Former wrestler and Central Alberta coach Herman Dorin will be one of 10 inductees to join the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame next year.
Didsbury’s Dorin, who will receive the Pioneer Award, was one of two athletes recognized at a ceremony at the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in Red Deer on Monday. Water skier Kreg Llewellyn, originally from Innisfail, was represented by his mother Chris Llewellyn.
Ceremonies were simultaneously held in Calgary and Edmonton, where other inductees were on hand.
The 10 will become official members of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame at an induction banquet May 31.
Dorin, who began wrestling in the late 1940s, competed in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight categories and was undefeated in provincial competition for 15 years, from 1951 to 1966. He also competed at three national championships and placed second in 1967.
While teaching students in Winfield, Bentley, Eckville and Didsbury, he formed the first school wrestling teams outside of Calgary and Edmonton.
Dorin said last year, he had an opportunity to attend the Alberta wrestling championship and was proud of how the athletes performed.
“I just stood there with my mouth open. They had nine mats going all day long. Little girls this high,” he said, holding out a hand at hip level, “were wrestling each other. Unbelievable.”
Dorin said when he started coaching in communities such as Bentley, wrestling was unknown, but he didn’t let that stop him.
“It didn’t matter. I liked it so much, I couldn’t help but coach.”
Dorin said when he was growing up in the Alberta hamlet of Bruce, sports options were limited. Even hockey was out of reach, at least for him.
“I was younger than the others, so they put me in the goal, so consequently, I never really learned to skate,” he said with a laugh.
In addition to athletes, hall of fame inductees include builders who have dedicated endless hours to developing their sports, teams that know the meaning of teamwork, and sport pioneers.
Other Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2019 inductees are hockey athlete Mike Rogers; bobsleigh athlete Lyndon Rush, of Sylvan Lake; hockey and football builder James Donlevy; artistic swimming builder Dorothy Padget; wrestling builder Edward Thresher; and the Randy Ferbey Curling Team. Multisport athlete and builder George Stothart will receive the Achievement Award, and Rob Kerr will receive the Bell Memorial Award.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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