Federation cruiserweight title before claiming the Commonwealth Cruiserweight title in 2007. Ross was also the winner of the fourth season of The Contender television series, designs clothing for boxers, and is an avid volunteer and coach.

Catherine White – Athlete category for their commitment to hockey

White was a local hockey superstar before joining the Canadian National Women’s Under-18 team in 2005, going on to win gold with Team Ontario Red at both the 2007 Ontario Women’s Hockey Association Championships and the Canada Winter Games. She has also competed on the national stage at the 2010 and 2011 MLP Cup in Germany and played for Cornell’s Big Red women’s ice hockey team where she racked up many accolades during her post-secondary career.

Frank Bucca – Builder category for their commitment to track and field

Bucca has been a leader in the track and field world for over four decades. He joined the Brampton Track Club as Head Coach and President in 1980 and still serves today. Bucca is a decorated coach, working with Olympians and World Champions, and has been instrumental in growing the track and field community in Brampton.

Homer Duguay – posthumously inducted into the Builder category for their commitment to hockey

Duguay, better known as Mr. Hockey in Chinguacousy, coached house league and in the intracity Hockey League over a career spanning 38 years, earning Coach of the Year in 1989-1990. Throughout that time, his teams won many tournaments and championships.

Jim Flack – Builder category for their commitment to basketball

Flack has been instrumental in the basketball community, with a career spanning back to 1990. He was first a teacher and coach at North Park Secondary School before moving on to Sheridan College as the men’s basketball coach and Director of Athletics. Flack was named Canadian Colleges Athletic Association Coach of the Year in 2001-2002 and is an 11-time winner of the Ontario College Athletic Association Coach of the Year.

Brampton Firefighter Combat Challenge Team 1996-2000 – Team category

A team of eight Brampton firefighters won World Championships in 1996, 1998 and 1999, and were Canadian Champions seven years in a row.

The City will be holding an induction ceremony to honour the athletes on May 9 at The Rose Theatre.

Nominations are already open for next year’s Hall of Fame inductees. Anyone can make a nomination, but nominees must have a connection to Brampton and have made outstanding contributions and achievements in sport.

There are four categories of nominations for the City of Brampton’s Sports Hall of Fame:

• Athletes
• Builders – all members other than athletes
• Veterans – may be either athletes or builders who have concluded their careers
• Teams

Nominations for the 2024 inductees are open until June 15. For more information or to make a nomination visit www.brampton.ca/bshf.