Welland Sports Wall of Fame adding 10 plaques
Retired NHLer Girardi will be highlighting 2024 induction class
A Welland Minor Hockey Association grad who played 1,070 games in the National Hockey League despite going undrafted and a teacher who coached high school basketball for more than three decades are among seven individuals whose names will be added to the Welland Sports Wall of Fame.
Besides Dan Girardi and Mike Rao, the 2024 induction class also includes Ray Sarkis, who spent more than 40 years promoting intercollegiate athletics at Niagara College, and Steve Latinovich, who played and coached professional hockey in Switzerland.
Two minor baseball and one high school basketball team will also be inducted in a ceremony on Sunday, May 5, at Seaway Mall.
Wall of fame selection committee chair Gary Talosi pointed out this year’s class will be one of the largest since Welland’s sports shrine was established in 1993.
Last year, only three plaques were added to the wall. Dan Paille, the first player from Welland to win a Stanley Cup, was enshrined as an athlete, Steve and Rosie Smith were posthumously inducted together as builders, while a peewee baseball team that captured an Ontario championship was welcomed in the team category.
Talosi credited an induction ceremony that was highlighted by a surprise appearance by the Stanley Cup as well as the makeup of last year’s class for encouraging nominations.
“I think last year’s class was a perfect class — we had one athlete, we had one builder and we had one team — and I think the citizens of Welland saw the example and it prompted thoughts in their mind of others,” he said.