Tourism, Culture and Recreation
February 23, 2007

The Board of Directors of the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame have selected six members to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 34^th Annual Dinner and Inductions Ceremony.

William "Bill" Breen of St. John�s; Mike Kelly of Bell Island; and Tom Tarrant of St. Lawrence will be entering the Hall of Fame in the Athlete category. Matthew J. Foster originally of Broughshane, Ireland, now living in St. John�s, and Robert Hillier of Mount Pearl will be inducted in the Builder category. Gordon Clarence Follett of St. John�s will be inducted as an Althlete/Builder.

William "Bill" Breen" is the only Newfoundland and Labrador athlete to win two Canadian team championships in two major sports - soccer and hockey. He has been inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Hall of Fame and the Newfoundland and Labrador Hockey Hall of Fame. Bill Breen ranks with the finest soccer players to ever perform within Newfoundland and Labrador, earning respect and admiration for more than 30 years. He has 11 provincial titles and was selected to play for Canada's national junior team at the 1975-76 CONCACAF tournament in Puerto Rico. Mr. Breen was one of the best hockey players within Newfoundland and Labrador from the mid-1970s to the late 1980s. His accomplishments include the 1986 Allan Cup national championship, four Herder Memorial Trophy seasons, as well as Atlantic and Eastern Canadian senior championships.

Mike Kelly, with his diverse athletic ability, was able to represent five locations in four sports: Bell Island (hockey and track and field); Harbour Grace, Conception Bay North (hockey); Buchans (hockey and baseball); Gander (hockey, baseball, and soccer); and Grand Falls (baseball). In August 1995, Mr. Kelly was recognized for his accomplishments by being elected as one of the first inductees in the Bell Island Sports Hall of Fame. It was in the sport of hockey that Mr. Kelly really stood out, being among the outstanding hockey players of his era. During the 1960s, Mike Kelly earned three Herder Memorial Trophies while playing with the Conception Bay Cee Bees, the Buchans Miners and the Gander Flyers. He also won three Newfoundland Senior Hockey League scoring championships while playing with these teams for the Herder Memorial. In 1962, Mr. Kelly was invited to the training camp of the Quebec Aces, the number one farm club of the Montreal Canadiens. In 1996, he was invited to try out with Canada's National Hockey Team.

Matthew J. Foster arrived in Newfoundland from his native Ireland in 1953 to begin his teaching career at Bishop Field College in St. John's. He made a very important and significant contribution to sport in Newfoundland and Labrador over a thirty-three year period. In 1962, Mr. Foster was named to represent Newfoundland and Labrador as a member of the National Advisory Committee Council on Fitness and Amateur Sport. In 1967, he was a member of Newfoundland and Labrador's Mission Staff at the first Canada Winter Games in Quebec City and, in 1969, he served as a member of the provincial mission staff at the first Canada Summer Games in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He served as a member of many other committees including the Report of Special Commission on Sports and Youth Activities in 1969, and the Report on Organized Recreation and Amateur Sport Activities in Newfoundland and Labrador in 1963-64. Mr. Foster also led his talents as he served on the bid committee for the 1977 Canada Summer Games which took place in St. John's.

Robert Hillier has been involved as a builder at the local, provincial, national, and international levels for almost 40 years. He has made a significant contribution towards the development and promotion of amateur sport, particularly soccer, in the City of Mount Pearl and the province. He served as president of the Mount Pearl Soccer Association from 1991-1997. Mr. Hillier played a significant role in bringing the Newfoundland and Labrador 2000 Summer Games to the City of Mount Pearl. He served as chairperson of the games which, at the time, was the largest provincial games in the province's history. In the same year, Robert Hillier raised $46,000 from the corporate sector to cover the budget commitments for the National Under 17 Boys and Girls Soccer championships hosted in St. John's and Mount Pearl. This tournament was the largest single sport event ever held in the metro area. Mr. Hillier was instrumental in the development of the Mount Pearl Sport Alliance, and he is currently serving as its Business Manager. In 2000, he was awarded the Mount Pearl Executive of the Year Award. In 2002, he was inducted under the Builder category into the Mount Pearl Sports Hall of Fame. In 2001, Mr. Hillier was chairperson of the Bid Committee for the 2001 International Soccer Championship. That competition brought new heights to soccer at both the local and provincial level.