Four inducted into Notre Dame Wall of Fame
The Notre Dame Wall of Fame grew by four Friday morning during an induction ceremony at the Welland high school.
Joining the sports wall were Grey Cup champion Chris Van Zeyl, world field lacrosse silver medalist Vanessa VanderZalm, U SPORTS basketball champion Scott Murray and cheer coach Karen Wallace.
The wall, established in 1986 during the school’s 50th anniversary celebrations, honours any Notre Dame alumnus who has attained outstanding recognition or superior accomplishments in a school sport. It is based on playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contribution to a team or teams at Notre Dame.
“As you can probably imagine, this is a difficult and challenging task. We are blessed to have a history of excellence so you can imagine our pride at adding four more recipients this year,” Notre principal Andrew Boon said.
CHRIS VAN ZEYL
“The football field is where Chris excelled throughout his high school and athletic career,” Notre Dame football coach Tim Bisci said.
Van Zeyl won a junior championship in 1997 and in 1999, he was junior MVP, playing linebacker and running back. In Grade 12, he was part of a senior football squad that recorded shutouts in five of eight games, including 44-0 in the league championship game. The squad was ranked fourth in Ontario and eighth in Canada.
In Grade 13, he dominated on the defensive line and also played offensive tackle for the first time midway through the season
“It was a glimpse into what would be his career,” Bisci said.
That team won the Niagara region and became first local squad to compete in the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations Bowl playdowns, making it to the semifinals.
During a five-year career at McMaster, he won a Yates Cup in 2002, was a First Team Ontario University Athletics All-Star in 2006 and an All-Canadian in 2007.
He was drafted 18th overall into the CFL by the Montreal Alouettes before being traded to the Toronto Argonauts the following season. He began his CFL career in 2009 on special teams and at offensive tackle and by 2010, measuring 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, he became a starter at right tackle. He started for Argos from 2010-2018 and won two Grey Cup before joining the Hamilton Ti-Cats where he made the Grey Cup twice more. Van Zeyl was a CFL All-Star three times and CFL East Division All-Star seven times. In 2019, he was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman.
He announced his retirement April 6 via social media after 17 years.
Van Zeyl was unable to attend the induction ceremony but in a taped message he thanked the incredible teachers and coaches at Notre Dame.
VANESSA VANDERZALM
“What was evident to everyone is that Vanessa possessed passion, dedication, leadership and expertise at every sport she participated in,” former Notre Dame coach and teacher Agi Mete said. “Anyone who coached Vanessa from Grade 9 to 12 would say simply this. She just didn’t play basketball, hockey and lacrosse. She dominated all three sports while she was here.”
In 2010, she became a starter and captain on the senior girls basketball, hockey and lacrosse teams and was named the school’s junior female athlete of the year. In 2012, she was the senior female athlete of the year.
As a member of the field lacrosse team, VanderZalm helped the Irish win an OFSAA silver in 2010 and OFSAA gold medals in 2011 and 2012. The squad went 25-0 in 2012 and later earned induction into the Welland Sports Wall of Fame. That season, Van Der Zalm recorded 123 goals and 71 assists and finished her Irish career with 420 goals and 199 assists. Her performance saw her number retired at Notre Dame.
In 2013, she was the youngest player selected for the Canadian senior women’s team that mined a silver medal at the world championships.
When her high school career ended, VanderZalm played NCAA Division 1 scholarship lacrosse at the University of Vermont. She was a four-year starter and was named team captain in her sophomore year. Her accolades saw her named to the conference all-rookie team and she earned all-conference and all-academic team honours all four years. She was named the school’s female athlete of the year in her senior year and was also nominated for the NCAA Women of the Year Award for her contributions on the field and in the classroom and community. VanderZalm is still ranked in the top five in several career offensive categories at Vermont.
“All those records speak to the complete player she was and how she contributed to the team,” Mete said.
VanderZalm singled out Mete at the induction ceremony.
“As I reflect on my athletic career, I wouldn’t have picked up a stick if it wasn’t for you. Truthfully, I could go on and on about the lessons I learned from you over the years but if I had to summarize it in one sentence it would be that hard work pays off.”
It was Mete who convinced a skeptical VanderZalm to try out for Team Canada.
“I felt that I didn’t have the skill and fitness level to compete at that level. He quickly convinced me otherwise and I signed up.”
She gave a shout out to the current crop of top female athletes at Notre Dame.
“I hope you continue to put in the hard work because I can tell you it is difficult but is it worth it at the end of the day. I hope to see your names up on the wall in the future.”
She also acknowledged all her former teammates and coaches and the support and assistance she received from her parents.
SCOTT MURRAY
Murray transferred to Notre Dame from Centennial in Grade 10 and quickly became a force on the school’s basketball and golf teams.
“Scott was one of the first public school kids that we convinced to come to Notre Dame,” former Notre Dame teacher and coach Mike Rao said. “The great basketball tradition that grew from that, he was the beginning. I had the privilege of growing along with Scotty during his years at Notre Dame. I taught him some basketball and he taught me a lot of things along the way as well.”
Rao described Murray as an athlete who played basketball and golf and an outstanding student. He was a two-time golf MVP, Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association silver medalist and OFSAA participant. In basketball, he was a two-time team MVP, three-time Niagara all-star, three-time Tribune tourney all-star, 2002 Tribune top defensive player, 2002 male athlete of the year and two-time Tribune champion.
At the travel level, Murray won two OBA Division 1 titles back when Division 1 was the highest level in the province.
When his high school career ended, he played at Brock under his father Ken Murray for five seasons and won national championship as team captain in 2008.
“We all watched it on TV and it was a great day for Notre Dame and for Brock,” Rao said.
Murray continues to sit in the top five of numerous statistical categories at Brock.
Murray is employed with RBC Wealth Management as a financial advisor and has helped fundraise more than $500,000 for various initiatives. He won a RBC Global Citizen Award for his efforts.
“It is cool to be inducted into this wall of fame. I don’t remember wins or losses, I don’t remember great shots that I made or missed, or putts I missed or balls that I hit out of bounds but what I do remember are the people,” Murray said. “It is about the people you meet along the way. I show up here as a young, cocky boy in Grade 10 and I left as a young and confident man. Thank you.”
Murray thanked his former teammates, including Rohan Steen.
“I was the Batman to his Robin and I played with some amazing players along the way. My teammates always lifted me up.”
He also thanked his family for their support.
“My parents and sister gave up a lot for me and I took them to exotic places like Brantford, Hamilton, Mississauga, Brampton, Sudbury and Thunder Bay. I share this honour with you.”
He shared some advice with Notre Dame students as he concluded his acceptance speech.
“Not every can have a starting role or a starring role but be a star in your role because you never know what role is next.”
KAREN WALLACE
“I am here to introduce you to a woman who has bled blue, gold and green since the late 1970s,” said presenter Angela Eckhardt, a current Notre Dame teacher and former cheer team member. “Over our 30-year friendship, she has taught me to raise the bar higher than you could ever imagine possible for yourself and others.”
Wallace, who was coach of the swim team, started coaching the Notre Dame cheer team in 1986 because no one else would. With a background in synchronized swimming and water polo, she learned a new sport along with the girls she coached.
“She is a cheer legend in the province of Ontario helping teams across Niagara to Markham, to even Kingston and Thunder Bay still to this day,” Eckhardt said.
Away from Notre Dame, Wallace was a judge at world cheerleading championships and an executive member of Ontario Cheerleading Federation, including serving two terms as president. She also was a head coach of the cheer team at Brock and won a world championship at Brock as an assistant coach in 2020.
Wallace accepted the honour of behalf of all her former coaches and players.
“By recognizing me, you are recognizing all these amazing athletes that have worked long and hard to be seen; seen as a female athletic team worthy of honour and recognition.”
She coached because she loved both the kids and the sport.
“There is no other feeling quite like helping young athletes develop their determination, work ethic, resilience, confidence, discipline, leadership skills and respect for each other, their team and their school,” Wallace said. “My hope has always been that they can transfer all these skills and more into their adult lives and families. I am truly blessed.”
She thanked her husband, Mike Wallace, and her parents for all their support.
