Popular SFDCI coach captures award sponsored by local Kinsmen Club, Dan Dufort adds name to list of Sportspersons of the Year
Posted Jul 1, 2010 By Ryland Coyne
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Kathy Botham, Smiths Falls EMC
Athletes, coaches and support staff were honoured during the annual Smiths Falls Sportspersons Banquet & Awards, held June 25 at the Smiths Falls Golf & Country Club. It was held with a sombre note as earlier that day, sports and youth supporter Gerry Lowe had passed away. His granddaughter Chelsea received a figure skating award during the evening. Above, those honoured were, back row from left: Rob Orr, Ryan Henderson, Paul Cauley, Mike Saunders, John White, Gary Bisonette, Todd Spencer, William Earl, Dan Dufort, Terry Shea, Dylan Howes, Vince Dufort and Bill Wheeler. Front row, from left: Patty Preston, Debbie Shea, Alice Black, Megan Smith and Jessie Wilson (Loucks).
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Kathy Botham, Smiths Falls EMC
Top, Smiths Falls mayor Dennis Staples, right, presents Jessie Wilson (Loucks) with the ladies golf honour.
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Kathy Botham, Smiths Falls EMC
Above, Debbie, left, and Terry Shea receive a special award for coaching and support from Staples.
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Kathy Botham, Smiths Falls EMC
Above, far left: men's golfer of the year Ryan Henderson ...
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Kathy Botham, Smiths Falls EMC
...while William Earl, above left, receives the men's baseball award.
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EMC Sports - The Smiths Falls Kinsmen Club celebrated the top athletic performers and contributors of 2009-2010 at its annual Sportspersons Banquet & Awards Friday night at the Smiths Falls Golf & Country Club. A total of 14 athletes, several coaches and support persons and this year's Sportsperson of the Year long-time Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute coach Dan Dufort were honoured this night.
Kathy Botham, Smiths Falls EMC
Left, Patty Preston is honoured with the ladies baseball award.
"I was very surprised," Dufort said, explaining he had attended the banquet in support of his son Vincent, named the SFDCI male athlete of the year, and three of his colleagues from the school who were presented with a special award. "It was a big honour."
Dufort has been teaching at the high school for 15 years and has played an integral role building a formidable basketball program from the ground up. With established coaches leading the program at SFDCI when he first arrived, Dufort started by coaching Grade 9 players at the midget level.
"I took my rightful place and started at the bottom," he said.
But within a few years, Dufort rose through the ranks. Not only did he start to lead the junior and senior programs, he also initiated a community 'Storm' basketball program that brought the sport to younger children in Smiths Falls. To this day, boys and girls receive top level coaching well before high school. Once they arrive at SFDCI, they are more than prepared to face their competition.
The results have been impressive. Both the SFDCI RedHawks girls and boys programs have finished at or near the top of their respective standings for many consecutive years and the senior boys attended this year's OFSAA championship in Windsor, Ont.
Dufort has also played a big role in fundraising for the RedHawks program at the school, working with colleagues to bring in thousands of dollars for athletics, allowing the teams to travel to various venues to compete, often against the best in the province.
He's all the more "flattered" to receive the award, given the impressive list of prior recipients including such well-known sportspersons as John Halpin, Louie Hart, Glen (Red) Blair, Hal Dewey, Clem Henderson, Larry Hull, Rob Dopson (the night's master of ceremonies), Rick Plontz, and Marshall Hogan to name just a few. Still, he says there are others who would be just as deserving.
"I think a few of my colleagues could have received it," he said, noting he had actually nominated other SFDCI coaches.
Taking such a vested interest in sports at the school and in town has also given Dufort an opportunity to coach his own children, all of whom have excelled over the years. Eldest son David was a member of the Vanier Cup-winning Queen's Golden Gaels football team in 2009. Vincent played on both championship-winning senior RedHawks football and basketball teams this past season. And daughter Alex was a key contributor for the junior RedHawks girls team in 2009-2010.
One of the things of which he's most proud is attracting youngsters who may be struggling in school and getting them involved in the program. "I try to work hand in hand with the kids" many of whom have then chosen to stay in school and graduate at the end of Grade 12.
The evening was hosted by the Kinsmen Club and again emceed by Rob Dopson, who read a brief description of each recipient's accomplishments. He used his good sense of humour to add to the sincerity behind each presentation.
While it was a night of celebration, everyone also had a heavy heart upon hearing of the passing of Gerry Lowe the night before, a strong supporter of sport in and around Smiths Falls over many years. He was a previous Sportsperson of the Year in 1980.
His granddaughter, Chelsea, who was not able to attend the banquet, was the recipient of the night's first award for figure skating.
Recipients list
This year's honoured athletes are:
- Chelsea Lowe, figure skating
- Ryan Henderson, men's golf,
- Jessie Wilson (Loucks), age 91, ladies golf
- William Earl, men's baseball
- Patty Preston, ladies baseball
- Terry & Debbie Shea, coaching and support (special award)
- John White, bowling (sportsmanship)
- Rob Orr, curling (sportsmanship)
- Alice Black, lawn bowling (sportsmanship)
- Joan Smith, scouting (coaching and support)
- Lisa Flick, soccer (sportsmanship)
- Dylan Howes, football (sportsmanship)
- Megan Smith, SFDCI athlete, female
- Vincent Dufort, SFDCI athlete, male
- Todd Spencer, Bill Wheeler and Paul Cauley, SFDCI coaching team
- Garry Bisonette, minor hockey, coaching and support
- Mike Saunders, wrestling (sportsmanship).
Each of the recipients received a plaque which was presented by mayor Dennis Staples.
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