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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday February 24, 2007 - 15 A time to reflect on a lifetime achievement Continued from page 9 It was the 1997 World Championships in Finland, and Canada was facing Sweden in the final, a game Canada would later win. "Our coach brought out a big Canadian flag before the game, and we all put a pin on our hometown. Obviously I went to Oakville and put my pin there," said Zamuner. "I just felt a sense of pride, that that's where I came from. I was born and raised here, so tonight is very special to me." Though he played for Canada at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games and World Championships, captained the Tampa Bay Lightning and scored more than 300 career points in the NHL, Zamuner said there was one thing he never forgot. "No matter how many times I was on TV, or on the radio, I was still a kid from White Oaks," he said, smiling. Now an assistant coach of the OHL's Mississauga IceDogs, Zamuner is also working with his dad at his local business and spending time with his kids back at home. "The things I really remember about growing up in Oakville were the simple things," he said. "My father dug a big hole, like a pond in our yard, and we always had friends who came up and played (hockey). It sounds kind of sappy but that was sort of like the Canadian dream. Those are the things I remember." Rob Zamuner Zamuner, in his acceptance speech, recognized himself and Christie as the professional athletes, but gave extra applause to the other inductees ­ Houchen, Hussey and Taylor. "The three others played for the love of the game and dedicated themselves to the game, and made a big impression," he said. "I think that's what these events are all about." Houchen has made an impression on the Oakville Soccer Club -- that's where her nomination came from. "It was very surprising when I found out, very shocking. I cried, I bawled," said the more-than-20-year member of the soccer club. "I tried to call my best friend Rosie and I couldn't even talk. I kept trying to tell her and the words just wouldn't come out so I would hang up and call again." That same emotion was with Houchen on stage when she gave her Michele Houchen acceptance speech. "There's just so many people to thank," she said. "My soccer family ­ thank you so much." Starting as a player at age 16, Houchen, now 41, has played for the women's national team on several occasions, won three national championships, five provincial championships and has earned three most valuable player awards for Ontario. In 2005, as a player and coach, Houchen guided the Oakville Panthers to a World Women's Masters Championship win. She ranks those accomplishments as high on the list -- and the induction "is right up there." "When you're talking about being recognized by your peers and people you've played with and kids you've influenced, that's a great feeling. I'm just so proud and honoured." Houchen was, in 2004, named assistant coach of the Ontario Steve Christie provincial team's soccer program, and her team won a gold medal for Ontario at the National All-Star Championship. She's now a development director with the Oakville Soccer Club, mentoring coaches, as well as scouting and training young athletes. "Soccer has been such a strong force for me," she said. "It's always been an important and large part of my life, and it always will be." She joins Phil Iafrati as Oakville's soccer Hall of Famers. With the addition of Peter "Cyclone" Taylor, Donovan Bailey and Ollie Johnson now have company as Hall of Fame track athletes. Taylor passed away in October of last year. His wife Shirley and son Paul accepted the award on his behalf. "It's a real honour. I'm very emotional," Shirley said, with tears in her eyes. "I wish he could have been here to accept this." Taylor, a Toronto native who moved to Oakville at age six, developed his passion for track at Oakville Trafalgar Collegiate. At age 17, Taylor in 1940 became the youngest-ever Canadian open champion for 100- and 220-yard distances. His hopes for the Olympics, though, ended with the coming of the Second World War. Taylor took first place at the allied army track and field championships in Holland at the end of the war in the 100-meter, and that's when he earned his nickname Cyclone. He would continue to set records and run the 100m within three-tenths of a second of the world record time. His best time: 9.8 seconds. "When you have a nickname like Cyclone, that gives you the impression that he was fast," Shirley said. "He wasn't really that fast ­ I caught him," she added, smiling. For Taylor's son Peter, Thursday was a look at a different side of his father. "It's funny because the Peter Taylor that's being honoured tonight is almost someone I never knew. His athletic career was pretty much over by the time I came around," said Paul, who was adopted, and noted he didn't inherit the cyclone genes. "It's a whole different side of him I didn't really know about until recently. It's a side I'm really proud of." NATURESSOURCE 4- RENOVATION6)4!-).3!,% 3OF$UNDAS ,OBLAWS0LAZA 4RAFALGAR2D /!+6),,% /&& %6%294().' -534'/ 3%,%#4%$)4%-3/.,9 7%!2%2%./6!4).'4/ 3%26%9/5"%44%2 (/523 -ON&RI 3AT 3UN NATURESSOURCECOM MAILORDER 3EEKADVICEFROMOURQUALIlEDSTAFFNATURESSOURCEISNOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISPRINTS 4HIS AD IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY PLEASE CONSULT YOUR .ATUROPATHIC PHYSICAN OR DOCTOR FOR ANY MEDICAL ADVICE 7HILE QUANTITIES LAST 6ALIDUNTIL&EBTH