Jules Owchar

Born in Lac La Biche, Jules Owchar became one of curling’s most successful and respected coaches, guiding athletes to titles at every level of the sport. His men’s teams captured 10 Alberta Championships, 7 Briers, 2 World Championships, 3 Olympic medals, and 24 Slam titles, while at NAIT he led curling teams to 34 ACAC titles and 15 national podium finishes across 45 seasons. Honoured with numerous coaching awards, he was inducted into the Curling Canada Hall of Fame in 2019.

John "Red" Pollard

John “Red” Pollard overcame blindness in one eye to become a legendary jockey, known for his gentleness with horses. He famously rode Seabiscuit 30 times, achieving 18 wins, including the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap. Pollard was a founding member of the Jockeys’ Guild and was inducted into the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame (1968) and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (1982).

Joe Poplawski

Poplawski excelled in multiple sports at Archbishop O’Leary High School and starred as a wide receiver and place kicker for the University of Alberta Golden Bears. He played nine seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, earning five Dr. Beattie Martin Trophies, two CFL Most Outstanding Canadian awards, five CFL All-Star selections, and a 1984 Grey Cup championship. Honoured in numerous halls of fame, he is also a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Ring of Honour and TSN’s all-time Blue Bombers team.

Bernie Sparkes

Sparkes was an Alberta Schoolboys Champion in 1957 and later won four provincial titles with Ron Northcott’s team, capturing three Canadian and World Men’s Curling Championships. After moving to British Columbia in 1971, he won eight more provincial titles, including six as skip, and achieved a record twelve Brier appearances. Sparkes was inducted into multiple Halls of Fame, including Curling Canada, British Columbia Sports, and the World Curling Federation.

Cecil "Tiny" Thompson

Raised in Calgary, the Thompson brothers made NHL history when Paul scored against his brother Cecil in 1937, marking the first time a brother scored on a brother. Cecil, a goaltender, won a Stanley Cup, four Vezina Trophies, and played 553 of 560 games with Boston and Detroit, later serving as a long-time scout and WWII RCAF coach, earning induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1959. Paul, the first Alberta-born NHL player, won three Stanley Cups, led the league in points in the mid-1930s, and became a pioneering coach with the Chicago Black Hawks.

Paul Thompson

Raised in Calgary, the Thompson brothers made NHL history when Paul scored against his brother Cecil in 1937, marking the first time a brother scored on a brother. Cecil, a goaltender, won a Stanley Cup, four Vezina Trophies, and played 553 of 560 games with Boston and Detroit, later serving as a long-time scout and WWII RCAF coach, earning induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1959. Paul, the first Alberta-born NHL player, won three Stanley Cups, led the league in points in the mid-1930s, and became a pioneering coach with the Chicago Black Hawks.

Garry Unger

Unger starred with the Calgary Buffalos, earning back-to-back AJHL MVP and leading scorer honours before making his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1967. Over a 16-season career with six NHL teams, he played 1,115 games, scoring 804 points and setting records for consecutive games and Alberta-born player rankings. Unger later coached and managed in Alberta and was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Blues Hall of Fame.

Dianne Violini

Dianne Violini is a multiple-time provincial and national champion in women’s singles, women’s team, and mixed five-pin bowling, with nine national podium finishes including three golds. She began winning titles as a youth and has a long history supporting special needs bowlers. Violini was honoured by the Alberta Centennial Salute for Sport and Recognition and is a member of the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Five Pin Bowling Hall of Fame.

Gary Beck & Ray Peets

Gary Beck and Ray Peets were one of Canada’s most dominant drag racing teams, winning the 1974 NHRA Top Fuel World Championship and finishing runners-up in 1975 with an extraordinary 79% win rate that season. Both went on to earn recognition in the Canadian Motorsport and Canadian Drag Racing Halls of Fame, with Beck later capturing a second world title in 1983 and Peets building a celebrated career as an engine builder and racing innovator.

Gordie Bonin, Gordon Jenner, Ron Hodgson

Gordie Bonin, Ron Hodgson, and Gordon Jenner were one of Canada’s greatest funny car teams, capturing the 1979 NHRA U.S. Nationals and joining the prestigious Cragar 5-Second Club. All three went on to Hall of Fame careers, with Bonin achieving international racing fame, Hodgson shaping the sport as a builder and team owner, and Jenner excelling as a crew chief and track manager.