The Saskatchewan Hockey League (SJHL) and the Yorkton Terriers hockey club celebrated the SJHL Hall of fame Weekend to honor four local inductees into the SJHL Hall of Fame. The evening, hosted at the Gallagher Centre by the Terriers, recognized the achievements and contributions to the SJHL by former Terrier administrator and coach Gerry James, former athlete and Terrier player Darrell Spelay, current volunteer, builder and former club president Gene Krepakevich and former sportscaster Terry Struthers as SJHL media personality.
Former Winnipeg Blue Bomber, former Toronto Maple Leaf, Former Senior Terrier and former coach and owner of the junior Terriers, Jerry James is the only Canadian athlete to have played in two professional leagues in two different sports simultaneously.
With his induction into the SJHL Hall of Fame, James became a member of six such bodies, including the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the Manitoba Hall of Fame, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Fame, the Saskatchewan Hall of Fame, and the Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame.
As Blue Bomber James appeared in six Grey Cups, winning a championship ring in four of them.
He claimed a Schenley award as the top Canadian in both 1954 and 1957.
As well as coaching and playing with Yorkton's senior hockey team, James was owner, manager and coach of the Yorkton Terriers from 1979 to 1984.
He attributes his oustanding success to both genetics and hard work. "My dad was a heck of a football player and an athlete," he says.
"We grew up in a great era, as far as the depression and having to scrape and scrap for everything. Nothing was ever handed to you. It made hard work an easy thing to do," James asserts.
As a player he suggests he grew up in the best of times for football and hockey in the 1950s and 60s, James attests.
He claims he appreciates his long list of honors a little bit more as he gets older. Accolades, awards and honors came in the late 70s, early 80s and 90s while James was still heavily involved with hockey. "I was doing other things and they were just another part of my life. Now I'm removed from the game and not as close to it as I was, they bring back memories that are fond and not so fond sometimes," he explains.
The highlight or 'wow moment' for James came when he played a game with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1954-55. A regular Leafs player was hurt and James went to Montreal with the Leafs. He played in the forum against Jean Beliveau, Rocket Richard, the Pocket Rocket, Doug Harvey, and Jaques Plante. He played on a line with Ted Kennedy and Ted Smith, the top line for the Leafs. "My ambition was to play in the National Hockey League for the Maple Leafs and I achieved my dream," James recalls.
He had already achieved his football dream, but didn't know whether he could also play NHL professional hockey. "So that was a 'wow moment' for me." James states.
The most memorable moment with the Terriers came when Dale Skibinski, a member or the Terrier fourth line, scored the winning goal. "The play that they worked was something that they had worked out together on the ice. I think we scored at the about the eight or nine minute mark and those guys never saw the ice for the rest of the game," James recalls. He admits, "We were kind of worried that the fourth line would let us down but they were the ones that won us the game."
Former Yorkton Terrier Darrell Spelay was inducted into the SJHL Hall of Fame as an outstanding athlete. Spelay, who played for the Terriers under coach Gerry James from 1979 to 1983, scored a remarkable 243 goals in 246 games and earned 208 assists for a total of 451 points or 1.83 points per game to establish a scoring record that stands today.
Named a four time all star athlete, Spelay was also ranked as the Number 1 Terrier on the 35th anniversary team.
Inducted into the Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame, his Number 6 jersey was retired and displayed at the Farrell Agencies Arena.
Spelay says his induction feels great. "This is the final chapter in the book and to go out on this note is awesome," he declares.
He has some great memories of his years in a Terrier jersey. Winning the league in 1982-83 was a great thrill, Spelay states. Having his number retired and hanging in the rafters at the Farrell Agencies Arena was also great. He recalls meeting many friends he continues to stay in touch with.
Spelay continues to be involved with the Terriers more behind the scenes than publicly. "Once a Terrier, always a Terriers," Spelay closes.
Winner of the inaugural SJHL Media of the Year Award, Terry Struthers, who started as play-by-play announcer for the Weyburn Red Wings and later became the voice of the Yorkton Terriers from 1988 to 2007, was recognized by Hockey Canada for his dedication to amateur hockey. Over the years, Struthers also announced the games of the Lebret Eagles, Swan Valley Stampeders, Waywayseecappo Wolverines and the Yorkton Harvest AAA Midgets.
Highlights of his broadcasting career include attending the Centennial Cup in Sudbury, Ontario, working at the Royal Bank Cup in Yorkton, Melfort and Streetsville, Ontario as well as the Air Canada Cup National Midget Championship in Sault Ste, Marie, Ontario.
He was inducted into the Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.
Anytime a person is recognized by induction into a hall of fame is shocking and satisfying too. "It is such an honor to be recognized on this way," Struthers quips.
There are many good memories which stand out over the years, he says. He recalls having an association with each of the inductees. It's tough to pick out a particular memory or memories from his years in broadcasting.
He remembers the thrill of attending the Centennial Cup in Sudbury. Yorkton had a great team which was a great representative of the SJHL and MJHL. He recalls the goal by which would have turned the game around but was missed by both the referee and the goal judge because it was in and out of the net so fast. "It was a goal that would have turned the game around but obviously it turned around in Vernon's favor that year in the semi-final," he recalls.
Struthers was working and taking a broadcasting course in Edmonton in 1983. His instructor asked whether he'd be interested in a job interview even though he hadn't completed his broadcasting course. "I'd never been on a job interview before," he admits. He and a class mate drove to Weyburn for the interview. Struthers was relaxed because he didn't expect much from the interview. His class mate, who was considered to be the preferred candidate, was very nervous. Struthers mentioned that he wanted to become a sportscaster and a play-by-play announcer. His relaxed manner landed him his first part time radio job in Weyburn. "I worked Friday and Saturday evening for 18 hours. My first paycheque was like $26. I was thinking, this wasn't going to be very good," he remembers. After six months on the job he became program director at the station.
He got out of radio for awhile. While working at a refinery in Regina, Struthers got an invitation from Randy Atkinson to become sports director in Yorkton. He was ready to return to radio, planning to take the job in Yorkton for about five years. As it happened he stayed on for 20 years to become well known and admired for his work.
Local long time Yorkton Terrier volunteer and supporter Gene Krepakevich was inducted into the SJHL Hall of Fame in recognition of his years as builder of the junior hockey in Yorkton.
In addition to his volunteer work, Krepakevich served as coach, board member, vice-president, and president of the Yorkton Terriers. He sat on the SJHL board of governors and served as vice-chair from 1990-94.
A teacher, Krepakevich established Terrier scholarship fund for post secondary education.
He co-chaired the 1999 Royal Bank Cup hosted by Yorkton.
Recently he authored The History of the Yorkton Terriers: 1972-1997 - The Puck Stops Here, which was placed into the SJHL Hall of Fame.
Every time anyone is recognized by the community for service performed, it's special, Krepakevich states.
The Terriers have always been a prominent part of his life, he says, and, "You do what needs to be done you don't expect in any way to be recognized for it because that's my personality," he suggests. However to be recognized publicly into the Hall of Fame is awesome, he admits. "I feel gratified that people recognize the contributions I have made over the years," he adds.
Krepakevich's most vivid memory over the years is when the Terriers got into difficulty in the mid 1980s. 'We struggled to survive. There was a real need for people to get together and support them. We were on the verge of losing the franchise." he recalls. Once a franchise was lost, it was difficult to bring it back, Krepakevich points out. The community rallied during those years, the business people, the volunteers, and the support of everyone was able to keep the Terriers afloat until they were able to gain some financial stability. "It was paramount in where we are today," he says.
Over the years Yorkton grew as a community. The Terriers grew as a franchise until today they are looked up to in this league. "People are pleased to see us growing and they want to model themselves the way the Yorkton Terriers are built and how we grow in this community," Krepakevich closes.
