Four added to Notre Dame wall
Photos by Jorja Violette.
An impressive list of high school athletes who went on to have stellar collegiate careers were inducted Friday into the Notre Dame College School Athletic Wall of Fame.
Added to the wall were Kelly Baker, Sarah Moss, Tim Bisci and Jack Hall.
KELLY BAKER
Baker was a multi-sport athlete for the Irish, excelling in golf, football, basketball and track and field.
The graduating athlete of the year in 1976 quarterbacked the senior football team for three seasons, played five seasons on the senior volleyball and basketball teams, was a member of the golf team for one year and competed four seasons in track and field.
On the basketball court, he was team captain in 1977, was a Tribune and Centennial tournament all-star and was part of a Notre Dame team that lost by one point in the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations semifinals.
Baker helped Notre Dame finish 10th at the 1977 OFSAA golf championships and was the team’s low scorer.
In track and field, Baker competed in three events and qualified for the OFSAA regionals in long jump and triple jump.
He went on to become an Ontario University Athletics all-star in basketball at Brock where he started for five seasons and served as team captain for four years.
Baker ended up coaching and working at Notre Dame for three decades.
SARAH MOSS
When Moss graduated from Notre Dame in 2012, she left behind an impressive track and field legacy.
She won OFSAA gold in discus in Grade 9 and 10 and silver in Grade 11 and 12. She was also a provincial medalist in shot put all four years of high school.
After graduating from Notre Dame, Moss went on to compete at the collegiate level with DePaul.
Among her athletic honours were: Canadian Youth Athlete of the Year in 2009; gold in the discus at the Canadian National Youth Meet in 2009 and 2010 and silver in 2011; gold in the shot put at the Canadian National Youth Meet in 2009 with a meet record throw; and being a member of the Canadian Youth National Team which competed in the International Amateur Athletic Federation World Youth Championships.
TIM BISCI
Bisci shone in football, hockey and baseball with the Irish.
He was the team captain and MVP when he quarterbacked Notre Dame to a senior football championship in 1987 and was also on a championship team in 1986. He played on hockey teams that won two zone championships, a Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association title and qualified for OFSAA in 1987 and 1988. He was an assistant captain and won the Hockey Irish Award. On the baseball diamond. Bisci was part of a league finalist team in 1987 and a consolation championship in 1988.
He went on to have a highly successful football career at Wilfrid Laurier, highlighted by being team captain on a Vanier Cup champion in 1991. He was a two-year team captain, an OUA Second Team All-Star, an OUA First Team All-Star and a Second Team All-Canadian in 1992. In 1992, he was taken in the sixth round of the CFL draft by the Toronto Argonauts.
Bisci coached with Laurier, the University of Ottawa and Hastings College before starting to coach at Notre Dame in 1997. He has been head coach of the Notre Dame senior football team since 2001 and guided the team to its first-ever OFSAA Bowl. Bisci also coaches hockey, baseball and girls soccer.
JACK HALL
Hall was a multi-sport athlete at Notre Dame who specialized in football and basketball. He was known for his athletic prowess, high character and team-oriented approach.
The school’s male athlete of the year in 1974 was: a starter in soccer and basketball all five years at Notre Dame; was a starter for the volleyball team every year it ran; and, an all-star in the Silver Fox and Tribune basketball tournaments.
Upon graduation, he attended St. Thomas University where he was a two-time soccer MVP, two-time basketball MVP and the university’s male athlete of the year in 1979 and 1980. The 2017 Niagara Falls Sports Wall of Fame inductee was named one of the top St. Thomas University athletes of the century.
“It is with great pleasure that we include your name to our esteemed group of athletes, builders and worthy alumni,” Notre Dame principal Andrew Boon said at the induction ceremony. “You have demonstrated the values we hold dear. You have shown a teachable and constructive spirit to peers, teammates and coaches. You have brought an enthusiasm, a desire to learn and a shared pride to each endeavour, practice or competition. You have displayed an athletic integrity, good sportsmanship and respect that is remarkable. In all, you have lived that rare quality of team first. Rather than showcase yourself, you have practised the attitude of we over the attitude of me. And, as a result, you have gained the memories that can only be acquired by being a part of something bigger than yourself.”
The wall of fame was established in 1986 as part of the school’s 50th anniversary. Nominees are chosen based on playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and their contribution to the team or teams they played on at Notre Dame.
