MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- When the Moose Jaw and District Sports Hall of Fame selected its first class back in 2014, standout golfer and long-time high school coach and official Ken Bradley was part of the selection committee, a role he’s served in ever since.
Now, 10 years later, Bradley is in the Hall of Fame himself.
Bradley was among five athletes and builders who were officially announced as the 2024 inductees at the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Thursday morning, joining powerlifter Brian Montague, speedskating builder Wally Boshuck, basketball player Troy Gottselig and longtime basketball official Murray Swayze as the most recent honourees.
All are now enshrined on the Wall of Fame on the second floor concourse in the Events Centre and will be formally inducted during the Hall of Fame banquet on Sept. 28.
“This is our 10th anniversary and that makes it very special for me to be selected after working on the committee for the last 12 years,” said Bradley, who found out he was selected during one of their regular meetings.
“I attended one of our committee meetings and they made the announcement for me. We always get together as a committee and confirm the nominees and I ended up confirming my own,” he said with a laugh.
Bradley spent decades working as a coach and official for high school sports and could have been inducted on those accolades alone, but his prowess at golf made it a slam dunk. A multiple time provincial team member and three-time seniors provincial champion, Bradley has also spent countless hours teaching the game and working with the sport at a provincial level.
“When I look at all the international athletes and Olympic athletes that have been selected, it’s awesome to even be considered in that category and I appreciate that very much,” Bradley said.
Montague was also on hand at the announcement, with his induction coming as a result of an illustrious powerlifting career both as an athlete -- at the height of his lifting career, Montague was unquestionably one of the strongest men in the province, with the titles to prove it -- as well as a coach and mentor.
“It was a very big honour and especially with this fine group of athletes and builders here,” Montague said of being selected. “I appreciate their hard work and it’s nice to be part of it.”
Montague is the most recent member of the legendary Pyle’s Gym to be enshrined in the Hall and was quick to give thanks to that murderer’s row of strength athletes for their help in his development.
“It’s not just my award, we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us and Dave Pyle was a big influence, he was a gym owner who was ahead of his time,” Montague said. “Definitely a big part of my career was the support of Dave, and all my lifting partners like Merv Young, George Reed, Wayne Cormier, there were some big lifters in town and all good.”
Tickets are now on sale for the induction banquet, which will take place on Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. Tickets are $60 and are available at the Moose Jaw Events Centre box office, online at sasktix.ca or by calling (306) 624-2050.
Here’s a rundown of the 2024 inductees, including their official induction stories.
Ken Bradley
Kenneth (Ken) Bradley began his teaching career in Moose Jaw and successfully coached high school football and basketball winning three SHSAA provincial football and basketball titles. In 1981 Bradley became the Physical Education and Health Consultant for the Moose Jaw Public School Board until his retirement in 1997. As a consultant he was in charge of all high school and elementary sports activities organizing leagues, schedules, meets and officials. Ken researched and reorganized all high school football, basketball and track records from 1970.
He provided PE clinics for teachers, mentored young basketball officials and was the commissioner for a host of provincial high school events held in Moose Jaw. Provincially Bradley was an SHSAA Section I Board member from 1986-92. During that period he contributed the Moose Jaw District history writeup for the SHSAA 50th Anniversary book.
As an athlete Ken played three years of U of S Huskie football. He played and coached Sr. Men’s basketball for 20 yearswhere his teams captured 11 city titles. He was the league president from 1979-82. Ken was an “A” rated basketball official for 37 years refereeing over 2200 games at all levels including four assignments at “Hoopla”. Bradley was a local official’s
assigner (16 years) and an executive member of the Saskatchewan Association of Basketball Officials (SABO) from 1988-94.
Ken began golf at the age of 14 and was an average weekend player through his teaching career. Upon retirement Ken took up the game more seriously winning several local club and senior tournaments. In 2001 Ken entered his first of 23 provincial senior events where he found another level of competition. Bradley has captured three provincial senior titles
(’09,’10,’15) and made seven provincial teams. He finished second in the Canadian Super Seniors category (age 70+) at Medicine Hat in 2015. Recently Ken has won the Saskatchewan Super Seniors event 4 times and the Legends category (age 75+) 6 times. He has accumulated four holes-in-one.
Locally Bradley has been the Hillcrest club captain (’99-’11), club volunteer (24 years) and senior men’s club organizer (13 years). In 1992-’93 Ken wrote a series of articles for the Moose Jaw Times Herald called “Golf Hints” to explain the rules for local players. In 2004 Ken co-chaired the Canadian Junior Girl’s Golf Championship held at the Hillcrest. In 2007 he re-
established the City Men’s Golf championship which hadn’t been played since 1978 and won the title in ’08 and ’09. For 17 years Ken taught ladies learn to golf lessons in the winter for the City Parks and Rec department. Provincially Bradley has been a certified golf course rater for 23 years. In 2013 he was a founding member of the MJDSHF and authored a book
called “Out-of-Bounds: 100 Years of Golf in Moose Jaw” for the centennial anniversary of the Hillcrest.
For his many years of service in Moose Jaw Ken Bradley has received the following awards: SHSAA Service (1990); SPEA Initiative (1991); SHSAA Executive (1992); CAHPER Service (1994); SHSAA Merit (1996); Wink Willox Merit (1996); SHSAA 30 Year Referee Service (2011).
Walter (Wally) Boshuck
Walter (Wally) Boshuck was born in Struan, Saskatchewan in 1928. He began speed skating in 1944 in Saskatoon. Wally showed great promise as a speed skater and reached provincial and national calibre competitions. He was a member of the first Saskatoon team to compete in the Canadian Speed Skating Championships in Sudbury, Ontario in 1947. Wally finished fourth in the North American Inter-Collegiate Championships at Dartmouth University in New Hampshire in 1950.
Unfortunately his career was cut short by severe arthritis in 1951. His enthusiasm and love for the sport was solidly entrenched in Wally and he turned his efforts to coaching and administration. He spent the rest of his life tirelessly as a builder and promoter of speed skating across Saskatchewan, Canada and internationally.
Boshuck began his coaching career in Saskatoon in 1948 and moved to start a new skating club in North Battleford in 1952. Wally transferred to Moose Jaw in 1968 where he coached, officiated, started learn-to-skate programs and raised money to support the new speed skating club. Along the way Boshuck coached several outstanding national and international skaters including Shelley Rhead, Paul Evans and Roy Baker.
As an administrator, Boshuck served the Saskatchewan Speed Skating Association as a director, president and chairman of the Winter Games skating events. He officiated in many capacities for several years at Provincial, Western and Regional meets. Boshuck also served in similar capacities at the national level where he helped develop a modern constitution for the Canadian Amateur Speed Skating Association (CASSA). Wally accompanied the Canadian team as their manager to international events in Holland and Norway. He did the same for the team as they hosted the Chinese National team on a tour of Canada.
In 1989 the City of Moose Jaw honoured Wally with the naming of a rink the “Wally Boshuck Arena”. Since 2003 the Moose Jaw Kinsmen Speed Skating Club presents annual Wally Boshuck scholarships and “Outstanding Skater of the Year” awards.
Walter Boshuck has received many honours for his life long achievements including: CASSA Life Member (1977); CASSA Hall of Fame (1987); Sask Sport Coach of the Year (1980); Dairy Producers Fitness (1984); City of Moose Jaw “Mayor’sAward (1987); Sask Sport Hall of Fame (1990).
Troy Gottselig
Troy Gottselig was born in Moose Jaw and grew up on a farm near Findlater, Saskatchewan. He attended A.E.Peacock Collegiate where he excelled in football and basketball from 2002-2005. Troy was a captain of the city and provincial champion 4A football team in 2005.
Although recruited to play football for the University of Saskatchewan, Gottselig attended Medicine Hat College to play basketball where he was named the team’s Most Valuable Player. Troy then joined the University of Saskatchewan Huskies from 2007-2010 winning Canada West and CIS basketball championships in his final year. This National
Championship was the the first in the school’s history. Troy was named to the CIS tournament All-star team and also received the Jack Donohue trophy as the tournament MVP.
Following university Gottselig made the roster for the Canadian Men’s Development Team in 2010. He then spent six seasons as a professional basketball player with various teams across Europe and North America. In 2013 Gottselig joined several ex-Huskie teammates to represent Canada at the FIBA Americas 3X3 Basketball Tournament held in San Juan, Puerto Rico where they qualified for the World 3X3 Tour Final in Istanbul, Turkey.
From 2016-2018 Troy gave back to the sport in Moose Jaw running a successful youth elite skill development and exposure basketball camp for athletes from across Saskatchewan.
Brian Montague
Brian Montague was born in Moose Jaw. As a teenager he became involved with powerlifting while attending Pyle’s Gym in the early 70’s. Dave Pyle was a mentor and a good friend. Brian soon developed into a quality lifter and competed in the sport of powerlifting from 1974 to 1980 in both the 198 lb. and the 220 lb. weight classes. During that period he won several Saskatchewan Open titles including five Golds, a Silver and a Western Canadian title. Montague added the 1978 and 1979 Saskatchewan Bench Press championships to his resume.
Brian contributed to the sport by serving on the first Saskatchewan Powerlifting Association executive as vice-president from 1974-78. In 1996 he was elected vice president of the Saskatchewan Drug Free Powerlifting Association. He later was elected to the Canadian Drug Free Powerlifting Association where he served as both vice president and president (1998-2001).
After the 1980 season Brian retired only to be lured back to competition in 1994 to participate in the Masters category. He particularly enjoyed this period as he travelled with his two sons who were avid powerlifters. Brian proceeded to add to his collection of awards by claiming another six Provincial, a Western Canadian and seven National titles. These include full
meet and bench pressing both in the SDFPA/CDFPA and SPA/CPU organizations. He also competed in and won several contests in the USA. Montague placed third in the WDFPF World Championships in 1997.
Over the course of his powerlifting career Brian held many provincial and national records. In 2001 Montague competed for the last time. At the nationals in Taber, Alberta he set national records in all three lifts in the Masters 45-49 class, including a 611 lb. deadlift.
Brian coached Little League baseball and helped with coaching many young powerlifters and strength athletes in Moose Jaw.
In 1999 Brian was honoured to receive SPA/CPU lifetime achievement award for 25 years of outstanding contribution to the sport of powerlifting.
Murray Swayze
Murray Swayze has left a lasting impact on the sport of basketball through his many contributions. Beginning his career in 1966 as the Recreation Program Head at the Saskatchewan Technical Institute, he ventured into coaching both the men’s and women’s
basketball teams. Swayze’s influence extended beyond coaching as a distinguished member of the Saskatchewan Basketball Officials Association, serving as referee for over three decades across various levels within the province.
As an administrator, Swayze displayed exceptional leadership within Saskatchewan basketball circles. His roles included secretary-treasurer and president of the Saskatchewan Amateur Basketball Association. His direction led to financial stability through innovative strategies such as boosting player participation and instituting provincial playoffs. Noteworthy
initiatives under his watch included the introduction of the bi-annual newsletter “TIPOFFS” and representing SABA at national basketball meetings, solidifying his impact on the sport’s governance and development.
Provincially Murray was a committee member for the Saskatchewan Summer Games (1974) and Winter Games (1978) held in Moose Jaw. In 1974 Murray was a site selection committee member to choose the location for the 1975 Western Canada Games held in Regina and was a signator for the creation of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame.
Within the Saskatchewan Colleges system Murray was a founding member of the Prairie Athletic Conference (PAC). He was an STI founding member of the 4-West Championships, which brought together similar provincial leagues from western Canada.
Nationally Swayze became an executive member of the Canadian Amateur Basketball Association (CABA) from 1972-80.
In 1972 he was Chef-de-Mission for a basketball trip to China. As president (’74-’76) his term was highlighted by the hiring of Jack Donohue as Canadian National Coach, ushering in an era of heightened recognition for Basketball Canada. Murray endorsed and promoted mini basketball programs and was logistics manager for Canadian teams in competition for Olympic qualifying. Swayze’s dedication extended to international events, where he represented CABA as a Canadian Olympic Association member at the World Basketball Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico (’74); the Pan-Am Games in Mexico City (’75) and was host for the Montreal Olympics (’76). Murray was a Basketball Canada rep at COPABA meetings (’79) and a FIBA Technical Committee member (’80).
His legacy of service to basketball was duly recognized through accolades such as Basketball Canada President’s Award (1976); MJHSAD Honoured Guest (1981); COPABA Founder’s Plaque (1983); Sask Sport Hall of Fame (2006).
