Central alumni celebrate at Sports Hall of Fame induction

Burlington Central High School alumni began their 100th anniversary celebrations a few days early when the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies were held Tuesday night.

Only one of the four new members of the distinctive club is a product of Central — eye surgeon and entrepreneur Dr. Marnix Heersink — but when he asked his high school cohorts to gather for a photo during the ceremony, half of the audience made its way out to the Burlington Golf and Country Club patio for the occasion.

Central has lavish plans to celebrate 100 years this weekend.

Joining Heersink in the BSHOF Class of 2023 were Nexxice synchro skating head coach Shelley Barnett, Canadian national basketball star Brady Heslip and Canadian baseball team player and coach Kate Psota.

Winning the The Don Green Award of Distinction was the perennially world-class Nexxice team.

Despite leaving Burlington more than a half-century ago, Heersink, an ophthalmologist, was thrilled to make the trek from Alabama to attend the induction.

“I got up this morning and did a few surgeries,” he said. “I knew this was a special day so I hopped in the plane and got here this afternoon.”

Heersink took part in a number of sports but by Grade 10, a combination of his disdain for cold weather and a six-inch growth spurt convinced him to concentrate on basketball. Recruited by Western, he went on to earn numerous all-star team berths throughout his athletic career at Western, culminating in a first-team all-Canadian selection. His business acumen led him to flourish in real estate, and last year he donated $32 million to McMaster University. It’s one of many donations to various institutions that total in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

“I’ve worked hard to make money I don’t really need,” he said. “I’m at the point right now that… let’s make sure there’s opportunities for others so they can pass on things and give them a chance to make the world better.”

Barnett, hired to coach a novice team for the the Burlington Figure Skating Club’s Ice Image teams in 1991, joined the Burlington-based Nexxice in 2000 and, with manager Debbie Beauchamp, has coached teams to 19 medals at Canadians and two world championships so far.

The sleek, synchronized performers feature dazzling costumes and stage make-up can sometimes mask how difficult the sport can be.

“It can be quite dangerous, actually,” said Barnett. “Skating at close proximity while lifting and doing death spirals (for example), so (you) can have concussions and severed arteries.”

Once one season ends in the spring, it’s back on the ice a few weeks later for summer sessions.

“It’s a year-round sport,” Barnett said.

Heslip played various sports in his youth, but with a basketball-playing father, mother, uncle and grandfather, he gravitated towards hoops, winning a Halton title at Nelson and keying an exciting run to the Elite Eight while starring for Baylor University in 2012. He won a silver medal at the Pan Am Games during his 10 years with the national team. Seven professional seasons followed with the NBA G-league, Raptors 905 and in Bosnia and Germany.

Currently the general manager of the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Scarborough Shooting Stars and employed in the real estate industry like his father was, Heslip is a proud Burlingtonian, pointing out both Canada’s and Burlington’s perennial top-five rankings as places to reside.

“Statistically, this is one of the best cities in the world to live in,” he said. “I tell people that frequently on my travels. You don’t always recognize that growing up but looking back you realize how fortunate you were.”

Psota, an Aldershot High School grad who also earned a degree at Wilfrid Laurier University, starred in both baseball and hockey. A trailblazer in baseball when most girls played softball, Psota was the first female Player of the Year in Ontario in 2002.

She went on to win just about everything else but a World Cup gold, helping Canada earn three silver medals andfour bronze. She was a four-time IBAF World Cup all-star and two-time Canadian MVP in 2009-10.

She also helped WLU to five straight OUA hockey championships, the last

year capped with a bronze at the 2010 nationals.

The fact that Aldershot was and is a small high school became an advantage for Psota.

“I know people kind of rag on us,” she said. “but if you’re a good athlete at Aldershot, you get to play every sport. It’s such as tight-knit community it offers such a great opportunity. A lot of great athletes have come through the school.”

Her baseball talents were so apparent that she was recruited for international tournaments when she was 15. She played all positions internationally except catching, and would have done that, too, if her manager had allowed it.

She is now coaching baseball at the national level and was quick to acknowledge the difficulties she’s encountered.

“Holy stressful!” she said, recognizing all the educators in the room. “There is so much more stress as a coach than a player. Props to all of you.”

With this year’s inductions, there are now 67 individuals and one team, the 1981-82 Jr. B Cougars, in the Hall of Fame. The first group was inducted in 2008.