FRONT ROW: Coach Shawn Turner, Pat Seeds, Doug Dunk, Andrew McTaggart, Paul McTaggart, Dan Jamieson, Jeff Tromp, Coach Paul Turner; MIDDLE ROW: Scott Tennant, Mike Farley, Jim Hamill, Edgar Riel; BACK ROW: Jamie Walker, Ben Tinholt, Mark Jamieson, Steven Slezsak, Graham Tosh, Trainer Doug Pflug, Coach Mark Cullen.
For the Guelph Buns Masters Rollers Special Olympics Floor Hockey team it was a four-year journey to the World Championships in 2009. Guelph has always had an active floor hockey community, winning the national championship back in 1986. It began in 2006 when the Rollers won the Regional championships, then in 2007 they captured the Provincial championship in Toronto. The following year they represented Ontario at the National tournament in Quebec City. They entered that event on a winning streak and their only blemish was a tie with Quebec during the opening game of the nationals. They wouldn’t lose again winning the gold medal and airth in the World championships in Boise, Idaho the following year. At the World’s, with seventy teams present, Guelph was seeded in the top pool with teams from Jamaica, Trinidad-Tobago and Hungary. After beating all three teams in the round robin, they would face Jamaica in the final. Things looked good with the Canadians holding a 5-2 lead heading into the third period but some untimely penalties opened the door and Jamaica stormed back to win the gold 8-7. The Rollers featured a father and son coaching team with Paul and Shawn Turner (along with Mark Cullen) and even a father and son amongst the players with captain Paul McTaggart and son Andrew. Many of the veteran players had said this would be their final season but after settling for silver, all but one player from the roster is back gunning for another shot at world gold. Paul Turner was recently honoured as the longest serving volunteer in Ontario Special Olympics with thirty years behind the bench. “Guelph is known throughout the country as a dynasty” said his son Shawn. “We have developed an excellent program.”
Inducted into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame – Team category – October 26, 2011
