Class of 2021 brings total number of inductees to 82
Nepean, Ont. – Oct. 28, 2021 -The Nepean Sports Wall of Fame inducted eight noteworthy Nepean sport figures this evening at the 2021 Virtual Induction Ceremony, celebrating excellence in local sport.
The class of 2021 represents some of Nepean’s finest athletes, coaches, builders, and the first-ever media member inducted to the Wall of Fame, which is housed at the Nepean Sportsplex.
The virtual ceremony, presented by Mattamy Homes and hosted by Olympian and broadcaster Rosey Edeh, was broadcast on YouTube and remains available to view at https://nepeansportswalloffame.org/.
“Congratulations to all our new inductees,” said NSWF board chair Gavin Leishman. “They have made Nepean very proud through their many accomplishments and contributions to sport. Their plaques will be added to the Nepean Sportsplex display to inspire future generations in our sporting community.”
Class of 2021 – Nepean Sports Wall of Fame
Media
Stuart Schwartz is the first media member to be inducted to the NSWF and has been a staple of the Ottawa sport community since the mid 1990s. Schwartz, known informally as Stuntman Stu, has been a radio host for more than 25 years and was the Ottawa Senators public address announcer for 12 years.
Athletes
Fred Brathwaite played parts of nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a goaltender. He later went on to work as goaltender coach for the New York Islanders of the NHL and as a goaltending consultant for Hockey Canada.
Darren Pang played parts of three seasons as a goaltender in the NHL. He was a member of the 1984 Memorial Cup champion Ottawa 67s. He has since worked as a broadcaster and analyst for the likes of NBC, ESPN and TSN.
Builders
Rene Braendli has been a longstanding member of the local soccer community. A founding member of Ottawa South United, he played a key role in the development of girls’ soccer in Nepean and Ottawa as a whole.
Cynthia Reid was the co-founder and a long-time coach of the Nepean Skating Club. She was a constant fixture at the rink for more than 40 years and helped build the skating community in Nepean. She coached many talented athletes over the years, including 1985 NSWF inductee and former Canadian champion Janet Morrissey.
Coaches/Managers
Mark Gallant is a long-time hockey referee and dedicated member of the hockey community. He has managed refereeing for both Ottawa District Minor Hockey Association and Hockey Eastern Ontario. He was also the assistant coach of Canada’s gold-medal-winning ice sledge hockey team at the 2006 Paralympic Games.
Mark Singer has been a member of the Rideau Canoe Club for more than 25 years. During that time, he represented Canada at Junior Worlds and won eight National Championships in sprint canoe. He has since accumulated more than 15 years of coaching experience.
Chris Byrne coached the Nepean Raiders to two Canadian Junior Hockey League championships before joining the Ottawa 67s. After spending eight seasons with the 67s as coach and general manager, he joined the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL as Director of CHL Scouting.
To learn more about the class of 2021 and see their photos, visit nepeansportswalloffame.org. Photos available for media: https://tinyurl.com/nsb2m558
About the Nepean Sports Wall of Fame 2021 Virtual Induction Ceremony
The 2021 NSWF Virtual Induction Ceremony was live streamed virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
New this year was emcee Rosey Edeh, a three-time track and field Olympian, Commonwealth Games medallist and co-host of CTV Morning Live Ottawa. Edeh anchored the presentation of this year’s nominees.
The link to watch the ceremony will remain available for viewing at nepeansportswalloffame.org.
The NSWF would like to thank presenting sponsor Mattamy Homes and the other sponsors, city councillors, and community members who supported this year’s ceremony. A full list of sponsors and supporters can be viewed at: https://nepeansportswalloffame.org/participate/sponsor/.
The Nepean Sports Wall of Fame now consists of 82 inductees, representing excellence in coaches/managers, athletes, builders and media.
All inductees and their plaques are displayed on the physical Wall of Fame, located in the Nepean Sportsplex lobby. The exhibit is open to the public and represents a tangible permanent collage of significant Nepean sporting accomplishments.
For more information or interview requests with inductees, please contact:
- Gavin Leishman dook19@rogers.com and
- Sherry Pang info@nepeansportswalloffame.org