2018 BELLEVILLE SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

  • James Hurst

    BUILDER, MULTI-SPORT

  • Brian Price

    ATHLETE, ROWING

  • Andrew Raycroft

    ATHLETE, HOCKEY

  • Andrew Ross

    ATHLETE, WATER SKIING

  • Dennis Stark

    ATHLETE / DISTANCE RUNNER

  • Terry Wellesley

    ATHLETE / FOOTBALL

  • 1988 Belleville Enright Midget Girls Softball Team

    TEAM, SOFTBALL

JAMES HURST

BUILDER - MULTI-SPORT

James Hurst has a passion for sports. Born in Belleville in 1945, James has spent a lifetime involved in a wide range of sporting activities. His involvement with the Belleville Minor Football League, the Wellington Dukes Hockey Team, the Belleville Bulls Hockey Team, enshrining the legacy of the Belleville McFarlands and in establishing the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame in 1987 are just part of what has made James one of the best-known sport personalities in Belleville and Prince Edward County. He has been a Coach, a Manager, an Administrator, a Sports Writer and a Sports Historian. His collection of Sports Memorabilia is world renowned and reportedly helped to pay the costs of putting his children through University.

James has written for the Belleville Intelligencer, the Trentonian, the Canadian Sportscard Collector, the Queen’s University Journal and the Picton Gazette. He still writes a weekly column for the Wellington Times.

His volunteer contributions are endless, including with the Canadian Cancer Society, Doors Open Ontario, the Bayshore Credit Union, the Prince Edward Country Marathon…the list is endless. His volunteer efforts have been recognized with the Bruce Dobson Memorial Award, the Canada 150 Medallion in 2017, a Canadian Cancer Society Service Award for the 1975 Terry Fox Run and the Canadian Blood Services and Red Cross Award.

James lives in Wellington, Ontario with his wife Joanne and has 3 children – Arthur, Jane and David.

BRIAN PRICE

ATHLETE, ROWING

Born in Belleville in 1976, Brian Price went on to achieve the pinnacle of sporting achievement – a Gold Medal in Men’s Eights rowing in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

He began his rowing career while a student at Moira SS, joining the Quinte Rowing Club in 1995. In 1998 he joined the National Rowing Team. Being slight in stature, the role of Coxswain was a natural for Brian and he was at the top of the world in this position for over a decade.

His storied career includes 3 Gold Medals in the World Rowing Championships, 5 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Medal in the World Rowing Cup, 3 Gold Medals in the Royal Henley Regatta and participating in 3 Olympic Games. In men’s eights, the Canadian Team won a Silver Medal in the 2012 London Games and the Gold Medal in the 2008 Beijing Games.

Brian’s excellence has been recognized by his home town where he was the 2004 and 2008 Belleville Athlete of the Year. He was also awarded the 2007 and 2008 Rowing International Achievement Award. In 2008 his team entered the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, was the CBC Team of the Year and received the Rowing Canada Order of Merit. In 2012 Brian was awarded the Queen Elizabeth ll Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Brian resides in Orangeville with his wife Robbi. They have 2 children – Victoria and Brianna. He currently is active as a Motivational Speaker, his major topic being ‘ Cancer Survivor to Olympic Champion.’

ANDREW RAYCROFT

ATHLETE, HOCKEY

Born in Belleville in 1980, Andrew Raycroft showed his potential in hockey while advancing through the Belleville Minor Hockey system. He started as a 6 year old as a defenseman in the Belleville House League, moved on to being a forward for 2 years on Belleville’s AA Team, then at age 9 decided that he wanted to be a goalie. A good decision. He played on Quinte AAA teams to the age of 16, then joined the Wellington Dukes before being drafted by the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League. After 2 seasons with the Wolves, Andrew was drafted by the Boston Bruins. The Wolves traded Andrew to the Kingston Frontenacs and as a member of the 1999-2000 Frontenacs, Andrew made the OHL First All-Star Team, was selected as the OHL Gold Tender of the Year, and won the Red Tilson Trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the league. He also made the First All-Star Team for the Canadian Hockey League, as well as being the Goal Tender of the Year.

In the National Hockey League, Raycroft won the 2003-2004 Calder Trophy as the Rookie of the Year and was selected to the All Rookie Team the same year. Andrew went on to play 280 games in the National Hockey League with Boston, Toronto, Colorado, Vancouver and Dallas and finished his career with seasons in Italy and Sweden. Following his retirement he relocated to the Boston area.

Andrew currently resides in Wellesley Hills, MA with his wife Erin. They have 3 children – Mason, Declan and Everly. He is very active with the Boston Bruins Alumni Association raising money for charity. He also works to promote the game of hockey and appears on NESN as an in-game analyst.

ANDREW ROSS

ATHLETE, ATHLETE WATER SKIING

Born in Etobicoke, Ontario, Drew Ross and his family relocated to Belleville in 1971. The waters of the Bay of Quinte proved to be a door way to Drew’s career in Water Skiing.

His distinguished career includes being a 3-time Gold Medalist in Slalom in the Pan American Games - 1999, 2003 and 2007. He was a silver medalist in Slalom at the 2001 World Championships held in Italy and he held the Canadian Open Slalom record from 1991 to 2016. He won the World Slalom Championship (35+) in 2012.

On the Professional Ski Tour, Drew was a 4-time winner.

Drew was an active member of Team Canada for 20 years and continues to serve Water Ski and Waterboard Canada in a volunteer capacity. He also coaches his daughter Neilly Ross, the 2017 World Champion.

Drew resides in Winter Haven, Florida with his wife Leigh and his two children, Neilly and Charlie.

DENNIS STARK

ATHLETE, DISTANCE RUNNER

Dennis Stark could really run. Born in Toronto in 1961, his family eventually relocated to Belleville in 1975, with Dennis attending Quinte Secondary School. It was at Quinte SS where he began his rise to prominence as a Cross Country runner. At the high school level his accomplishments included 4 gold medals at the OFSAA Track and Field Competitions. He represented Canada in two IAAF Junior Cross Country Championships, finishing as high as 4th in the world.

His success at the high school level opened the door for Dennis to receive a 4 year Scholarship to East Tennessee University, where he won 4 NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Races and earned All American honours in 1981, 1982 and 1983. He won 3 consecutive Southern Conference Cross Country Championships and made the All Conference Team each of those years. At the 1983 Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship he was selected as the Most Outstanding Athlete.

In 1981 Dennis competed in the Canada Summer Games, winning the 1500 and 5000 meter races and established Canada Games Records in both.

Dennis remains as the most decorated distance runner in the Quinte Region.

TERRY WELLESLEY

ATHLETE, FOOTBALL

In 1966 the Quinte Saints Football Team was a force in Ontario, winning the COSSA Championship and leading many to wonder if they were perhaps the finest High School Football Team in Belleville’s history. Leading the team was Terry Wellesley who parlayed his high school career into the opportunity to play NCAA Division 1 football at the University of Colorado and Tennessee Tech.

Following his college career, Terry went on to a solid 7-year career in the Canadian Football League, including 2 years with the Hamilton Tiger Cats and 5 years with the Ottawa Rough Riders. As a rookie with the 1970 Rough Riders, Wellesley had a career game rushing for 159 yards and scoring 3 touchdowns – a Canadian rookie record. The highlight of his football career was playing with the 1973 Grey Cup Champion Ottawa Rough Riders.

Terry retired in 1976 and entered the Financial Services business, spending time in key assignments in Japan and Australia, while being recognized in the Top 25 Business Executives on Business Travel in North America in 2009. He retired from the Bank of Montreal in 2014 and currently resides in King City with his wife Kathy. He is an avid supporter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

1988 BELLEVILLE ENRIGHT MIDGET GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM

TEAM, SOFTBALL

Provincial Women's Softball Champions, 1988 national silver medalist at the Canadian Midget Girls Championship