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HockeyheroinductedintoNWTSportHallofFameFatherMouchetand1974YellowknifeJuniorMerchantsalsoinductedSportsRecreationHallofFame21TuesdayNovember262013ByMARIACHURCHVictorMercredifondlyremembersthedayhissoncamehomefromschoolbeamingbecausehewasaskedasimplequestionbyhisteacherWhowastherstpersonfromtheNWTtoplayintheNHLThelittleboyhadthrownuphishandandproudlystatedMydadandhecouldntwaittotellhisfa-theraboutitwhenhegothome.Thisiswhathappenswhenyougetolderyoube-comeatriviaquestionVicMercrediexclaimedinrecol-lectionduringaninterviewwithTheJournal.Now60yearsoldMer-crediwasinductedintotheNWTSportHallofFamelastweekinrecognitionofhisprofessionalhockeycareerandlatercontribu-tionstogrowingthesportbackhome.Itsalwaysbeensome-thingImproudofthatIveaccomplished.EvenmoresoformychildrenthattheyknowalittlebitabouttheirfatherspastMercredisaidabouttherecognition.BornandraisedinYel-lowknifeMercredistartedskatingwhenhewas4yearsoldonFrameLakeuntiltherinkopenedintown.Yel-lowknifewasmuchsmallerthenhesaidbutskatingwasoneofthemostpop-ularwinteractivitiesandtherinkwasalwaysfullofchildren.Therewasntthatmuchtodointowninthewin-tertimewhenitstartsgettingcold.Therewerenoskidoosnointernet.Therewerejustwintersportswhichwasprimar-ilyhockeyhesaid.LouiePrincewastherinkmanagerwhenMercrediwasayoungrinkrathangingoutattheareadayafterdaydoingchoresinexchangeforicetime.PrinceMer-credisaidwasinstrumen-talinhisdevelopmentasahockeyplayer.Mr.Princereallystressedskatingsowehadtoskateincirclesonewaycrossingoverthenskatetheotherwayhesaid.Thenhecoachedmethroughoutmyminorhockeycareer.InwasonPrincesrec-ommendationtoacoachinthesouththatMercrediwasscoutedforhisfirstjuniorhockeyplacementwiththePentictonBron-cos.Fromtheretheyoungplayersskilllevelandno-torietyrosewitheachteamheplayedandtitleslikeMVPandtopscorerbe-camecommon.In1973MercrediwasdraftedbytheAtlantaFlamesoneof16teamsintheNHLthatyearmakinghimtherstNWThockeyplayertoplayintheNHL.Mercrediwasatthetopofhisgamebutabrokenshoulderlaterthatyearcutshortthethree-yeardealwiththeFlamesandwasthebeginningoftheendofhishockeycareerhesaid.HewentontheplayinSwedenandeventuallyArizonabeforehanginguptheskates.YearslaterMercrediandhiswifemovedbacktoYel-lowknifetoraisetheirfam-ilyofthreeboys.Sportshesaidwereanimportantpartoftheirupbringing.Ijustthinkitbuildscharacterforonewhenyoureinvolvedinsome-thingthatrequiresatten-tiontoyourhealthyoureeatingwellandyouresleepingwellMercredisaid.Ithinksportespe-ciallyformehasgivenmethatdirectionasamanofpurpose.EncouragingyouthisamaingoaloftheNWTSportHallofFamenowinitssecondyearofinductingathletesbuildersandteamsthathavebeenaninspirationtotheirsport.AlsoinductedthisyearwereFatherJean-MarieMouchetanOblatepriestwhocametoCanadasNorthinthe1960swherehestartedteachingcross-countryskiingandencour-agedpeopletojointheTer-ritorialExperimentalSkiTrainingprogramandthe1974YellowknifeJuniorMerchants.AceremonywasheldbySportNorthlastFridaytohonourthenewinduct-eesatthePrinceofWalesNorthernHeritageCentreinYellowknife.PhotoscourtesyofSportNorthFederationVicMercrediisthersthockeyplayerfromtheNWTtoplayintheNHLdraftedbytheAtlantaFlamesin1973.ThisyearsNWTSportHallofFameinducteesVicMercrediFatherJean-MarieMouchetandthe1974YellowknifeJuniorMerchantsreceiveawardsataceremonyputonbySportNorth.SharonwasborninHalifaxNSthenspentheryoungeryearsinTorontoON.Shestud-iedPsychologyatUniversityofTorontoandintheearly1970ssheranahousefortroubledyouththroughJewishFamilyServices.Onad-vicefromafriendwhotoldhershewasoneheckofasalespersonSharonenteredintorealestate.ShewasverysuccessfulbutafterabusydecadedoingthatshemovedtoChi-apasMexico.ShelivedamongstthepeopleandhelpedestablishtheWomenforDignityCo-operativewhichhelpedMayanwomenselltheirhandcraftedwares.DuringthattimeshewasalsoinvolvedintheZapatistalandre-formmovement.UponreturningtoCanadain1985SharonfollowedthePow-WowtrailacrossCanadasellingherwaresfromtheCo-operative.Thenin1986shemovedtoFortSmithNWTwhereshefoughtpulpandpapermillexpansionpol-lutionwhichimpactedtheSlaveRiverandtheSharonDvorahMaldaver-GypsyMarch281942November82013eradicationofCanadaslargestfreeroamingbuffaloherdinWoodBuffaloNationalPark.AfterashorttimeinNevadaCityCAwhereshestudiedMassageTherapySharonre-turnedonceagaintotheNorththistimesettlinginWhitehorseYTin1996.Alongwithmassagetherapyandlatermenopausecoun-selingshealsoestablishedTempleoftheGoddessandthenlaterSharonesMagicalMarketwhichtouredtheNorthernfestivalcircuitinsummersellingherwaresandevensetupindowntownWhitehorseforthetwoweeksbeforeChristmas.Inherlateryearsshefocusedonactingsingingandstand-upcomedy.SharonbuiltandnurturedacommunityoffriendsinWhitehorseforalmosttwodecades.SharonalsobuiltacommunityoffriendsonSaltSpringIslandwheresheoftenwintered.ShegaveherselffullytohercommunitiesallPleasefeelfreetosharestoriesandsendcondolencesthroughwww.heritagenorth.caItiswithgreatsadnessthatafteralongandcourageousbattlewithbreastcancerfamilyandfriendsofSharonMaldaverannounceherpeacefulpassing.Herhandwasheldlovingly.overNorthAmericawhointurnsupportedherwholeheartedlyinhertimesofneed.Thankstoallwhowerewithherphysicallyspirituallyandorfinancially.Shelovedyouall.NomatterwhereSharonwasshewasalwaysinvolvedinmakinghercommunityabetterplaceforall.HersayingOHMYGODDESSisknownthroughouttheAmericasHerkindthoughtfuleccentricpresencealwaysmadeeveryonefeelateaseanddrewmanypeo-pleofallagesclosetoher.Althoughgoneinbodyherspiritshinesoninallthoseshetouched.Sheispre-deceasedbyherlargerthanlifedogBushmanAsperSharonsrequestaCelebrationofLifeWatchOutSharonhasPassedtotheOtherSidePartywillbeheldinthesummerof2014inWhitehorseYukon.DatelocationTBA.